Quite a run for St. Joseph’s Ava Fisher

Fisher helped lead the Hammonton team to the NJSIAA Non-Public B state softball championship, the first softball state championship in school history. 

In the state final, Fisher, a hard-throwing right-hander, earned a 7-1 championship win over Morris Catholic. Fisher allowed just three hits and struck out 14. 

This past high school season, Fisher was a force as a pitcher and a hitter. According to NJ.com, she had a 2.39 ERA, with 267 strikeouts in 158 innings pitched.

When she wasn’t pitching, Fisher acted as first basemen and batted .410 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 32 RBI.

Fisher has committed to East Carolina University and with statistics like that, it’s no surprise that she said she was recruited as both a pitcher and position player. 

A week after St. Joseph’s state championship, Fisher helped lead Tri-Cape to the 18th Carpenter Cup softball championship, sponsored by the Phillies and featuring 16 All-Star teams from PA, NJ and DE. 

During the final day of competition, Tri-Cape won three elimination games with Fisher as the winning pitcher in each one. 

Carpenter Cup rules allow pitchers to throw as many as four innings per game.  

On that final day, she threw 11 2/3 shutout innings. During Tri-Cape’s 2-1 championship win over Jersey Shore, she threw 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. 

Is it any wonder that Fisher was named the Carpenter Cup MVP?

Tri-Cape and Jersey Shore were both honored before the July 18 Phillies game against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

The players from the teams were introduced with a special second introduction for Carpenter Cup MVP Fisher. 

“It is awesome that we could win this as a team and be recognized,” she said. 

While the Carpenter Cup doesn’t allow seniors to compete, making this her last eligible season, she will certainly miss the competition.

“It was crazy, especially the championship game,” she said, referring to the fact that things were so tight, with every pitch containing its share of drama. “It was honestly so cool that we were able to do it.”

Right after the Carpenter Cup, Fisher had a busy summer with the Lady Dukes, playing tournaments in Colorado, Georgia, Virginia and Kansas City. 

By the time her team was honored at the Carpenter Cup, her summer softball season was over. This allowed Fisher a well-deserved break, but she wouldn't sit idle for long.

Like all accomplished players, she is always working on her game, which is why Fisher is among the top two-way players in New Jersey.