Memorial star pitcher Matthew Fisher has returned to form after elbow scare in the fall

EVANSVILLE — Matthew Fisher admits it all felt secretive. That wasn’t intentional. There were simply times he couldn’t give an answer.

The Memorial High School standout is one of Indiana’s top pitchers in the Class of 2025. He’s committed to play at the next level in the Big Ten Conference. But on the night of September 8, Fisher slumped off the turf at Enlow Field in pain.

He was holding his right elbow.

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“It’s scary at the beginning," said Fisher. "It was a traumatic event."

An elbow injury to a pitcher? That reads like the start to a bad story, especially considering all of the injuries endured at the highest levels of the game. What followed was equal parts confusion and worry as Fisher attempted to learn what was wrong. There were multiple opinions, and even a trip to see the St. Louis Cardinals.

All is fine seven months later. The 6-foot-3 junior is on the mound in the Tigers’ No. 1 spot and flashing signs of the dominant ace he can be. And with him at this peak, the sky is the limit for the team.

Much ado about nothing? Not quite. Still a blessing for the best outcome.

"Every kid handles things differently," said Memorial coach Rip Collins. "He is kind of a realist. I think he saw it as 'These are my cards, but I'm not out of the hand.' He tried to figure out as much as he could about his situation. He stayed in the game."

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Fisher has progressed to this point of his career in incremental stages. Projected as the next high school ace, he committed to Indiana University last March. Fisher produced a strong sophomore season with 1.51 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. His regional performance, while playing a sprain in between his thumb and index finger on his glove hand, was among this best.

He is also the Tigers’ starting quarterback. Memorial was 3-0 last fall going into a home game against Mater Dei. Fisher was tackled in the second quarter and landed on his elbow. He gutted through the rest of the game but wasn’t the same. Fisher only threw one pass, a left-handed screen against Jasper in the sectional, the rest of the season while eventually returning as a punter.

“It wasn’t ideal and ended my season as a quarterback," he said. "It’s tough to sit on the sidelines and watch. All I want to do is be out there and compete. I trust the process the doctors put out there for me."

What was the issue? That was the big question. Fisher heard different things with different timelines. One trip took him to see the Cardinals' team doctor. Rumors were flying because of the unknown severity. He likely knew a return during football season was a non-starter.

The diagnosis was eventually a fracture on the top of his radial head, a part of the radius near the elbow. It’s an injury that may not be visible on initial X-rays, hence the confusion. Pain on the outside of the elbow and swelling in the joint would also explain any fears.

Fisher calls it a “something kind of freak” because the injury typically occurs in individuals twice his age. He didn’t require any surgery. That was the lone positive.

“I heard three different injuries by the time I finally got an answer," said Fisher. "I think I had every test you could possibly get. It felt good to know I would make a full recovery and be back in the spring."

Everyone benefitted from such an outcome. Memorial has its star pitcher and an upperclassmen who leads by everything he does in all aspects of the game. Fisher didn’t miss a single inning and eventually worked through a typical offseason.

He has allowed four earned runs in eight innings with 15 strikeouts so far. His second start, Tuesday against Jasper, was stronger with no hits allowed until the fifth inning. Fisher also hit safely at the plate in the Tiger's first five games with four extra-base hits and five RBIs.

“He's a baseball guy," said Collins. "We tell him on a day he’s pitching when we see him in the morning, go ahead and start stretching. He’s very methodical and meticulous about going through his routine. He’s prepared himself and it’s showing right now."

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Seven months ago, he was in pain on the Memorial sideline. Zero chance he could lift the elbow above the shoulder without wincing. In his first start this spring, Fisher hit 93 miles per hour on his fastball. All looks normal. There's not much else the junior could ask for.

Everything happened. You learn from it and move forward.

"It was a wild process," Fisher said. "There’s been some ups and downs through the recovery process, but I feel really good now. I started throwing in early December. Everything was on track. It’s early. There are things I need to fine tune and get better at. When you realize it’s going to be okay and just take time, you feel really better."

Follow Courier & Press sports reporter Kyle Sokeland on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: IHSAA baseball: Memorial pitcher Matthew Fisher back from elbow injury