Sean Fisher’s love of the game started at an early age. From the time his parents signed him up for the Salvation Army league as a child, he was hooked on baseball. A two-sport athlete for most of his life, he played soccer and baseball at the varsity level at Parkside High School in Salisbury, Maryland.

But there was never a question of which sport he preferred; baseball has always been number one. A left-handed pitcher, the thrill of being on the mound fuels Fisher’s passion for the game.

“There is no better feeling than being out there in a really important game, in a tough situation, just trying to work out of it,” he said.

Fisher will bring that passion with him to Maryland, as on Nov. 9, the Parsonburg, Maryland, native signed his national letter of intent to play for the Terrapins.

Blessed to continue my baseball career after high school at the University of Maryland!⚾️🐢 #DirtyTerps pic.twitter.com/LK4BYUgqyS

— fish (@fisher__30) July 25, 2016

A two-way player in high school, he was no slouch at the plate in the spring, hitting .255 with 10 RBI and a .739 OPS as a junior. But it was on the mound that he came into his own, as he pitched to a 3.39 ERA and held opponents to a .190 batting average while striking out 48 hitters in 31 innings en route to Parkside’s first Bayside Conference championship in 20 years.

According to Prep Baseball Report, he has a mid-80s fastball to go with a plus curveball and a changeup, a mix that has given him a lot of success, according to Parkside head coach Brian Hollamon.

“He’s a good, gritty competitor, and he has the ability to be an athlete, not just a baseball player,” Hollamon said. “[Last year], he stepped up and became one of our big game starters.”

Off the field, he makes just as much of an impact, as Hollamon said he’s a “jokester” who helps keep things loose on the bench when he isn’t out on the mound.

But despite his recent success, Fisher never takes anything for granted, saying that his major goal throughout his career has always been to just keep improving.

“I really just want to work hard and get better every day,” he said. “My dad has always been there to support and push me, always reminding me when to work out and keeping me on track.”

Fisher, who is now a senior in high school, is the third Parkside alum to sign with Maryland in recent years. Hunter Parsons (Parkside Class of 2015) is coming off a strong freshman campaign in the Terps’ rotation, and Class of 2017 teammate Grant Burleson has also signed to play in College Park.

“[Parsons] worked his way from the bullpen eventually into getting some starts [for Maryland],” Hollamon said of the former Parkside right-hander. “I can see [Fisher] being capable of doing the same thing: getting an opportunity and doing well with it.”

Growing up, Fisher didn’t expect to play college baseball at a Division I school, so he jumped at the opportunity when Maryland gave him an offer. Knowing that Parsons has excelled with the Terps and that Burleson would accompany him to College Park influenced his decision, but ultimately, talking to the coaches made him certain this was the place for him.

“I never really knew that I would end up at the University of Maryland, but it’s a dream come true,” he said. “The coaching staff is great, and it just seems like a great environment where I can excel and continue to get better.”

While excited to play for the Terps down the road, his focus for now is finishing his high school career strong and bringing Parkside another Bayside championship. Never satisfied with what he’s accomplished, he wants to improve upon his strong junior campaign with an even better senior season, saying “there is always room to grow.”