Drew Fittry enters his sophomore season as the pitching coach for the Hawks’ baseball program during the 2015-16 season.
The Hawks pitching staff thrived under Fittry’s tutelage in 2015. They set the baseball program’s record for most strike outs looking (53), fewest walks per 9-inning (3.71) and the best strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.51 K/BB). For the first time in the program’s history since Hilbert began competing in the AMCC league in 2005, the Hawks pitching staff led the league in fewest walks allowed (99) and was the only team in the AMCC to yield less than 100 walks in 2015. Additionally, the men on the mound collected their lowest ERA of 6.60 since joining the AMCC 11 seasons ago.
Prior to joining the Hilbert staff, Fittry had a successful and rewarding baseball career at Niagara University. He was a four-year starter for the Purple Eagles and made his mark on Monteagle Ridge. He started 12 games and took his first win (and the programs too) over an ACC power (Virginia Tech) while leading the team in wins his freshman year. Fittry opened his sophomore campaign going undefeated through eight starts and finished the season leading the Purple Eagles in starts, wins, strikeouts and innings pitched. He suffered a season-ending injury his junior year which motivated him to return his senior year on top of his game. Fittry took #5 Florida State with a no-hitter through 5.1 innings in Tallahassee and finished the 2014 season with 10 starts. He is currently ranked in All-Time Leaders (3rd) in starts (39) and finished with 192.1 innings and 107 strikeouts in his career.
Fittry played year-round, spending his summers playing in collegiate leagues throughout the country. In 2011, he was a member of the Walla Walla Sweets of the West Coast League taking the team to the championship game. The following summer, Fittry played for the Herndon Braves of the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball league and then traveled back west again to play in the Pacific West Baseball league for the California Glory. Fittry went 3-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 50 innings and was named to the Pacific West All-Star team his final summer of ball.
The Tonawanda native graduated from Niagara University (2014) with a bachelor’s degree in sports management.
