Shot by shot and pitch by pitch: Sisler says goodbye to hockey, looks to baseball

Melissa Brawdy Down On The Ice

Patrick Sisler thrives off of pressure. The Niagara Falls senior plays both hockey and baseball, and the high-pressure situations he finds himself in as a goaltender and a pitcher are his favorite aspect of both sports.

Sisler has faced his share of adversity, with his future in both sports jeopardized by an injury right before his junior season of hockey. But it was one of those difficult, high-pressure situations that was, in fact, the highlight of Sisler’s high school hockey career.

“By far, beating Orchard Park,” Sisler said with a grin. “I was actually just thinking about that yesterday. I texted Hunter [O’Donoghue] and Nick [Lepine] about it because I was just laying in bed, and it just popped into my head. That definitely made my whole high school experience — it was just an amazing feeling.”

Sisler made 49 saves on 50 shots as his Wolverines upset Orchard Park with a 3-1 playoff win. It gave Sisler and his teammates one more practice and one more game together. Again, Sisler stood on his head, but it wasn’t quite enough as Niagara Falls lost to eventual state champion Williamsville North, 5-0.

Sisler and Lepine hesitated to leave the ice after that game as they said goodbye to high school hockey.

Now it’s springtime, and Sisler has moved on to baseball. The pitcher is committed to play at Niagara County Community College next year, and baseball is a sport that came along after hockey and is just now taking Sisler’s full attention.

“I started playing hockey before I started playing baseball; hockey I’ve been playing since I was 4, and baseball I started playing when I was 6,” Sisler explained. “Last year, actually — that’s when I got really serious [about baseball]. I have good faith in [the NCCC] coach, Coach [Matt] Clingersmith, he’s known for getting guys to D1 and better schools after NCCC, and he has a good pitching program.”

Sisler played baseball last spring too, but he was forced to take last year off from hockey after an injury he suffered in a hiking accident.

“I was in the gorge and I slipped and fell, and a rock came down and hit me in the back of the head, and I ended up having a fractured skull and a severe concussion,” Sisler explained. “I was out for three months. I couldn’t play hockey, but I was able to play baseball last year, and I had a pretty good year, and then I got asked to play college baseball for NCCC, and I ended up committing there, and I’m hoping for a good year this year.”

Sisler wasn’t sure how his senior season of hockey would go after not playing his junior year, but his close-knit team helped him through, and he couldn’t complain too much about the results.

“I wasn’t sure how it was gonna go this year,” Sisler said. “I wasn’t sure if it was gonna go good or bad, but I just went out there and worked hard. And I mean, we beat Orchard Park, so that’s a positive.”

As a goaltender and as a pitcher, the pressure is on Sisler to get the job done for his team.

“As a pitcher, I love how I’m involved with everything, from the last pitch to the first pitch,” Sisler said. “I love the pressure, just like a goalie. Goalie, you gotta go shot by shot. As a pitcher, you gotta go pitch by pitch. Do as good as you can.”

Now, the pressure is on for baseball, and while Sisler is sad to say goodbye to one sport he loves, he’s looking forward to his future in another.

“It’s sad, but I got bigger and better things to come for baseball,” he said. “Definitely, I expect to win NFL [Niagara Frontier League]. That’s what we’re playing for, but we’re also playing to win our section.”

And after one last spring at Niagara Falls, Sisler is even more excited for his future with NCCC baseball and beyond.

“I expect to do bigger and better things,” said Sisler.