Sooke fastball standout Scott Lieph has been named to the for the

The Sooke Minor Fastball alumni is one of 17 players on the roster. The championship begins play on June 13 in the Czech Republic.

Lieph, a right-handed pitcher, was an integral part of the Sooke Loggers run at the Canadian championships last summer. The 29 year old was placed on Softball CanadaB次元官网网址檚 40-man prospect roster two years ago.

Over the last two summers, Lieph has played high-end competitive ball with both the Loggers and the Kitchener Hallman Cubs.

B次元官网网址淭he past two years have made me a lot more confident in myself as a player,B次元官网网址� Lieph said. B次元官网网址淏ut getting selected for this team has really given me proof for myself that I am meant to be there.B次元官网网址�

Lieph earned his spot on the national team following a training camp in Kelowna this spring.

ALSO READ:

Competition to get on the Canadian team is steep.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of good pitchers out there so you have to beat them out,B次元官网网址� said Lieph, a supervisor with Verity Developments in Langford.

Canadian head coach John Stuart is a fan of his rookie pitcher, whom he mentored throughout his quest to make the national team.

B次元官网网址淚 see all the potential in the world with him,B次元官网网址� Stuart said. B次元官网网址淚 still believe he hasnB次元官网网址檛 reached his full potential.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 very happy to be on the team, and he deserves to be on the team.B次元官网网址�

Over the years, Stuart said he pressed Lieph hard to get him to mentally focus and now believes he has the potential to beat any team in the world.

Lieph will pitch behind Canadian ace Sean Cleary and Devon McCullough. Lieph and Patrick Burns round out the pitching rotation.

But Stuart said whoever is hot and ready to play will get the start.

B次元官网网址淪cott is the type of guy who could start a championship game and win it,B次元官网网址� Stuart said.

Canada heads into round-robin play at the WBSC MenB次元官网网址檚 Softball World Championship against Denmark. The B pool also includes teams from Australia, U.S., Venezuela, South Africa, Netherlands and Singapore.

After the opening round, the top four teams in each group will advance to the playoffs in an eight-team, single-elimination knockout format.

The final game is on June 23.

Canada is ranked No. 2 in the world. New Zealand, which won the last world championship, is considered No. 1.

For Lieph, though, itB次元官网网址檚 all about the competition on the world stage.

B次元官网网址淓verything is better because itB次元官网网址檚 all the best players in the world,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 wait. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be awesome.B次元官网网址�

BASE PATHS B次元官网网址� Canada won bronze at the last world championships B次元官网网址� Two other Island players were also named to the Canadian team: Blake Hunter of Nanaimo and VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Kris Walushka.

editor@sookenewsmirror.com
Like us on and follow us on