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When I first heard about the Dublin Leprechauns signing a female to their Pecos Independent League baseball team, I envisioned Leprechauns general manager as a P.T. Barnum role, making it a big marketing move.
But the more I looked at it, and after talking with the player, it’s a legit signing.
And so it is that pitcher Marika Lyszczyk is slated to make her debut this week – some time during the game Tuesday (June 24; 6:30 p.m. first pitch) when the Leprechauns play host to the San Rafael Pacifics at Fallon Field in Dublin.
“We want to be in the best position for success,” said Leprechauns’ on-field manager David Aceron. “Marika adds value to our team and that’s why she is here.”
In a league that plays 54 games in 65 days, pitching is crucial. Every inning counts – something the Leprechauns found out the hard way last year.
After a 3-2 loss to Martinez on Sunday, the Leprechauns dropped to 13-13, right in the middle of the pack but just a winning streak away from battling for first place.
Lyszczyk is a relief pitcher, so when in the game she will take the mound remains to be seen. When she does get the chance to toe the rubber, count on her competitiveness to be on display.
The girl loves baseball.
“I started playing both baseball and softball as a kid,” said Lyszczyk, who grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia. “I quit softball at 11 and focused on baseball. I kept making it further and further.”
Lyszczyk was a catcher and had a solid career, letting her think about what would happen after high school.
“I decided to try and play in college,” said Lyszczyk, who went to high school at South Delta Secondary School.
She ventured back East to play for Rivier University in New Hampshire.
In her freshman year, she caught a game and thus became the first female catcher to play in an NCAA baseball game. She was also the first Canadian woman to play in an NCAA game. She also got a hit, becoming the first woman to get a hit in an NCAA baseball game.
What also came along back East was a rotator cuff injury that sent her to the shelf. But it was also a time when she saw her future change when because of the injury, she switched to pitcher, rather than catcher.
“There was more throwing involved in playing catcher than pitching,” Lyszczyk said.
She also decided she wanted to play a higher level of college ball, so she left Division III Rivier and made her way west to D-II Sonoma State. At Sonoma, she pitched in three games, going one inning in each.
Facing 11 batters, she only gave up one hit and one unearned run, ending up holding opponents to a .091 batting average.
Pretty heady numbers for any level of college ball. Blessed with pinpoint accuracy, it’s the natural speed of her fastball that has made the difference.
“When I was in high school, my speed was about 83 (miles per hour), which was the perfect speed for a hitter because they are used to that,” said Lyszczyk. “In college the pitchers are in the 90s, so 83 they are not used to. They have problems timing it.”
Her style fits perfectly with the role of a reliever.
“I like to close,” Lyszczyk said. “I can go through the lineup once.”
I had to ask Lyszczyk about trash-talking, as baseball is a game ripe for chirping. And with a girl playing against the boys, it would seem natural.
“If I get some, I just try to give back,” Lyszczyk said. “I did have some bad teammates when I was younger until they grew up and got out of the cooties phase. Honestly, I really haven’t had that much as I have had some great teammates.”
While Lyszczyk is a member of the Leprechauns, she won’t be with the team full-time as she is employed by Momentum Baseball, a YouTube organization.
Being a Canadian citizen, she has a work-visa through Momentum. The company is working with the Leprechauns to get Lyszczyk to select games throughout the season.
And the first of which is Tuesday – and while you can’t predict when she will play in any game, count on seeing Lyszczyk take the mound at some point when she is on the roster.
She’s excited for the moment, especially against San Rafael.
“It’s going to be great,” Lyszczyk said. “I played with a lot of their guys at Sonoma State. I am looking forward to seeing them.”
Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for Embarcadero Media Foundation’s East Bay Division. To contact him about his Pleasanton Preps column, email acesmag@aol.com.
