Lexi Fenske is the only girl playing in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League.
Instead of getting funneled into softball, she wanted to play baseball.
“I really like pitching, so when they told me I had to switch to windmill I was like, ‘yea, that’s not happening,’” she said with a laugh.
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But since there are no female midget triple-A teams in Saskatchewan, Fenske tried out for the Parkland Expos, based in Yorkton.
“She impressed us at camp, and we threw her into some games early and she’s been nothing but impressive … sometimes you have to remember she’s a girl because she blends in with the team perfectly,” Expos head coach Mark Jacobs said.
But it’s a different story when opponents step up to the plate.
“As soon as she enters the game there’s a guy up next, he’s kind of giggling … then she’ll throw a couple pitches and then they know it’s serious business, she’s a good pitcher that’s why she’s on this team,” Expos catcher Zachary Goulden-Madden said.
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It hasn’t been an easy road for the 15-year-old rookie pitcher from Melville.
“I practice probably three or four times a week. My brother plays catch with me every day. We’re always working on something. Before we came here today my dad made me throw 50 curve balls to make sure I had it in line,” Fenske said.
“She doesn’t throw the ball as hard as maybe some of the guys do but her pitch location is fantastic,” Jacobs said.
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Fenske also had to work extra hard to earn respect.
“It’s more as they treated you different. Like you could tell, that they didn’t really think that you were a fit on the team. And maybe I didn’t play as much,” Fenske said.
“But you just got to push through that and show them what you got. And when you do get to play, just show them exactly how you can play.”
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