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| Nelson Lipszyc, Calgary, Alberta RHP Thompson Rivers University |
editor's note: This is a repost of a story written by Larry Read, originally appearing on the CCBC official website. Due to it being about a local player (who happens to share my last name), I thought it important to repost it. You can see the original one here.
Kamloops, BC---Their season might still be going, but that isn’t stopping the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack baseball team from looking towards the future. The Canadian College Baseball Conference team and head coach Ray Chadwick are pleased to announce the commitment of their first recruit for 2013-14.
Pitcher Nelson Lipszyc (pronounced: lip-sick) of Calgary, Alberta will join the squad in September.
“I think I have good control,” he says about his strengths. “ I am not going to blow you away with speed but I have a lot of movement on the ball.”
His main pitch is a cutter and believes that his curve ball is coming along. He is currently playing with the Pro Baseball Force “AAA” Midget Redbirds. He was part of the gold medal winning team at the Alberta Summer games when he was U-15 and last year, won a bronze at the 2012 Provincial chamkpionships.
Joe Sergent has coached the 5’10” Lipszyc for the last three seasons in the Pro Baseball Force. “He is not going to be overpowering as a pitcher but he competes really tough. He throws a lot of strikes. He gets guys out and doesn’t back down from a challenge and always wants the ball.”
Lipszyc was the Redbirds number one pitcher this Spring. “He is our ace and has been throwing excellent and progressing great. He also plays a little bit of second base,” says Sergent. “ He is not a power guy—even at the plate. But its funny, he has led our team the last three years in on base percentage” Sergent adds. “ He is kind of deceiving. He is one of those guys who frustrates other teams—he plays hard . You don’t think that he is going to beat you and suddenly it is the sixth inning and you are losing.”
His combined 2012 fall/2013 spring record is 7-1 with five complete games, two shutouts, 46 strikeouts and an earned run average of 2.32.
Lipszyc says he doesn’t model his pitching style after any particular major league pitcher but is partial to the mechanics and work ethic of Tim Lincecum of the San Fransisco Giants. “ He is an undersized little guy but still throws well.”
Lipszyc is looking forward to making Norbrock Stadium his permanent home for the next five years. He has fond memories of his first appearance there. “Last fall (2012) at the Best of the West tournament, I tossed a no hitter there,” he said. “It is a great facility. Good sightlines and the field is great to play on. The no hitter came against the South Okanagan Minor Baseball Association.
He believes he is joining the WolfPack at a good time with starter Danny Moore (RHP, Victoria, BC) set to graduate. “ Hopefully I can come in and contribute right away.”
Sergent believes that Lipszyc will have a bit of an adjustment moving to the CCBC. “ It is just like anything in life, going from one phase to another. Not only playing baseball but the whole going to University thing will be a change for him. I feel confident in the way he handles himself now that it will be a smooth transition.”
“This school has everything that I was looking for,” he said about choosing Thompson Rivers as a place to continue his education and play baseball. “ I had the chance to meet up with one of the assistant coaches—Frank Ingram this summer. I really liked him and wanted to come.”
Lipszyc will be taking courses with an eye to earning a Bachelor of Arts degree looking at the Education program and becoming a P.E. teacher.
“He will be a great addition to our program,” said Chadwick about his first signing. “ Nelson is a quality pitcher and comes from a solid organization. We are pleased that he made Thompson Rivers his choice for his scholastic and baseball career.”
