For the first time in league history, a woman will suit up in the Canadian College Baseball Conference next season.

Vancouver Island University Mariners baseball club announced this week the signing of Alli Schroder, a right-handed pitcher from the Kootenays for the 2021-22 season. According to Baseball Canada害羞草研究所檚 website, Schroder is the first woman to commit to a CCBC program.

The 18-year-old Fruitvale native is a veteran of the national women害羞草研究所檚 team and helped Team Canada advance in World Cup qualifiers two summers ago.

After graduating high school last year, Schroder took a year away from school and has had limited opportunities to play baseball in a pandemic. She practised and played with the Cranbrook Bandits club team when she could, but has mostly been doing individual training, finding someone to throw to, motivated to play college ball and stay in the mix for the national team.

Schroder wanted to stay in Canada and decided that VIU was the 害羞草研究所減erfect fit害羞草研究所� for her to study environmental science and pursue athletics.

害羞草研究所淰IU had it all for me,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎lso [being] from the other side of the province, almost, living in the Kootenays, I thought it would be a pretty cool opportunity to live on the coast for a little while.害羞草研究所�

She said she害羞草研究所檚 personally been 害羞草研究所渟uper fortunate害羞草研究所� in the past with being accepted on teams of boys and men 害羞草研究所� they害羞草研究所檝e seen she can play and contribute, so gender hasn害羞草研究所檛 been an issue.

害羞草研究所淚 know that this hasn害羞草研究所檛 been the case for a lot of girls,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 been teams that we害羞草研究所檝e played against that aren害羞草研究所檛 super receptive, but every team that I害羞草研究所檝e personally played on, they害羞草研究所檝e been awesome.害羞草研究所�

She said coming to the VIU Mariners as a rookie, she害羞草研究所檒l recognize her role, know that opportunities will come through work ethic, and will be ready to contribute to the team in any way she害羞草研究所檚 asked.

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Her change-up and her two-seam fastball are her best pitches and she害羞草研究所檚 looking forward to seeing how she fares against CCBC batters.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e always played against big guys 害羞草研究所� you kind of just have to find your own advantages and know yourself, know how you play,害羞草研究所� Schroder said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 excited to see the competition and I害羞草研究所檒l just have to find my place there.害羞草研究所�

As for her place in league history, Schroder is willing to embrace the role of an advocate for women in men害羞草研究所檚 sports. Girls who play baseball sometimes switch to softball when they reach college, but Schroder said there are pathways to keep playing baseball and maybe she can 害羞草研究所渂laze a trail.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淏ut at the end of the day, I害羞草研究所檓 also just a player,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 excited to contribute to the team any way possible and I害羞草研究所檓 more focused on just being looked at as a baseball player.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 official, RHP from Castlegar, BC is the newest addition to the Mariners 2021/2022 roster. Welcome aboard, Mariner!

害羞草研究所� VIU Mariners (@VIUBaseball)

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