By JOE McFARLAND

A large part of the Lethbridge Bulls’ success during the 2025 Western Canadian Baseball League season can be attributed to their pitching.

As they jockey for top stop in the West Division with the Okotoks Dawgs and Sylvan Lake Gulls, Bulls pitchers are near the top of many statistical categories both individually and as a team.

That includes strikeouts, where the team’s hurlers whiffed 332 opposition batters through the first 36 games.

Among those leading the charge is Brett Getz, who is 1-1 with a 3.37 earned run average in six games, striking out 31 in 29-plus innings of work.

It’s earned the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Eastern Arizona College southpaw a spot on the West Division roster for the WCBL All-Star Game.

The Medicine Hat native has found a new home in the summer circuit – one that he’s very familiar with after spending his high school days at nearby Vauxhall Academy of Baseball – after stints with the Brooks Bombers in 2023 and his hometown Mavericks in 2024.

Getz recently joined us on Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast after his Canada Day start for the Bulls against Weyburn, which helped create the basis for our latest 7^th Inning Stretch.

1. What’s it like standing up on the mound throwing out the first pitch for Canada Day?

Oh, it was awesome. You could feel the energy. Everyone’s ready to be there and excited. The weather was awesome, you couldn’t beat it. Happy vibes all around and it was good to go. It was a great feeling.

2. Do you remember the moment when coach says you’re the afternoon guy on Canada Day?

I do remember it. I’m actually staying at (pitching coach Josh) Burgmann’s house, so he just told me at the supper table, “Hey, you have the afternoon game,” and I was like, “oh it’s going to be packed, there’s going to be a lot of fans there.” I was all excited. It was a great feeling actually.

3. Did you have to take that step back, especially being around this park for so long, thinking you would want to do this one day, and now here I am?

I pitched probably 20 starts here at Vauxhall throughout my years. Now, it’s just like getting back to it. I’ve been here for a couple of Canada Day games and thought it’d be pretty cool to pitch in. So getting to be that guy was pretty neat.

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4. How have you found the adjustment to taking on a bigger role with the Bulls?

I’m loving it. Just going out there every day with the guys. They make it easy showing up to the ballpark and it’s always fun. It’s been a great year so far. They make it way easier on me and good defense behind you … it’s all good.

5. With the second half of the season upon us, what’s been the message in the room as you ramp up for a playoff push?

It’s the dog days of summer here because we’re getting through the rainouts and lost a couple of off-days, so we’re playing seven games in five days. Everyone’s a little tired and banged up, so we just need to get through the next few days. Then we get some off days and then we’ll be ready to roll. It should be a fun second half.

6. What do you think it’ll take for the Bulls to get over the hump and elevate yourselves to become WCBL champions?

I think consistency day after day. Bringing the energy every day. You see sometimes the other teams will be down and you can tell from the beginning of the game that they just don’t really have it. The teams that are constantly up, no matter if they’re winning or losing, no matter the score, those are the teams you have to look out for because they’re never really out of it. That’s the kind of team we’re striving to be over the next couple of months. That’s what will help us in the playoff push.

7. What does it mean to you to be a Canadian kid playing in a uniquely Canadian league?

It’s incredibly awesome because it brings me back to the guys I grew up with in high school and all my best friends that I grew up with. But it also brings guys from across all over the world to show them the stuff that I’ve done all my life as a kid. I get to bring them around to all the neat Canadian stuff, which has been awesome.