EDENTON, N.C. — Simply put, Dave Bednar has “strikeout stuff.”

And he's been using it.

The Mars graduate and incoming junior Lafayette University right-hander is spending this summer pitching for the Edenton (N.C.) Steamers of the Coastal Plain League.

Come Monday, he will pitch in the Coastal Plain All-Star Game in Florence, S.C.

“It's quite an honor to be selected for that game because there are a lot of high-caliber players in this league — and some great players on our team alone,” Bednar said.

Bednar is one of seven players — including two other pitchers — from Edenton chosen to play in the All-Star Game. Edenton has a 25-8 overall record, including 20-7 mark in the first half that was good enough to win the East Division.

Bednar pitched for the Butler BlueSox last summer before Lafayette coach Joe Kinney lobbied to get him into the Coastal Plain circuit.

“The Cape Cod League is considered the best summer collegiate league out there and I'm hoping to get David a tryout there next year,” Kinney said. “I feel like he's got a shot at pro ball down the road and the Cape could help get him there.”

He's not doing too badly on his own.

Bednar is 2-0 with a 2.36 earned run average as a starting pitcher for Edenton thus far. He's struck out 44 and walked only 10 in 34.1 innings pitched.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound hurler allowed only 19 hits as opposing batters are hitting just .160 against him.

Bednar led Lafayette in strikeouts in each of his first two years with the Leopards. He fanned 70 batters in 63.1 innings pitched this past spring and fanned 48 as a freshman in 2014.

“His fastball is between 88 and 92 miles per hour and locates it very well,” Kinney said. “He also throws a curve, slider and changeup. He seldom throws that change and we're working with him on that.

“David's freshman year, he hit a lot of guys with his breaking balls. He showed a lot of improvement in that regard this year. He's only going to get better because he works at it.

“This is a dedicated young man. He doesn't miss time in the weight room. He's diligent in everything he does,” Kinney added.

Butler graduate Mick Fennell, a teammate of Bednar's with the BlueSox last season, is also playing for the Steamers. He is hitting .263 as the team's center fielder.

Right-hander Trevor Houck, Bednar's roommate at Lafayette, is on Edenton's roster as well.

“It helps knowing there are familiar faces here,” Bednar said. “It helped my comfort zone early, but this whole team, it's a great group of guys.

“We all jelled right away. You can tell by our won-loss record. It's been an unreal experience down here.”

When Bednar returns to Lafayette next season, he will be the Leopards' No. 1 starter. His impressive numbers in 63.1 innings pitched this spring, including a .219 batting average against, was marred by a 3-7 won-loss record.

“We couldn't score runs for the poor guy,” Kinney said. “In his first six starts, we scored five total runs. But he never moaned or threw his hands in the air out of frustration ... He just kept us in games.

“I know he'll keep us in games next year, too.”

Bednar said he never worries about run support when he's on the mound.

“I block that stuff out and focus on my job,” he said. “Keep the other guys off the scoreboard.

“I'm working on developing my changeup and holding runners on base better. Those are the next two steps for me.”

An economics major at Lafayette, Bednar isn't counting on professional baseball being his final step.

“That would be awesome, sure, but I just keep playing, one day at a time and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “So far this summer, I've been successful attacking the hitters and my defense has played great behind me.

“That's what's important right now.”

The Coastal Plain Leaguer is in its 19th season and has 15 teams in North and South Carolina. The league has had 1,200 players drafted by major league clubs and 75 players have made the big leagues, including 27 in the past three years.