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WCL Adds Springfield Drifters as Newest Member Team

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3 years ago

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Thursday, the West Coast League announced the addition of the expansion Springfield Drifters as the league’s 16th member team. The Drifters will join the Bend Elks, Corvallis Knights, and Portland Pickles as the league’s fourth Oregon-based team.

“When you look at a map,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer, “adding another team in the Willamette Valley is an easy call for us. We were simply waiting for the perfect situation, and with the Springfield Baseball Project, that’s now exactly what we’ve got.”

The Drifters, Bushnell University, and Huddle Up Foundation comprise the Springfield Baseball Project, which is partnering with Springfield Public Schools to renovate the Hamlin Sports Complex baseball field, located at Hamlin Middle School. Beginning in 2022, both the Drifters and the Bushnell Beacons will call the Hamlin Sports Complex home in their inaugural seasons.

“Bringing the high-level play of the West Coast League to Springfield is a baseball dream come true,” said Drifters General Manager Jamie Christopher. “Through the Springfield Baseball Project and Springfield Public Schools’ partnership, we are not only building a first-class baseball facility; we’re also bringing a community facility to an under-served youth population.”

The Drifters join the Edmonton Riverhawks, Kamloops NorthPaws and Nanaimo NightOwls as the four expansion teams set to begin play in 2022. Edmonton, Kamloops and Nanaimo, along with the Victoria HarbourCats and Kelowna Falcons, are gearing up for the 2022 campaign after withdrawing from the 2021 season due to continuing pandemic-related border and gathering limitations.

Springfield’s ownership team of Ike Olsson, from Olsson Industrial Electric; and Kelly Richardson of Richardson Sports, have been planning this venture for a year. “In partnership with the school district,” said Olsson, “we are honored to present our community with another phenomenal baseball complex that builds upon Huddle Up Foundation’s success with Rich Schwab Field at Maple Elementary School. This new project will continue Huddle Up’s mission of providing mentorship and after-school programs to underserved local youth.”

“The Springfield School District has been an ideal partner. Without their cooperation and shared vision, the Drifters Baseball Club and this new facility would not be possible,” said Richardson. “We are excited to bring collegiate baseball to the Springfield community and provide a first-class facility for local kids to use and be proud of.”

Fans can follow the team on social media: @driftersbball on Facebook and Twitter.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats 2024 Summer Kids Camps now open for registration

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1 day ago

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April 27, 2024

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April 27, 2024

VICTORIA, BC – The Victoria HarbourCats are pleased to announce that their always popular summer baseball camps are now open for registration.

Catering to kids in the 8-11 and 12-15 year-old age groups, a series of half-day camps will take place both outdoors at Royal Athletic Park – the home of the HarbourCats, and indoors at the Edwards Family Training Centre, the official off-field training facility of the HarbourCats and the Victoria Golden Tide.

Camps are set up as half-day sessions and by two age groups: 8-11 and 12-15. For Outdoor camps only, you may register your child for both the morning and afternoon camps according to age, but you must add both the morning camp and afternoon camp to your cart when registering. This option is NOT available for INDOOR camps.

Spaces in each session are limited and sessions may be cancelled if there are not enough participants.

Camps schedule and pricing as follows:

July 2-5th  INDOOR – $200.00 (four half-day sessions per age group)
July 8-12th OUTDOOR – $300.00 (five half-day sessions per age group)
July 15-19th OUTDOOR – $300.00 (five half-day sessions per age group)
July 22-26th OUTDOOR – $300.00 (five half-day sessions per age group)
July 29-August 2 OUTDOOR – $300.00 (five half-day sessions per age group)
August 6- August 9th INDOOR – $200.00 (four half-day sessions per age group)
August 12-16th INDOOR – $250.00 (five half-day sessions per age group)

All camps will be run by Victoria Golden Tide College Baseball coaches and players and/or HarbourCats players when available pending their schedule.

TO REGISTER, please head to The Cat Shop at https://victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com/collections/harbourcats-youth-camps

 

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Summer Collegiate

Japanese pitcher, Hawaiian speedster, big bat from VIU among eight added by NightOwls

Published

7 days ago

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April 22, 2024

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The pitching staff, it is growing — and adding interesting storylines.

Japanese pitcher Moosa Nonomiya, who is at Skagit Valley College in Washington, will add more to the international flavor of the Nanaimo NightOwls for 2024 — already with players from Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Taiwan

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Not all are far flung — lefty-hitting DH/1B Brayden McClary of the VIU Mariners and returning lefty arm Hayden Cuthbertson are islanders who know Serauxmen Stadium well.

Hata can fly — he started 40 games as a freshman and will top that this spring, piling up 28 stolen bases over two seasons. He’s not just speed, he hit a game-winning grand slam in extra innings earlier this month and has three home runs and 25 runs driven in, batting .320 with a low strikeout rate.

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Cuthbertson has had a breakout year with a 3-1 record and four saves, striking out 27 in 17 innings and earning a Division1 spot with Miami-Ohio. McClary, also an Islander, will be the first married player on the NightOwls — he’s a key offensive force in the middle of the VIU lineup, hitting a ball out of Serauxmen this weekend against TRU.

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Felix is a young star catcher with position versatility— and he’s big at 6-2/200 as he goes to Cal Poly this fall. Jakobson is a righthander who will have ample innings available for the summer, a oower arm with bullpen potential.

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Ariaza is a great mix of power and strikes, and he’s the biggest NightOwl to date at 6-5/270. He didn’t walk a batter in 10 outings as a freshman and has 25 strikeouts in 18 innings, along with a save, this spring.

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Hanning has had success at the junior college level and has proven to be a workhorse, including 61 innings already this season, tops on his staff.

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Nonomiya has moved into a starting role in the NWAC conference and is now over 30 innings for a team that has NightOwls assistant Sean FitzGerald on the staff.

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Three returning players, one a WCL all-star, and local infielder highlight eight NightOwls signings

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2 weeks ago

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April 17, 2024

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Those announced today:

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OF/LHP Riley Paulino, University of Pikeville, 5-11/180, Fife, WA (returning player)

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C Sammy Torres, University of Pikeville, 5-9/200, Yuaco, Puerto Rico (returning player)

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LHP Richtter Castillo, University of Pikeville, 6-0/215, Maracay, Venezuela

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IF Lucas Laukkanen, Cloud County commit, 6-0/190, Nanaimo

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LHP Carson Jones, St. Martins, 6-0/180, Walla Walla, WA (returning player)

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RHP Christian Lucero, Arizona Christian, 6-1/190, Sacramento

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OF Sammy Kahler, San Diego State, 6-0/185, Stockton, CA

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OF Drew Rutter, San Diego State, 6-1/190, Trabuco Canyon, CA

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