Summer Collegiate

Construction underway on upgrades for safer Serauxmen Stadium

Published

4 years ago

May 5, 2021

Dugout Wire Service

May 3, 2021 11:20 AM
From Nanaimo News Now

NANAIMO — Major renovations are underway at Serauxmen Stadium.

Construction has begun to replace and upgrade the outfield fencing at the facility, including a new 16 foot tall centre field fence designed to provide a visual backdrop behind the pitcher for hitters.

City crews will replace the 24 foot tall “Green Monster” fence, which was removed in 2020 due to safety concerns, along with the remainder of the eight foot tall outfield fencing.

“These fencing and netting improvements make Serauxmen Stadium a safer place to play for athletes, enhance the spectator experience and support the overall stadium improvement plan that will benefit baseball and all other users of this facility,” Lorne Goodall, president of the Serauxmen Stadium amateur baseball association, said in a release.

Fencing down the left and right foul lines will be changed to accomodate additional viewing areas while netting will be added to the Green Monster to reduce the chance of home runs hitting people on the neighbouring NDSS Turf Field.

The project is estimated to cost $1.2 million, with partial funding coming from the provincial gas tax fund for community works projects and $150,000 from the Serauxmen amateur baseball association.

Upgrades are expected to be complete by July 2021. Access around the facility will be maintained with flaggers on scene when necessary to manage traffic.

Enhancing the sports zone on Third St. is a primary focus for the city, an initiative which includes development of a medium-sized stadium complex among Serauxmen, the turf field and Rotary Bowl.

In 2020, Serauxmen Stadium upgraded to LED lighting at a cost of approximately $1 million. The project also included a new, bigger scoreboard in left-centre field.

The upgrades come, in part, due to the Nanaimo NightOwls franchise playing out of the stadium during West Coast League play.

The team was scheduled to hold its inaugural season in 2021, however restrictions during the pandemic delayed plans until at least 2022.

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Summer Collegiate

VISL, and HarbourCats/NightOwls, enter strategic partnership

Published

4 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Different sports, but the same community ideals.

The Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls, of baseball’s West Coast League, and the Vancouver Island Soccer League, have entered into a strategic partnership intended to assist the entities in growing grassroots sports and improving facilities on Vancouver Island.

The VISL provides programming and championships on the Island and leads leagues which give the best soccer players an avenue to play the sport for life. Championships such as the Jackson Cup, with many finals played at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, serve as the crown jewel of the VISL.

More than 6,000 participants are involved with the VISL — sports fans, who will keep track of the Island’s top baseball programs, the HarbourCats and NightOwls, who combined to draw more than 100,000 spectators in 2024.

The baseball teams and VISL will jointly promote each others’ schedules, and provide opportunities for youth participation.

“Baseball fans are soccer fans, and soccer fans are baseball fans — it’s about supporting quality programs on the island and furthering awareness. Adding youth opportunities between the two will be the cherry on top.”

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – You’re Invited! Christmas Open House, November 28-29

Published

2 days ago

November 19, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Please join us as we usher in the Holiday Season with our annual Christmas Open House!

When: Thursday and Friday, November 28 and 29
Time: 12 Noon to 7 PM each day
Where: HarbourCats office 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

Come by to say hello and enjoy some hot cider and other beverages and snacks and talk about our upcoming 2025 season!

Plenty of merchandise on hand for the HarbourCats fan on your Christmas list – all at 20% off for the month of November! Plus plenty of HarbourCats and Victoria Golden Tide items available on our special $10.00 clearance rack!

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs will also be available for sale and as a special BLACK FRIDAY bonus, we will throw in a free-gift with the purchase of any 10-pack or season ticket package.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Source

Summer Collegiate

A top-end catcher and four arms to throw strikes to him make up the latest signings for the Nanaimo NightOwls.

Published

3 days ago

November 19, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Wirthgen has MLB bloodlines as the nephew of former MLB slugger and manager Phil Nevin, the first overall pick in the 1992 draft who played for six teams and hit 41 home runs for the Padres in 2001 as part of a 1,200-game career. A strong defensive catcher with power potential, Wirthgen played in the Alaska summer league in 2024.

Teper, also from D1 powerhouse Cal Baptist, is an aviation major who plans to fly planes once his days in pro baseball are over. The lefty will be counted on in key situations this summer, and made 11 appearances, including three starts, in the Alaska league in 2024.

Three players will arrive from the University of Pikeville, where they play for new NightOwls coach Cody Andreychuk — including returning lefty Richtter Castillo, a Venezuelan fan favorite who pitches with a lot of emotion and did strong work out of the bullpen for pitching coach Gorm Heimueller in 2024. Castillo was 1-1 with a 3.75 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 12 innings.

Shaye McTavish, a Canadian addition from Lethbridge, has been a starter at UPike and in the Western Canada summer league. Schultz, another power arm from Lethbridge, has summer experience in the WCBL in Swift Current and is developing into a high leverage righty for Andreychuk.

Season tickets and 10packs are available for 2025 and information can be found by emailing GM Tina Cornett — tina@nanaimonightowls.com

Source