Summer Collegiate

Insurance against the elements — Maxxam Insurance steps to the plate for Serauxmen Stadium

Published

3 years ago

May 29, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Baseball folk can be heard to say — “can’t control the weather, but you can be prepared for it.”

With that in mind, the Nanaimo NightOwls are excited to announce a major addition to Serauxmen Stadium that will not only help the WCL team, but all stakeholder groups that make the refurbished/historic field their home.

Maxxam Insurance, the community-driven company that serves the entirety of Vancouver Island and indeed B.C., has stepped to the plate with a legacy partnership, purchasing a full infield tarp, measuring 160ft-squared, to help fend off rain that is undeniably a part of being a baseball program on the moist coast, particularly in spring and fall.

“Maxxam came to us and asked how they could help, what they could do that was meaningful for not just the NightOwls but all Island baseball teams — and the lack of a tarp at Serauxmen impacted everyone’s operations in the wet 2022 season,” said Jim Swanson, GM and Managing Partner of the NightOwls. “We faced rain on opening weekend, and that whole first month. We wished we had a tarp many times.”

“Well, now we do, thanks to Bill Rai, Bryson Hill and the people at Maxxam. We are thankful, and excited. It’s a major complement to all the work done by the City of Nanaimo over the last two years.”

Maxxam is proud to help solve an issue — insurance, if you will, against the rain we all know so well.

“For us, it is always about the community and what we can do to contribute,” said Rai, the founder of Maxxam Insurance. “Sports is important to people of all ages and working with the NightOwls for this project is exciting to be a part of.”

The tarp, the same product used at famed Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver, arrived this month and will take up a prominent foul-ball area beyond the third base dugout, with a cover featuring the Maxxam logo. In addition, Maxxam has purchased a new cover for the full infield tarp at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, making that helpful feature look sharp again.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Two major events announced with Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game

Published

9 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Legendary scout Marti Wolever to speak at luncheon

July 4, 2026

VICTORIA, B.C. — Having the West Coast League all-star festival in Victoria brings tremendous extra opportunities — like hearing from some of the best in the game.

The organizers of the Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game, presented by Canadian Club, are proud to announce two signature pieces of the two-day festival, and they are sponsored by valued partners of the Victoria HarbourCats Baseball Club — The Wilson’s Group of Companies, and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

“Sponsors like Wilson’s and The Chamber make events like this possible — and with the big names and details, will get people fired up to attend,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the Victoria HarbourCats.

Both events are also held at the Studio 919 thanks to partnership with the Strathcona Hotel (919 Douglas Street).

HOT STOVE PANEL, presented by The Wilson’s Group of Companies
Tuesday, July 14 — 9pm-11:30pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Admission — $10
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

A soiree on baseball following the WCL All-Star Home Run Derby, fans are urged to keep the evening going with a social, relaxed, panel-style discussion of baseball and tons of stories — headlined by Kevin Pillar and legendary baseball scout Marti Wolever, and including HarbourCats head coach Todd Haney, himself a five-year MLB player, the dean of pitching coaches, Gorm Heimueller, who is celebrating his 50th year in the game, and legendary local baseball scout Walt Burrows.

Food and refreshments will be available for attendees to purchase.

OFFICIAL ALL-STAR LUNCHEON, presented by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday, July 15, 11:30am-1pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Tickets — $25 (Limited quantities available to the public).
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

All of the all-stars and coaches will be there to hear a welcome from John Wilson, a member of the HarbourCats ownership group and also the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, from WCL commissioner Rob Neyer, and then keynote speaker Marti Wolever, who has been enshrined in the MLB Scouts Hall of Fame, and now is senior amateur scouting advisor for the Miami Marlins.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Narrowly Defeated by Falcons in Game Two

Published

11 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took to the field against Kelowna again on Saturday night, dropping the second game of the series by an all-too-familiar score of 3-2.

The Falcons swooped in to take an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, punishing Landon Marchetti (San Jose State) for allowing two walks with a 2-RBI double.

BOX SCORE

That score stood until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Kelowna gained enough ground to add on. A few baserunners and a sacrifice fly ended the outing for Landon Marchetti, who went 3.2 innings with three runs, three hits, and seven strikeouts. The new job opening was filled by Concordia-Nebraska right-hander Trent Schlim, who successfully cleaned up the runners left behind by Marchetti.

Schlim exited the game after loading the bases with nobody out in the fifth, and in came Taylor Franklin (George Fox) for his season debut. Franklin worked quickly to get a popout and a double play, miraculously escaping the jam with no runs across.

Landon Marchetti allowed Kelowna’s only runs in his three-inning start. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria found the beginnings of revenge in the top of the sixth, executing a double-steal perfectly for Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) to swipe home plate and score the Cats’ first run. David Krahn (UBC) came around to score on a single later in the frame, making it a one-run ballgame with three innings to go.

Franklin retired to the dugout after a couple of scoreless innings, replaced by Leif Friedrich (Concordia-Nebraska) for the eighth. Friedrich held strong for a quick one-two-three inning, swiftly getting the Cats back on offence. Victoria kept it close but were unable to break the threshold, taking their second 3-2 loss in a row.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats will attempt to salvage a win in the final game of the series tomorrow night, and will return to Victoria for a three-game set with the Bend Elks starting on Tuesday.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

GET YOUR ALL-STAR TICKETS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE! Tickets for the 2026 WCL All-Star Home Run Derby (featuring former Blue Jay Kevin Pillar) and the West Coast League All Star Game on July 14-15 are selling fast. Get yours today! Each event is now on sale separately, or grab the package deal for both and save a few bucks at http://harbourcats.com/tickets! Or call the office at 778-265-0327 to order by phone.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Comeback Out of Reach in Extra Innings Loss

Published

2 days ago

July 4, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

The HarbourCats’ offence struggled tonight, failing to pull together until the late stages of the game. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Kelowna, B.C. – The Cats’ comeback attempt fell short as Victoria endured a 3-2 extra-innings loss in game one of the Kelowna series.

A leadoff double in the bottom of the third inning paid off for Kelowna when a one-out single drove in the first run of the ballgame. After a strong couple of innings top open the game, Cats starter Easton Reimers (North Dakota State) struggled to find the zone in his third frame of work.

BOX SCORE

The HarbourCats turned to Spencer Kratt (San Jose State) to pitch the fourth inning, and the right-hander proved to be unsolvable for the Falcons. Kratt allowed no runs in his solid four innings in relief, allowing only two hits alongside a pair of strikeouts.

Victoria finally cobbled together an offensive threat in the top of the fifth, with Tristan Buehring (Whitman) making his way to third after a single and two groundouts. The Cats were unable to take advantage however, squandering their first opportunity to score.

Anson Stuckly (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) was called from the bullpen in the eighth, on the heels of an airtight outing from Kratt. Stuckly made things look easy in his brief appearance, tossing ten pitches for a quick scoreless frame.

Victoria struggled to find any traction over the course of the ballgame until Logan Shepherd (Mercer) uncorked a monster solo shot in the top of the ninth, his first homer of the season to tie the game at one. That kept the game going long enough for Stuckly to pitch a scoreless bottom of the ninth and force extra innings.

The Cats battled their way to a one-run lead in extras, courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Riley Kwak (Bossier Parish) to give Victoria the advantage. Marcus Janovsky (UBC) was tagged in for extra innings duty, loading the bases and allowing two runs to score for a 3-2 Falcons win.

WCL STANDINGS

This Kelowna series continues this weekend, with the next game scheduled for 6:35 on Saturday night. Following the end of the series, the Cats will come home for a three-game set with the Bend Elks.

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