Connect with us

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats set for first-half North Division title showdown with Bellingham

Published

on

‘Cats beat Kelowna 11-4 Wednesday to take series and stay in the hunt for the first half North Division title

Story by Christian J. Stewart

For Immediate Release

June 29, 2023

Victoria, BC – It is hard to believe, but the HarbourCats are nearly through the first half of their season, with three key games against the Bellingham Bells coming up at home this weekend, games that could be key in deciding who wins the first half West Coast League (WCL) North Division title, and along with that, the number one seed in the North Division playoffs that would begin August 8th.

As it stands, with Victoria’s 11-4 and 11-3 wins over Kelowna this week, Bellingham and Victoria are now tied with 16 wins each, while the Wenatchee AppleSox are also in the mix with 15.  The HarbourCats however, have had eight losses, to only four by Bellingham and five by Wenatchee. Plus, Bellingham and Wenatchee have one more series to play before the end of their first half, whereas the HarbourCats first half comes to an end with the three games against Bellingham.

So what does this all mean?

Well first, relative to Bellingham, the HarbourCats realistically need to sweep the Bells this weekend to finish with a 19-8 record and then hope that the Bells lose at least two more games – either to Edmonton tonight – and then one or two more to Kamloops in their three game set next week.  If Victoria and Bellingham end up tied, it would come down to head-to-head records, which if Victoria sweeps, would be the same.  The next tie-breaker then would be head-to-head run differential, which heading into the weekend, sits at 10-5 in favour of Bellingham.

As to Wenatchee, they swept Victoria earlier in the season, so hold the tie-breaker in that respect.  Thus, the HarbourCats (and the Bells for that matter) have to hope that Wenatchee loses four of their next seven games, which include a game tonight against Port Angeles, a weekend series against Edmonton and three more next week against the Lefties in Port Angeles.

Whoever comes out of that mix, then knows their playoff spot is secured, while the other teams then try to vie for the second-half title, as well as two wildcard spots that are also available to the next two teams.

WCL Playoff Procedure Details at https://westcoastleague.com/playoff-procedures/

It may sound like a tough road for Victoria, but nevertheless, with playoff possibilities on the line, Canada Day Fireworks Friday and a Canada Day and Sunday matinee on the schedule, it is going to be a fabulous weekend of baseball at Wilson’s Group Stadium.

Tickets for all games are selling fast, especially Friday’s fireworks night with some sections already sold out, so fans are urged to avoid disappointment and get their tickets on-line as soon as they can at our one and only ticketing partner Select Your Tickets at https://harbourcats.com/tickets.

Source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Summer Collegiate

Hayes goes deep again, Owls win final home game

Published

on

NANAIMO, B.C. — Jacob Hayes, and Owen Wessel, but the punctuation on it.

The Nanaimo NightOwls ended the home portion of their fourth season in the West Coast League with a convincing 6-1 triumph over the visiting Kamloops NorthPaws in an entertaining game played Sunday afternoon at Serauxmen Stadium.

Hayes, with a team-record 10th home run, and Wessel, with his first of the season, went deep for Nanaimo, while Dawson Schultz and Vinny Bruno kept the Kamloops bats silent.

Wessel hit a two-run shot in the second, and Hayes had a solo shot in the third. Both were to left field.

The NightOwls (22-29, 10-14 in second half) close out the season with three road games in Bellingham, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Season tickets will start renewal shortly after another exciting season of WCL baseball in Nanaimo, with local product and head coach Cody Andreychuk returning in 2026, and the expectation that veteran pitching coach Gorman Heimueller, one of the best in all of baseball, will be with Nanaimo next season for what will be his 50th year in the game — leading to a season-long celebration.

Dawson Schultz started and was masterful, going six innings with four hits allowed while striking out five. Vinny Bruno, the Italian right-hander, closed it with a save and three innings with two strikeouts.

Hayes, named team MVP before the game, was 2-3 with two RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Andrew Ivy, Easton Mould and Spencer Sullivan also had two hits each. Andew Nykoluk had two runs and Wessel had two RBIs.

Sullivan was given the team’s Development Award, right-hander Aidan Boice was given the top pitcher award, Ryder Florence earned the citizenship award, and concession stalwart Jo-Ann Hammond was named the volunteer of the year.

Source

Continue Reading

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats roll to 8-2 win

Published

on

The HarbourCats have won eight of their last ten games (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

August 5, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats celebrated Jersey off our Backs night with a convincing 8-2 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks Tuesday night.

After Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s) led off the second inning with a double, Jake Butler (George Mason) drove him home with a sacrifice fly to give the Cats an early 1-0 lead.

The Hawks answered back with a sacrifice fly of their own in the top of the third inning to level it up 1-1.

BOX SCORE

Tanner Beltowski (Westmont College) doubled in the bottom of the third and came home on the next play after an error allowed him to score. The Cats caused havoc on the basepaths all game stealing five bags, and Jack Johnson (Tulane) was at the centre of that, stealing second and third to set up a situation with men on the corners. Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii) stole second and drew the throw which allowed Johnson to break for home and he scored, making it 3-1.

Tyler Patrick tied his season-high with five strikeouts (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

Shiryu Sato added a second Edmonton run in the fifth inning driving in Anthony Kodama with a two-out RBI single, cutting the Cats lead to 3-2.

Tyler Patrick struck out five batters over 4-2/3 innings of work starting his sixth game of the campaign.

Tristan Buehring (Whitman College) hit an RBI single for the second straight game to push the Cats lead to 4-2.

WCL STANDINGS

The HarbourCats piled on four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their advantage to 8-2. First it was Beltowski with an RBI single that was then followed by a pair of sacrifice flies from Johnson and Lopez. Butler continued to swing a hot bat, driving in his second run of the ballgame on a single to cap off the big inning. The second baseman has 13 RBIs in his last eight games.

Jacob Thompson was first out of the bullpen for Todd Haney’s team and he did exactly what was asked of him, pitching 2-1/3 shutout innings while striking out three. Garrett Villa (Angelo State) closed out the game recording the final six outs giving up no runs and striking out a pair.

Tristan Buehring has three hits in his first two games as a HarbourCat (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

WATCH GAMES HERE

This 8-2 win means playoff seeding will go down to the final game tomorrow night. It is simple, the winner of tomorrow’s game between Victoria and Edmonton will win the second half and earn home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs, to be played this weekend August 8-10.

BUY TICKETS HERE

VOUCHER REMINDER: Tomorrow is the final game you can redeem your vouchers. They are not eligible to be used for playoff games. You can do so at harbourcats.com/tickets, and if you have any questions or need help exchanging your vouchers, call the HarbourCats office at (778) 265 0327.

Tomorrow is Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Passion Sports. Get tickets at harbourcats.com/tickets.

Source

Continue Reading

Summer Collegiate

Gutsy NightOwls edge Bells in extra innings

Published

on

BELLINGHAM, WA — With nothing but pride on the line, the Nanaimo NightOwls are showing they are full of character.

A sacrifice fly by outfielder Spencer Sullivan in the 10th inning at Joe Martin Field on Monday gave the NightOwls, who will miss the playoffs in their fourth season in the West Coast League, a 3-2 victory over the playoff-bound Bellingham Bells — who won the North Division’s first half pennant to lock up their post-season berth.

Andrew Ivy led off the game with a home run, his first of the season, crushing a 2-1 pitch out of one of the WCL’s hardest parks to clear the fence.

Dalton Hanson was strong in a short starting assignment, the Scottsdale CC product going three scoreless innings, giving up two walks and three hits. Venezuelan lefty Richtter Castillo was effective in three innings, allowing two hits and three walks, with one earned run and two strikeouts.

Jayden Gabrillo (Hawaii Pacific) struck out four batters over two innings, giving up two hits and one run. Moosa Nonomiya, fresh off helping Team Pakistan earn international standings points in a series played in Chicago against Palestine, got the win with two innings of scoreless work.

Leadoff man Ivy was 3-4 with the home run, a double, a walk and an RBI and scored two of the team’s runs, while the guy behind him, Ryder Florence, was 2-4 to raise his batting average to .210 — he’s batting .421 over his last seven games. Easton Mould was 2-4 with an RBI.

The NightOwls have two games left in the WCL season, playing in Bellingham on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, before the players head off to their respective collegiate programs. The NightOwls are 23-29 overall, and 11-14 in the second half — the team will finish fifth or sixth overall in the eight-team North Division.

Source

Continue Reading

Trending