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Victoria HarbourCats – ‘Cats SWEEP Riverhawks to win second-half North Division title!

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Playoffs to begin in Wenatchee Tuesday, with Games 2 and 3 (if needed) at home Wednesday and Thursday

Story and Photos by Christian J. Stewart

August 6, 2023

Edmonton, AB – HarbourCats Player of the Year Tyler Davis had a clutch two-out RBI in the top of the eighth, and Jack Johnson had an RBI double in the top of the ninth, to give the HarbourCats all they runs they needed, in an eventual 3-0 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks Sunday afternoon in the final game of the West Coast League regular season at Re-Max Field in Edmonton.

The win gave the HarbourCats the sweep over the Riverhawks, but more importantly, secured first place in the second-half North Division standings and the second seed in the playoffs, with the home field advantage that comes along with that.

What this means then is that the HarbourCats will open the North Divisional Playoffs Tuesday, August 8th IN Wenatchee against the AppleSox and then come home for Game 2 of the series on Wednesday and Game 3 (if needed) on Thursday.

North Divisional Playoffs
IN WENATCHEE
GAME 1 – Tuesday August 8th, HarbourCats @ Wenatchee, 6:35pm

AT WILSON’S GROUP STADIUM at ROYAL ATHLETIC PARK
GAME 2 – Wednesday, August 9th, Wenatchee @ HarbourCats, 6:35pm

GAME 3 (if needed) – Thursday, August 10th, Wenatchee @ HarbourCats, 6:35pm

Tickets for Wednesday’s playoff game can be ordered on-line at https://harbourcats.com/tickets.  Fans should be sure to order PLAYOFF GAME #1 for the Wednesday game and fan’s already holding tickets for Playoff Game #1 should be sure to use this ticket on Wednesday evening.

Fans can also come into the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver street to get their tickets. The office WILL BE OPEN on BC DAY Monday from 10 am to 5pm for this purpose, as well as all day Tuesday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and Wednesday pre-game from 9:30 am to 5pm.  Tickets will also be available at the gate at Wilson’s Group Stadium on Wednesday beginning at 5:30 pm.

Fans already holding tickets for Playoff Game #2, will use this ticket EITHER Thursday night (if the series goes three games), or else for the North Division final which we would host on Saturday, August 12th, should we win the Wenatchee series in two games.

Should the HarbourCats advance to the WCL Championship final, this potentially could be played at Wilson’s Group Stadium on Monday, August 14th, if anyone BUT the Corvallis Knights advance from the South.  By virtue of their 3-0 win over Ridgefield Sunday, the Knights secured the best record overall in the league (by one win over Victoria) and would host the final should they advance.

On Sunday in Edmonton, it was a classic pitcher’s duel, as the ‘Cats could not figure out Edmonton starter Halen Knoll until the eighth inning when Davis laced his RBI single, just the ‘Cats fourth hit of the game, to give the ‘Cats the 1-0 lead.

Meanwhile HarbourCats starter Sam Jordan, and relievers Jake Finkelstein and Ryan Magdic were also doing their best, limiting the ‘Hawks to just three hits through seven innings of work to keep the game scoreless.

After the Cats broke the tie in the eighth, they then added some insurance in the ninth, as Russell Young singled and was driven home on Johnson’s double, with Johnson then coming home on a Michael Crossland RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

Reliever Brett Harvey would shut the ‘Hawks down on just a single hit through the eighth and ninth innings to preserve the lead and get the save.

NOTES:  The win gives the HarbourCats an overall record of 38-15 (25-2 at home) on the year with one game cancelled as a result of a rainout in Kamloops.  Hudson Shupe, who came into the game just .001 percentage point behind in the batting race, was o for 5 on the day Sunday and will lose the title to either Walla Walla’s Ben Parker (who is no longer on the Sweet’s roster) or Wenatchee’s Frankie Carney who will play later tonight.

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Summer Collegiate

Less that 24 hours after a 16 run outburst Northpaws register just two hits in loss to Falcons

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The Kamloops NorthPaws dropped the second game of the home-and-home series to the Kelowna Falcons 6-1 at Elks Stadium on Wednesday night. The NorthPaws got on the board first, but Falcons righty Gio De Graauw retired the next 26 Kamloops hitters, throwing a complete game. It’s the second complete game of the West Coast League season, both of which were thrown by Kelowna.

The NorthPaws got off to a quick start in the first as left fielder Elijah Clayton tripled to the gap in left-center. Designated hitter Drew Schmidt was up next and sent an RBI single to left field. Schmidt took his lead at first base but got erased off the base path after getting picked off. No one realized it in the moment, but that was the last time in the game Kamloops would have a runner on base.

Righty JM Harduvel got the start on the mound for Kamloops and had his longest outing of the season, going two and two-thirds, giving up three earned on two hits. Harduvel got into some trouble in the third as the Falcons loaded the bases with just one out. A sacrifice fly tied the game at one as UC Berkley pitcher was pulled from the game.

Righty Jayson Tamayo came on in relief to try and end the inning with two outs. Tamayo was about to throw his second pitch when he was called for a balk, allowing the Falcons to take the lead. A few pitches later, a single would make it 3-1 for Kelowna.

In the bottom of the fourth, a pair of walks and a stolen base put runners on second and third with two outs. Tamayo would then get called for his second balk of the game, making it 4-1. The Falcons added two more in the bottom of the seventh on two hits and two errors in the field by the NorthPaws.

At this point, all the attention was on De Graauw as the Dutchman continued to cruise through innings. After efficient innings in the seventh and eighth, throwing just 21 pitches, Falcons Head Couch Doug Noce decided to keep his starter in the game with a chance to finish the game.

De Graauw needed 15 pitches and recorded two more strikeouts to secure the complete game on 101 pitches. The righty had seven strikeouts and didn’t walk a batter, retiring 26 straight hitters. In Collegiate Summer Baseball, it’s rare for a guy to pitch seven innings, let alone a complete game. For a team to have two complete games through the first twenty contests is downright absurd. Back on June 14th, Joel Hogan threw a complete game in a 2-1 victory over the Nanaimo Night Owls.

The good news for the NorthPaws is that they won’t have much time to dwell on the loss as the two teams finish the series on Thursday night at Norbrock Stadium. The first pitch is set for 6:35.

 

 

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Summer Collegiate

Nanaimo NightOwls Take Both Games Against The Redmond Dudes

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NANAIMO, B.C. — Nanaimo NightOwls defeated the Redmond Dudes 5-1 on Wednesday night in the second game of their exhibition series. Nanaimo sweeps the mini series, scoring 17 runs and only giving up 1 in the two games.

The Redmond Dudes jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, and it looked like it was going to be a pitchers’ duel. The score stayed 1-0 until the NightOwls were able to tie it up with one run in the sixth inning when Caden Petrey singled in Talan Zenk. Extra innings were on the horizon before a big bottom of the eighth. Nanaimo scored four runs to take the lead and the fans at Serauxmen Stadium all went home happy.

https://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=629559

Starting pitcher Nathan Ames was very good on the day, giving up just one run on five hits in his four innings. Dawson Shultz threw one scoreless inning with a strikeout. With this being an exhibition game, the Nanaimo NightOwls had a pair of local Victoria Golden Tide players join the team. Peter Cunningham pitched two scoreless innings before Nate Major got in and showed off.

He ended up getting the win for the Nanaimo NightOwls, pitching two scoreless innings and not giving up a hit. He walked just one and struck out two, and you could argue he deserved the save after Nanaimo went up in the eighth inning.

At the plate for the Nanaimo NightOwls Talan Zenk had a fantastic night. The second baseman who attends Everett Community College went two for three with a double, a single, two RBI, two runs, and a walk. Drew Giannini also had a multi-hit game for the Nanaimo NightOwls. He went two for three with a double, an RBI, and a run.

As mentioned earlier, Caden Petrey got the first RBI of the game and went one for three with a strikeout. The other NightOwls run came from pinch hitter Tyler Arnold, who replaced Petrey as designated hitter for the 8th-inning rally.

It was a nice series for the Nanaimo NightOwls with two strong wins over the Redmond Dudes. The pitching was strong and the bats came alive. Now a well deserved day off for the players. I also noticed some of the fans going home with roses so we hope you enjoyed Valentines in June. Friday is “Stand Up Against Cancer” Night at the ballpark and this is something that effects so many peoples lives.

The regular season gets back in action with a weekend series starting this Friday against the Edmonton RiverHawks. Friday and Saturday June, 27th and 28th are 6:35 pm first pitches while we go Nanaimo Bars Family Fun Sunday at 1:00 pm on the 29th. Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms and tag us in your photos and videos from the game using the hashtag #IlluminateTheDark.

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Victoria HarbourCats – Clutch homer from Shepherd lifts Cats to win

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The HarbourCats are now 11-10 on the season, three games back of the North Division lead (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

June 25, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. – Logan Shepherd’s (Mercer U) late-game heroics powered the Victoria HarbourCats to a 6-4 win against the Edmonton Riverhawks.

HarbourCats starter Logan Saloman (Nevada) and Riverhawks starter Jesse Kaphing were both in control early, keeping it scoreless through the first two innings.

Tanner Beltowski (Westmont College) led off the third inning with a single, his first of two hits on the night, stole second base, and eventually scored on a JC Allen (UC San Diego) RBI groundout to give the hosts their first lead of the series.

BOX SCORE

Victoria doubled their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Beltowski drew a walk with the bases loaded to make it 2-0.

Tanner Beltowski was in the leadoff spot today and reached base four times and stole three bases (Photo: Christian J. Stewart) 

Saloman took a no-hitter into the fifth inning but gave up three hits in the frame, including a Robert Phelps RBI single to cut the Cats’ lead in half. Saloman’s evening ended after five solid innings, giving up one run on three hits, walking two and striking out a pair.

WCL STANDINGS

Edmonton tied it up at two in the sixth inning through a Grant Yzermans single. In the seventh inning, it was the Hawks’ stars who came up clutch. First, Max Stagg hit a two-out RBI single to give the visitors their first lead. Trent Lenihan was up next and smacked a double to the gap, scoring Stagg, and making it 4-2.

Ben Hewitt (Ottawa) pitched two innings, giving up three runs on four hits.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Hudson Shupe (Gonzaga) and Jacob Doyle (Nevada) hit back-to-back singles to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Shepherd pinch-hit and took a hanging curveball high over the left field fence for a three-run home run to flip the script and make it 5-4 Victoria. It was his team-leading fifth long ball of the year and 17th RBI.

Hudson Shupe was back in the lineup Wednesday and went two for four (Photo: Christian J. Stewart) 

BUY TICKETS HERE

Later in the inning, Beltowski’s aggressive baserunning once again proved decisive as his steal of third base caused an errant throw, allowing him to score and make it 6-4.

After pitching a scoreless eighth inning, Jacob Thompson (Minot State) was trusted to close out the game in the ninth inning and did just that to give his team a much-needed victory.

WATCH GAMES HERE

The rubber match between the two teams is tomorrow at 6:35 PM. Buy tickets at harbourcats.com/tickets.

Season Tickets, 10 and 32-Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are now on sale for all 33 home games and four “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats’ new and one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.

Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.

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