Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats crush Raptors in 20-5 rout

Published

12 months ago

July 5, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

July 4, 2025

For immediate release

RIDGEFIELD, WA – On the Fourth of July, the Victoria HarbourCats scored four times as many runs as the Ridgefield Raptors, winning the series opener 20-5.

The fun started in the top of the third inning when the HarbourCats brought 13 batters to the plate and put up nine runs in the frame. Xander “Boogie” McAfee (Texas Arlington) opened up the scoring with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Boogie also had an RBI double later in the inning.

Logan Shepherd (Mercer U) and Dillon Lopez (St Mary’s) drove in one run each with singles, while Tanner Beltowski (Westmont) and Connor Ross (Cal Baptist) each hit two-run singles in the inning. Garrett Brooks (St Mary’s) drove in his first run of the season with a double.

BOX SCORE

The Victoria offence was relentless this afternoon as they put up five more runs in the fourth inning to extend their advantage to 14-0. Shepherd’s RBI single was followed by a Jack Johnson (Baylor) sacrifice fly. Boogie McAfee then hit his second RBI double of the game, and Beltowski smacked a triple to the wall to score another run.

Johnson has reached base in all 24 games he has played this season.

Shea Lake (West Texas A&M) started the game for Victoria and was fantastic through his first four innings of work, surrendering just two hits. He retired the first two batters in the fifth but then pitched into trouble. After the next two Raptors reached base, Taylor Takata hit an RBI single to get the home team on the board. Andrew Estrella then hit a three-run home run to the opposite field to make it 14-4 and put an end to Lake’s outing.

WCL STANDINGS

Marcus Janovsky (UBC) pitched the next 2-1/3 innings and gave up one run on three hits while striking out a pair.

If you thought that complacency would become an issue for the HarbourCats’ offence after 14 runs, you would be sorely mistaken. The visitors tacked on another five runs in the seventh inning through a two-run single by Johnson and a three-run home run from Ross.

Ross had four hits, five RBIs, and scored three runs.

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Shepherd drove in his third run of the game in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly, pushing the lead to 20-5. The designated hitter, along with McAfee and Lopez, recorded three hits in the game. Beltowski drove in four runs and had two hits, increasing his season average to .342. The shortstop has two or more hits in five of his last seven games.

Dustin Davidson (Brookhaven) completed the final two innings, facing the minimum, giving up just one hit.

Thomas Bridges (Northwestern U) is the projected HarbourCats starter for game two tomorrow against the Raptors at 6:35 PM. The right-hander will enter the game with a 0.45 ERA in 20 innings of work this season.

The HarbourCats are back home for an exciting weekend series against the Kelowna Falcons Friday, July 11 at 6:35 PM. Friday is Harvey’s Birthday, Saturday is a Fireworks night, and Sunday’s matinee is the always popular Bark in the Park game, where all dogs are welcome! Get 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.

For more updates, be sure to follow @HarbourCats on all social channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats Silenced by NightOwls in 2-1 Loss

Published

10 hours ago

June 26, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Despite out-hitting the NightOwls, two solo homers in the fourth inning was all Nanaimo needed to overpower the visiting Cats. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Nanaimo, B.C. – The Island Rivalry Series came to an end in Nanaimo on Thursday evening, with the Cats offence held quiet in a 2-1 loss to the NightOwls.

Erik Rico (Fresno State) was dominant in the opening third of the ballgame, keeping Nanaimo scoreless with six strikeouts. The Cats starter wavered in the bottom of the fourth, surrendering a solo homer for the first blemish on his previously spotless ERA this season. The NightOwls took the opportunity to pummel another ball over the wall, taking a 2-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning.

BOX SCORE

The Cats had their first real offensive opportunity in the top of the seventh, moving Rohne Klein (San Jose State) over to third after a leadoff single. Nanaimo’s defenses held strong, however, and Klein was stranded to end the inning.

Victoria finally broke through in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Kade Davis, but one run was all they could muster. Nanaimo closed it out in the top of the ninth to claim a series victory in the first Island Rivalry Series of the year.

Northern Kentucky reliever Daniel Tovar was introduced to the ballgame in the fifth inning, powering through two scoreless innings before handing the ball over to Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State). Tomlinson worked his way across the seventh and eighth, picking up a strikeout and allowing two hits in two innings.

WCL STANDINGS

With the Nanaimo series complete, the Cats will now host the Bellingham Bells in a weekend series at home, beginning Friday night at 6:35 pm.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby 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.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Nanaimo Hands Cats 8-3 Loss to Tie Series

Published

1 day ago

June 25, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria, B.C. – The NightOwls rolled into town and squashed the HarbourCats on a warm Wednesday night, tying the series and forcing an 8-3 loss on Victoria.

Nanaimo opened the scoring early in the second game of the series, getting a couple of men on in the first inning and cashing in a run on a single up the middle to take control of the game. The visitors tacked on a couple more in their next trip to the plate, taking advantage of an eastward wind for a two-run homer to make it 3-0 in the second inning. It was the first long ball surrendered all season by Hudson Lance (Coastal Carolina), and the first multi-run effort against the right-hander as well.

BOX SCORE

Retaliation came off the bat of Max Bernal (Fresno Pacific) in the bottom of the second, who fired a double straight into the gap and scored a runner from first to cut into Nanaimo’s lead. The NightOwls, however, got them right back. A ground ball caromed off two Cats in the bottom of the third inning, giving a Nanaimo baserunner time to find his way home to restore the three-run gap.

Hudson Lance worked his way through 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs on ten hits with four strikeouts. (Photo by JPM Photography)

The NightOwls rocked their second long ball of the game to lead off the top of the fifth, followed by a base hit into centre field to push their lead to 7-1 at the midway point of the ballgame. This would spell the end of Hudson Lance’s start, as the Cats tagged in Easton Reimers (North Dakota State) to finish off the inning.

Reimers locked in for a powerful performance, striking out six NightOwls in just three innings to keep the score from getting any further out of hand. Reimers was swapped out for Flynn Warren (Hawaii Pacific) in the eighth inning, who worked the final two innings for the Cats.

Matt Westley (George Mason) let fly an absolute laser over the fence for a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little too late as Victoria fell short to Nanaimo by a score of 8-3.

WCL STANDINGS

The series comes to an end tomorrow night in Nanaimo, following which the HarbourCats will engage with the Bellingham Bells for a weekend series in Victoria.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Nail Down 5-3 Win in Nanaimo

Published

2 days ago

June 24, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Marcus Nolen’s homer in the second inning gave an early advantage to the HarbourCats. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Nanaimo, B.C. – Victoria kicked off the Island Rivalry series the right way on Tuesday night, claiming a 5-3 win over the Nanaimo NightOwls

The Cats made it a loud second inning in this one, slamming two monster moonshots to get on the board first. Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) shelled the parking lot for his second of the season, followed up by a blast to right field from Max Bernal (Fresno Pacific) to make it a three-run inning for the Cats.

BOX SCORE

That run support backed up a scoreless start from Landon Marchetti (San Jose State), who pitched three innings, gave up zero hits, and struck out four batters. Davis Lee (Calgary) was summoned for the bottom of the fourth, surrendering the first Nanaimo run of the evening before stranding two runners to end the inning. Victoria responded with another run in their next turn at the plate, bringing in a run on a sacrifice fly to restore a three-run lead.

Davis Lee took a seat after a strong two innings of work, giving way to Asher Clark (Northern Colorado) in the sixth. The right-hander loaded the bases but buckled down, generated some weak contact, and stranded the runners to keep the HarbourCats’ lead intact.

David Krahn is tied for the second-most hits in the West Coast League, adding three more in tonight’s ballgame. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Clark ran the bases full once again with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, inducing a change of personnel for the HarbourCats. Marcus Janovsky (UBC) took to the field, hitting a batter but stranding three runners to escape the inning clutching a 4-3 lead.

Victoria answered back in the next frame, beginning with a well-earned walk from Kade Davis (UTSA), who later came around to score on a base hit by Dryden Fuoco (Hill College). 5-3 Cats after eight innings..

It was Carson Ackermann’s turn to get in on the action in the bottom of the eighth. The Tacoma College hurler locked down the frame with two strikeouts to keep the score frozen. Pierce Stone (Regis) appeared on the bump to close it out and didn’t disappoint, filling up the zone and securing a quick three outs to seal the deal.

WCL STANDINGS

The series continues tomorrow, with the HarbourCats hosting the NightOwls in Victoria for an Island Rivalry game at 6:35 pm!

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