Summer Collegiate

Big steps for new NightOwls in Year Two — but just missed playoffs

Published

2 years ago

August 8, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

The Nanaimo NightOwls have landed, and the second year of WCL baseball in the Harbour City was full proof.

The big crowds in July, bursting with energy that rivals any other city in collegiate summer baseball for noise and entertainment, saw the NightOwls battle for a playoff spot until the season’s final days, elbowed out of post-season contention with just four days remaining in the 2023 schedule.

After a 22-32 mark in the debut season in 2022, the NightOwls improved to within a game of the .500 mark at 26-28, ending with two solid road wins in Kamloops. Under Head Coach Greg Frady, Pitching Coach Gorm Heimueller, and Assistant Coach Sean FitzGerald, Nanaimo saw improvements in offence, pitching and defence over the inaugural season.

We are happy with the strides the team made, on and off the field,” said Jim Swanson, GM of the NightOwls. “Of course, we all want to see what a playoff game is like at Serauxmen Stadium — the games this season had an electricity that was fun for everyone, and was certainly noted by visiting teams. Our guys fed off that excitement, no question.”

The fan entertainment factor also went up in the second year, more action in the stands and on the field between innings.

“That was a major focus this year, improvements in our press box and in the crowd,” said Swanson. “(Assistant GM Tina Cornett) and I worked very hard on changes to that area, and we have a base crew now we think will only bring more added entertainment in 2024 and beyond. Bringing on Darcy “Details” McBride and Geoff Linn, and improvements to the scoring and data side, with Ben Carter handling broadcasts and Keygan Hankins with baseball operations needs, moved us forward.

“The new PA system and additional stands on the third base side were great additions, and going to a NightOwls game has become an event for Nanaimo and area residents. There are more improvements to come for 2024 and beyond, too.”

The team itself had notable performances, including the first-ever NightOwl to be drafted when infielder Elijah Ickes, who will head to the University of Hawaii in his home state this fall, was taken in the 19th round by the Texas Rangers. Ickes would have gone earlier in the draft but was unlikely to sign pro with a great scholarship package — and that’s how it played out as he declined the pro enticement and will be a collegiate player and re-enter the draft after his junior season.

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Ickes and Nanaimo-bred infielder Aaron Marsh, his double-play partner many nights, were named co-winners of the Player of the Year award — Marsh hit .287 with 24 runs driven in, and Ickes was the slickest with the glove, making so many spectacular plays at short while batting .277 with a team-high 49 hits and 11 stolen bases.

Strong offensive seasons from catchers Mike Easter and Ethan Rivera (near league leaders in home runs with four), infielders Brandon Nicoll and Wylie Waters, and outfielders Riley Paulino and Brandon Hupe spurred the offense, which struggled due to some injury issues but still finished just above the middle of the pack in the league in average (.254) and home runs (18). Nicoll led the team with 12 doubles.

Co-pitchers of the year — one a starter, one a reliever — were two guys who came to the NightOwls from NAIA Arizona Christian, lefty Bear Pinedo and righty Payton Robertson. Pinedo was untouchable and should be a first-team WCL all-star, with a 0.96 ERA and just six hits allowed in 19.2 innings, while fanning 30 and notching a league-leading seven saves. Robertson, who made eight starts and posted a team-high 41.2 innings, was 4-3 with a 3.67 ERA, walking only 11 batters. Seth Gurr, Nathan Buchan (3-3, nine starts), Jacob Fleury (who was 5-0 as a reliever, with a save), Lucas Hines, Connor Gleissner and Cooper Littledike led a deep pitching staff that had Pinedo and Blake MacMillan ready to close things off. No pitcher was ever over-used due to strong numbers on that side of the diamond.

Fleury was named the winner of the citizenship award, while Ickes, in a no-brainer, won the top prospect honours.

“We worked hard at getting a roster of committed, dedicated players, and so many proved that out over the pro-style season that is what the WCL offers,” said Swanson. “The warriors who battled to the end had this team on the cusp of a playoff spot, and fans noticed a notable improvement overall — this group battled, and took on a real Nanaimo-type lunchbucket mentality that was easy to cheer for.”

The work now starts to get the NightIOwls ready for the third season, starting in late May in 2024 at Serauxmen Stadium. Recruiting and season ticket renewals are already underway at the same time as plans are made to take down the 460 Realty Bathtub Bar fencing, other signage, and move the Owls Nest DoubleDecker Bus to storage for eight months.

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Summer Collegiate

Pitching Coach Gorm hits a HUGE milestone

Published

2 days ago

November 26, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

The Nanaimo NightOwls will be using the 2026 season to celebrate Gorm Heimueller — the esteemed pitching coach, one of the best to ever do it in baseball! The 70-year-old marks a half-century in the game when he suits up in his fifth summer in the West Coast League with the Nanaimo NightOwls.

“First — thank you, Nanaimo,” said Heimueller. “I’m very grateful to the Nanaimo NightOwls organization for allowing me to come back as pitching coach in 2026. This will be my 50th year since I signed my first pro contract, but I’ve been very fortunate and blessed to be involved in this game that I’ve loved for more than 60 years. I’m looking forward to working with Jim, Tina, Anthony, and Cody in putting together an exciting and competitive team on the field for our amazing Nanaimo fans!”

Coach Gorm will tuck his golf clubs away in May — he recorded his second career ace recently — so he can do what he loves most, and that’s working with young pitchers.

“We are going to celebrate Gorm in 2026 — our players, our coaches, our staff could not have more admiration for him as a coach and as a human being,” said Jim Swanson, managing partner of the NightOwls, in announcing Heimueller and wife Lee Ann will return to Nanaimo in 2026 to work with Head Coach Cody Andreychuk and assistant Anthony Houk.

“Players love the man, they hang on his every word. Coaches send us pitchers specifically to get to work with him. He’s a gentleman, he relates well to everyone, and he tells the best stories. We have an absolute legend of the game in Nanaimo as the only pitching coach the NightOwls have ever known — and he’s a mentor to so many, in so many ways.

“Gorm has more than earned the opportunity to be celebrated for all he’s done for the game. I’m biased because he’s become a good friend, but he should be in the Hall of Fame.”

The NightOwls are unveiling a special “GORM50” logo that will be ever-present during the 2026 season — from players shirts, to merchandise. There is also a book being written on his stories and exploits, co-written by Swanson and fellow NightOwls owner Helen Edwards — both have authored books in their careers.

Heimueller, a Los Angeles native, who has World Series rings from coaching in the Twins and Phillies systems, started his baseball career as a lefty pitcher at Cal Poly — with a guy named Ozzie Smith as his shortstop.

Heimueller spent 10 years as a professional pitcher, throwing strikes around the globe (Venezuela, Australia, Canada, USA), and spent two years as mostly a starting pitcher with the Oakland A’s (1983-84), a team which featured Rickey Henderson in his prime. As legend has it, the manager at his first MLB spring training was Frank Robinson, with Billy Martin the manager at his second camp, and his first MLB strikeout victim was Cal Ripken Jr. He transitioned directly from playing to coaching in the minors and held pitching coordinator positions later in his pro tenure, including the San Diego Padres until 2020.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – ALL-STAR GAME PACKAGES ARE DAYS AWAY — BE READY!

Published

4 weeks ago

October 31, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

THIS IS A SPECIAL note for all HarbourCats season ticket holders to get their seats set up next week to be in line for the 2026 All-Star Game festival packages, July 14-15, 2025 – full details soon to be released.

Individual Season Ticket Members who have fully renewed or have initiated a payment plan for their 2026 seats, will have first dibs on securing their seats for the All-Star festivities via a special pre-sale window.

We will also offer this pre-sale window to anyone who has purchased a Season Ticket Equivalent Flex Pack (32-Game Flex Pack).

If you are a 2025 HOST FAMILY, please let us know as soon as possible if you intend to return as a host for 2026 and we will save your seats AND you will also be eligible for the pre-sale window for the All-Star activities.

If your season seats are part of a CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP deal, again please let us know as soon as possible that you will be renewing that sponsorship for 2026 (contact your sales rep) and we will save your seats AND you will also be eligible for the pre-sale window for the All-Star activities.

Once the pre-sale window has passed, any unclaimed Season Ticket seats (for All-Star festivities only) will be released and we will open up sales to the general public.

**IF YOU ARE a traditional 10/12-pack holder, now is the time to trade up for Season Tickets or a 32-Pack Season Ticket Voucher Equivalent to get All-Star Game privileges!

Contact GM Christian Stewart at the HarbourCats office (778-265-0327 or chris@harbourcats.com) to make arrangements!

The excitement around baseball and the 2026 season has hit new heights!

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. BE SURE TO LOCK IN YOUR SEASON TICKETS TODAY to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria. These will be going on sale SOON!

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Haney, HarbourCats bring back former player to lead pitching staff

Published

1 month ago

October 28, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

October 28, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, BC — A very familiar name and face is returning to Victoria to lead the pitching staff of the HarbourCats.

Zachary Swanson — who has served as batboy, pitcher and play-by-play voice of the team — has been hired as Pitching Coach for the 2026 season by Todd Haney, the Head Coach who is entering his sixth season as the Victoria skipper.

Swanson is in his first year as the pitching coach at Hawaii Pacific University (D2) in Honolulu, under Head Coach Dane Fujinaka, a former HarbourCats catcher who coached in the Toronto Blue Jays system.

“After coaching Zach a couple of seasons, I am thrilled for the opportunity to coach with him now,” said Haney, who started Swanson on the mound against the Corvallis Knights in Game 1 of the WCL championship series in 2019.

“Zach brings energy, experience and expertise to the HarbourCats coaching staff. Our pitchers will love working with him.”

Swanson, the son of Managing Partner Jim Swanson, is a Lambrick Park grad who spent time with both the Eagles and Mariners BCPBL programs. He spent two college years with the San Diego Christian (NAIA) Hawks, then moved to the Park-Gilbert (NAIA) Buccaneers in Arizona, under Head Coach Kelly Stinnett, a long-time MLB catcher, to complete his college playing career.

Swanson will work with Bullpen Coach Darius Opdam Bak, who filled the same role last summer under now-retired Scott Anderson, who held the pitching coach job for three seasons. Opdam Bak is a former HarbourCats and Victoria Golden Tide (CCBC) pitcher who is now Pitching Coach of the Golden Tide.

Swanson, who will be 26 by next season, earned his MBA and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Park-Gilbert business program. He served as pitching coach at Skyline High School (6A) in Mesa, AZ before accepting the HPU offer. He is married to Madeline, and they reside in Kailua, HI.

“This is an extremely special opportunity for me, to return home and coach in front of this amazing city is such a privilege,” said Swanson. “I’m excited to coach some great young men and bring a West Coast League championship home to Victoria.

“It is a tremendous honour to have the chance to coach alongside Coach Haney, someone I consider a mentor. His intensity and passion for player development combined with his true joy for the game are traits that I admire as a coach.”

Swanson was 7-3 in his collegiate career, including playoffs and non league, including five starts.

Opdam Bak was a HarbourCat for two seasons and spent four seasons with the Golden Tide, as a dependable starter. He made eight starts last spring for the Tide, going 3-1 — he made 17 CCBC starts overall.

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

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