Summer Collegiate
Bring out the Brooms as the Nanaimo Bars Sweep The RiverHawks
NANAIMO, B.C. — Bring out the brooms, cause the Nanaimo Bars pulled out a 5-3 win in game three to sweep the series against the Edmonton RiverHawks. That brings the winning streak up to four and six overall, and the Nanaimo Bars are back to .500 for the season with a 12-12 record.
It didn’t take long for the Nanaimo Bars to jump out to a lead. Nathan Davis took a walk before Talan Zenk stepped up to the plate and drove an opposite two-run home run to right field over the Save-on-Foods sign. The RiverHawks would tie it up in the top of the third inning, 2-2, before taking a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning. The score would stay that way until the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Nanaimo Bars weren’t going to go away and leave the over 1000 fans at Serauxmen Stadium in attendance disappointed. An eight-inning rally saw them put three runs on the board and take a 5-3. The Bars would close out Family Fun Day with a win, and the kids ran the bases with Jacob, one of our SuperFans!
https://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=621648
For the second night in a row, the Nanaimo Bars’ pitching was superb as they gave up just three runs on seven hits. Carter Chard-Hill got the win on the afternoon, pitching just one inning but not needing help from anyone in the field as he struck out the side. Starting pitcher Zach Horwith went three innings and gave up two earned runs on five hits. Dawson Shultz and Dillon Thompson both threw scoreless innings in relief for the Nanaimo Bars.
Sliding into third safe! (Photo credit Chad Frostad)
After the Nanaimo Bars took the lead in the bottom of the eighth, they turned to Asher De Leo. Super happy to see Asher come on to get the save for the Bars, as he was bitten on the leg by a dog yesterday. He toughed it out, came back today, and got a three-up three-down inning for the save and solidified the sweep.
https://wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv/
Mentioned Talan Zenk had a huge two-run bomb in the first inning, and he also scored the winning run on a wild pitch. He had a good night at the plate and went two for four with a home run, two RBI, and two runs.
Talan Zenk (@TalanZenk, @EvCC_Baseball ’26) went 2-for-4 with an opposite field home run (2), 2 RBI, and 2 runs, including the game-winner in the 8th, in the @wclNightOwls‘ 5-3 win over Edmonton Sunday. pic.twitter.com/AZ7tfWol5v
— PNW College Baseball Report (@PNW_CBR) June 30, 2025
I spoke with Talan Zenk after the game about his home run, ” The count was 2-0 and I was just looking for something to drive, saw a fastball outer half and was able to do damage.”
I also wanted to know about the NightOwls celebration on base, “The celebration is just something we do to fire up our team, we are looking to keep the energy and continue attacking the other team.”
Nanaimo Bars win 5-3 and sweep the series (Photo Credit Chad Frostad)
It was another all around effort from the Nanaimo Bars. Seven of the Nine starters had a base hit in the 5-3 victory. Raoul Fabian Jr, Jaisen Abner both had hits and RBIs on the day for the Nanaimo Bars.
http://Nanaimonightowls.com/tickets
Monday the NightOwls have an exhibition game on June 30th against the Nanaimo Selects before our big Canada Day festivities against Island rivals, the Victoria HarbourCats. Make sure to get out early for that one as we are going to be packed. We have fireworks presented by the Kwumut Lelum Foundation.
Then the team heads off to Victoria for the rest of the three game series on July 2nd and 3rd. After that the NightOwls are on the road to Edmonton for three games for a rematch with the RiverHawks July, 4th, 5th and 6th!
Make sure to check the live stream in the link above to catch you NightOwls on the road. Tag us in your social media and use the Hashtag #IlluminateTheDark! Go NightOwls Go!!
Respected island businessman John Wilson has been named President of the company that oversees the successful collegiate baseball teams based in Victoria and Nanaimo.
Wilson, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and whose family owns and operates the Wilson’s Group of Companies, has been part of the core ownership group of the Victoria HarbourCats since 2015, and the Nanaimo NightOwls since inception in 2020 (started play in 2022). The NightOwls, a rival to the HarbourCats on the field, play at historic Serauxmen Stadium.
Wilson takes the position from Ken Swanson, who remains on the board after a solid 10-year run as team president. The group also operates the Victoria Collegiate (CCBC) baseball program and the busy indoor facility on Cook St., the Edwards Family Training Centre.
“Ken has led the corporate structure well, and he’s deserving of a break,” said Wilson. “We have a strong and committed group of owners and staff and a refresh is good for us all, keeping these teams playing great baseball and positively impacting these amazing communities in a stable, creative manner. Ken literally leaves big shoes to fill.”
The HarbourCats, which started play in 2013, will host the WCL All-Star Game in 2026 and 2027, showcasing the island’s immense love of baseball and the team that helped produce eight current MLB players including Nathan Lukes (Blue Jays), Nick Pivetta (Padres), Cade Smith (Guardians), Andrew Vaughn (Brewers) and Chase Meidroth (White Sox). The 2026 all-star festival will take place July 14-15 using Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park and sites around the South Island, with exciting details to come.
Wilson and Swanson lead a nine-member ownership group that includes Rich Harder, Helen Edwards, Mike Macdonell, Sean Finn, Vic Vendetti, John Schnaderbeck and Jim Swanson.
“No one knows the community like John, so we are all looking forward to what will be a flawless transition that will bring some new life to the organization,” said Ken Swanson.
The management structure remains the same — former GM Jim Swanson in the Managing Partner role, overseeing day-to-day operations, assisted by Adrian Somers (Business Operations and Marketing). In Victoria, Christian Stewart (General Manager) and John Pollard (Marketing Director) remain in place, while Tina Cornett continues her strong leadership in Nanaimo as General Manager, with Kent Malpass overseeing the concession.
The teams maintain wholly separate coaching staffs and recruiting processes — veteran Todd Haney, a five-year MLB player, as the sixth-year Head Coach in Victoria, and local product Cody Andreychuk, a collegiate program head coach at University of Pikeville, enters his second season in Nanaimo, assisted by pitching coach Gorman Heimueller, who has three World Series rings from his 50 years in the game.
Tickets are selling fast…get yours today. www.NanaimoNightOwls.com/ticketinfo
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer
For immediate release
January 20, 2026
VICTORIA, BC — A former HarbourCats outfielder, a member of the record-breaking WCL team in 2016, knew he wanted to send players he now coaches to a great summer baseball factory.
Jarron Silva, then an outfielder from UCLA, really enjoyed his time in Victoria, on a team that won a record 40 games, including 19 in a row at one point.
Now as an assistant coach at San Jose State, he connected with veteran HarbourCats coach Todd Haney to secure development spots for two pitchers and two position players.
“Jarron was a spark plug for that 2016 team, and he remembers the fan support and atmosphere at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP — Victoria is a baseball city,” said Managing Partner Jim Swanson. “We are excited to see the pitchers signed, and to see the power in Rohne Klein and Ethan Nunez — they have the potential to represent Victoria when we host the WCL All-Star Game on July 15.”
Four Spartans and a versatile fielder from George Mason, Matthew Westley, have been signed by Coach Haney:
- RHP Landon Marchetti, San Jose State, 5-11/190, Brentwood, CA
- RHP Spencer Kratt, San Jose State, 6-0/210, Woodland Hills, CA
- IF Rohne Klein, San Jose State, 6-4/230, L/R, Renton, WA
- OF Ethan Nunez, San Jose State, 6-4/190, R/R, Chino Hills, CA
- IF/OF Matthew Westley, George Mason, 6-1/210, R/R, Manassas, VA
Marchetti, previously at UC San Diego, has nearly 30 games of college experience, including five starts, and used a lower lefty arm slot to register high strikeout numbers in high school. Kratt is a power righty who runs it up to 92, a transfer from LA Valley College.
Landon Marchetti delivers a pitch while playing for the UC San Diego in 2025.
Klein, a transfer to SJSU from Utah, is a developing power bat who also is noted for a strong arm — can play third, outfield or first. He’s an athlete, playing both quarterback and linebacker on his high school team.
Nunez is a transfer from Colorado Mesa, where he was the RMAC freshman of the year — and he will miss the spring as a redshirt to get an injury fully rehabbed, but will be good to go for summer. At Colorado Mesa, he hit .356 with 14 bombs.
The lone non-SJSU addition announced by Coach Haney is utility guy Westley, formerly of Virginia Tech and now at George Mason. He has two summers of experience in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.
The Victoria HarbourCats will begin their 2026 West Coast League season in late May of 2026, with the home opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Plenty of excitement is on board for 2026 including:
- Three fireworks nights (June 6, 30 and August 3)
- Two 11:00 AM School Spirit Games (June 4 and 18)
- Five Family Fun Sunday Matinees (June 7, 14, 28 July 19 and 26)
- $12 Tuesdays and Thursdays (June 16, July 2, 7, 9, 28 and 30)
Season ticket memberships, single-game tickets, 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) and 2026 WCL All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.
All ticket types and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-5pm.
John Wilson Named As New Team President
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
Victoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer
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Summer Collegiate7 days agoVictoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer
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Summer Collegiate18 mins ago
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
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Summer Collegiate18 mins ago
John Wilson Named As New Team President
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