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Easing of outdoor crowd restrictions too little, too late for HarbourCats and NightOwls.

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If only things were where we are now six months ago. Even two months ago.

 

The Province today announced that after July 1, outdoor gatherings in British Columbia can have up to 5,000 people in attendance, or up to 50% capacity, whichever is greater.  While that is great news for many, and for all of us in British Columbia moving forward, unfortunately, it is too little, too late for sports teams like the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls, who had to make critical business decisions two months ago regarding the 2021 West Coast League Baseball season.

 

 At that time, with the border still closed – and it is still slated to be closed until July 21 – and with the vaccination levels then nowhere near what they are right now, with COVID cases still high, the HarbourCats had to make the tough decision to forego playing the 2021 season, the second-straight lost season due to the pandemic.

 

It also meant at the time, the HarbourCats had to release all the players they had signed, so that they could find somewhere else to play this year. So for fans hoping to see the HarbourCats rapidly put a team together and start playing games, it is not going to happen.

 

There may be an opportunity though for the HarbourCats to put together some sort of exhibition game or series with their sister team the Nanaimo NightOwls later this summer, and Managing Partner for both teams, Jim Swanson, is starting to explore that possibility.

 

 “With our U.S. teams in the West Coast League already well into their 2021 WCL season, and with the border still closed, it will be impossible for us to ramp up any kind of regular season,” said Swanson. “But we are exploring some kind of exhibition series between our two teams, albeit altered from what we’ve been proud to put on the field for so many years. If something is able to be done, we will let everyone know any plans at a later date.”

 

On a longer term, the news today means that the HarbourCats and NightOwls can both proceed full speed ahead for a full season of West Coast League baseball season in 2022, the eighth for the HarbourCats and the inaugural first for the NightOwls, with fans in full attendance.

 

While the 2022 West Coast League schedule is not expected to be released until October, fans should be warned now that tickets for 2022 will be in high demand.  With four new teams in the league – the NightOwls, the Kamloops NorthPaws, the Edmonton Riverhawks and the Springfield (Oregon), Drifters, and the fact that fans will be itching to get to a game after a two-year absence, it could be a record-setting attendance year at Wilson’s Group Stadium in Victoria, and close to a sell out for every game, in the smaller Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo.

 

“With many fans having vouchers to exchange from both 2020 and 2021 and the demand for tickets for people who will just want to see a game again, we are suggesting that if you have been sitting on the fence about getting HarbourCats season tickets, now is time to act,” said HarbourCats Assistant GM of Ticketing and Media Christian Stewart.  “Season tickets are by far the best value for your money, and we have plenty of options available for Victoria in all seating areas, except our field level Diamond Club seats.”

 

Fans can also purchase 10-game flex pack vouchers now, but will have to renew them, along with all fans holding 2020 and 2021 vouchers, once the schedule is released in the fall. Flex-pack vouchers are also available as a “season ticket equivalent,” whereby for the same price as a season ticket, fans get 35 vouchers to use in any combination and for any regular season game that they wish.

 

“We can’t wait to entertain fans back at the ballpark again,” added Stewart. “Hopefully we can get something together for a game or two in July or August, but either way, 2022 is going to be amazing and we want as many fans as possible to be there with us when we celebrate the full return of HarbourCats baseball and the inaugural season for the NightOwls in Nanaimo.”

 

For more information on tickets for both teams, please visit or contact:

 

Victoria HarbourCats
https://harbourcats.com/ticketinfo/
Contact: Christian Stewart  chris@harbourcats.com
Phone: 778-265-0327

Nanaimo NightOwls
https://nanaimonightowls.com/tickets/
Contact: Raymond Kirk ray@nanaimonightowls.com
Phone: 250-709-2882

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Summer Collegiate

NightOwls to celebrate PROJECT ARROW, with fireworks from Kwumut Lelum on Canada Day

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NANAIMO, B.C. — Fireworks on Canada Day — it’s a natural emerging tradition, thanks to the Kwumut Lelum Foundation.

And on Canada Day, the Nanaimo NightOwls will be full-on Canada Proud in celebrating PROJECT ARROW, a Canadian-made zero-emissions concept vehicle, a project of the Auto Parts Manufacturers Association of Canada (APMA).

All of this, on July 1 at Serauxmen Stadium, as the NightOwls host the Victoria HarbourCats — 5pm gates for a 6:35pm first pitch, with the Kwumut Lelum Foundation Fireworks right after the game.

“This fireworks game is becoming a must-see tradition in Nanaimo, with more than 3,100 at last year’s game,” said GM Tina Cornett. “The Kwumut Lelum Foundation is all about community and doing great things in the Nanaimo region.”

The APMA launched PROJECT ARROW (CTV National News story link here) in 2023 — an all-Canadian effort that is designed, engineered and 97pct Canadian from the head lights to tail lights. The concept vehicle is original and includes the joint efforts of Canada’s world-class automotive supply sector and the post-secondary institutions that produce the engineers that keep Canada’s auto sector rolling.

On Tuesday, July 1, Nanaimo NightOwls fans will hear more about this great Canadian project from the APMA — and we can be even more proud to be a Canadian.

“To build the resilient Canadian economy of the future, we need to be nationally ambitious,” said Flavio Volpe, Toronto-based President of the APMA, who has been in the middle of the international trade battle started by the White House and impacting markets around the world. “Canada has what it takes to compete and win internationally — we need to swing our bats with intention.”

Volpe is a massive baseball fan who has been involved with the Toronto Blue Jays and the international level of the game, with the Italy program. He’s also an accomplished coach and one of the best players he worked with is son Alessandro, a second-year NightOwl. He coached pitchers Vinny Bruno and Darren Lowe, who have been with the NightOwls this season.

Tickets for the game are available here (Link) — and it will be a packed house at historic Serauxmen Stadium.

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NorthPaws comeback effort falls short in loss to Bellingham

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The Kamloops NorthPaws lost game one of their weekend series to the Bellingham Bells 10-5 on Friday night at Norbrock Stadium. The Bells jumped out to an 8-0 lead after the third inning, but the NorthPaws stayed pesky. Kamloops rallied to score five unanswered to pull within three, but a pair of runs in the top of the tenth sealed the deal for Bellingham.

Righty Lukas Dykstra was on the mound for Kamloops, and unlike his last start against Victoria, he would run into trouble early in the ball game. Dykstra would lose his command in the second inning, walking five batters and giving up four hits as the Bells exploded for five runs. Dykstra lasted just an inning and two-thirds.

Righty Landon Gutierrez was first out for Kamloops, but the Bells bats stayed hot in the third inning. Gutierrez threw less than 10 balls in his outing, but Bellingham jumped all over him in the third with three more runs on four hits. The command was there for the righty, and he eventually settled in, sending the Bells down scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings.

Righty Zaiden Kiefer entered the game and would pitch three no-hit innings, silencing the Bells and allowing the bats to get hot. The offence got going with second baseman Tanner Hornback launching a home run over the left field fence. The NorthPaws would start to put together good at-bats and draw walks from Bellingham pitchers.

In the fifth, third baseman Drew Schmidt sent a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring left fielder Cade Palkowski. Although Kamloops scored in back-to-back innings, they stranded two runners in each of those innings, unable to come up with that next big hit.
In the sixth, the NorthPaws would draw a pair of walks and a hit by pitch with two outs to load the bases but once again couldn’t come through as a great defensive play by the Bells left the NorthPaws empty-handed.

Kamloops would keep their foot on the gas in the seventh with back-to-back singles from Schmidt and Hornback. The two would advance to second and third on a past ball. Designated hitter Joey Rico sent a fly ball to center field that allowed Schmidt to score. Two batters later, first baseman Keegan Drinkle singled, scoring Hornback. Shortstop Anthony Setticassi reached base via an error, and center fielder Ethan Kodama walked to once again load the bases with two outs. Palkowski was at the plate but flew out to left field once again, leaving the bases loaded.

In the eighth, Rico singled, scoring Hornback, making it five under-answered runs. Going into the top of the ninth, there was a sense of optimism that was felt amongst the hometown crowd. Another scoreless inning, and the team has a real shot to pull this off. Unfortunately, those plans got quickly derailed as the Bells led off with a triple, and the rest is history. Two runs in the ninth put Bellingham up five, securing the game-one victory.

Without the three scoreless from Kiefer, the comeback effort wouldn’t have been possible, but Kiefer and the rest of the staff know what their hitters are capable of.

“For me, I was just trying to get quick outs and give our hitters a shot; we feel like if the staff can keep the game within reach, the offence can outscore anyone,” said Kiefer.

Although the five unanswered runs made the game interesting, the team was missing that one big hit. On Friday night, the NorthPaws left a staggering 13 runners on base, leaving them with a feeling of what could’ve been.

“It was frustrating tonight for us because we knew we were better than what we were showing,” said designated hitter Joey Rico. “We know we’re a good team and can beat anyone; we never feel like we’re out of games,” Rico added.

The two teams will face each other again on Saturday night at Norbrock Stadium; the first pitch is set for 6:35.

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NightOwls Walk It Off To Win A Wild Game Against The RiverHawks 10-9

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NANAIMO, B.C. – What a night from Serauxmen Stadium on Friday night, that saw a little bit of everything. Lead changes, a Grand Slam, Great pitching, some heat between the two teams, a manager getting ejected, and most importantly, a walk-off 10-9 win for the Nanaimo NightOwls against the Edmonton RiverHawks. If you like baseball, this was a game you would have wanted to be at.

Both starting pitchers did very well on the night, only allowing a combined three runs until the 7th inning when things got interesting. With Edmonton up 2-1, the NightOwls exploded for a big four-run inning in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-2 lead. Not to be outdone, the RiverHawks came back with four of their own in the top of the eighth inning thanks to a Grand Slam. The two teams were not done, not even close.

Nanaimo wasn’t going to go away easily, though, and after a couple of walks, some wild pitches, and a single, the NightOwls would take a 9-6 lead going into the ninth inning, needing just three outs to close the game. If you’ve sensed the theme of the game, we’re not over yet. Edmonton walked the bases for a run before a two-RBI single would tie things up. Seraxuemen Stadium stayed hopeful as the team would walk it off thanks to a sacrifice fly and a close play at the plate for the 10-9 Win.

https://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=621646

Despite the score, the pitching was very good at the beginning of the game, seeing both starting pitchers go through at least five innings. NightOwls starter from Cal State Los Angeles, Lino Zepeda went 5 strong innings, giving up two runs on three hits, walking two, and striking out four. He settled down after the first inning and had a couple of great innings, where he struck out the side and had a 3-up-three-down inning in 5 pitches. He didn’t make the decision.

Also pitching very well for the Nanaimo NightOwls was reliever Jeadeyn Edwards. He pitched two scoreless innings, giving up no runs or hits and striking out one batter. The home side finished with 10 runs on 13 hits and no errors. The Edmonton RiverHawks had nine runs on nine hits and one error. The defense for the Nanaimo NightOwls was on display as Spencer Sullivan climbed the wall and took away a sure home run in the sixth inning. Check out the highlight here!

Coach Cody Andreychuk went to the bench and it worked as 9 of the 11 players finished the night with hits. Eli Watson came in off the bench as designated hitter and went two for four with three RBI, two hits and two runs scored. Along with his great play in the field Spencer Sullivan, from West Linn Oregon, went one for three with two RBI, one hit, one run, and one walk. He definitely made an impact on the game for the Nanaimo NightOwls.

https://wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv/

Tyler Arnold had an RBI and two hits on the evening while Caden Petrey also added a pair of hits for the NightOwls. Shortstop Andrew Nykuluk took advantage of any mistake the Edmonton Riverhawks made and scored three runs going two for four with two singles and a walk. He also scored the walk off sacrifice fly off the bat of Raoul Fabian Jr. Raoul want one for one for four with a walk but scored two runs and drove in two more RBI. None more important than the one in the ninth inning and was met with a Gatorade shower up the first base line.

http://Nanaimonightowls.com/tickets

The series continues for the Nanaimo NightOwls and Edmonton RiverHawks which could get a little testy as this already looks like a bit of a rivalry.  Game two goes Saturday June 28th at 6:35 pm, while we go Nanaimo Bars Family Fun Sunday at 1:00 pm on the 29th. Then it’s an exhibition game on Monday June 30th against the Nanaimo Selects. Canada day July 1st, we have our big extravaganza against Island Rival Victoria HarbourCats.

We have have fireworks after the game and a lot of other fun promotions and activities happening at the ballpark. Spend the day at the beach and come and watch some great baseball at 6:35 pm at Seraxuemen Stadium! Tonight we had our very talented Owen capture the walk-off celebration from above while making his ride wait. We really have the best in the business. 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.

Just going to end it with this…

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