Summer Collegiate

Hawaii’s top player starring for NightOwls

Published

3 years ago

June 27, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Ickes named Gatorade Player of the Year

A memo to the people of Nanaimo — don’t miss the chance to see Elijah Ickes while you can.

The star shortstop for your Nanaimo NightOwls, strong and lean at 6-0/175, is heavily on the radar for the upcoming MLB draft (July 9-11) — and for good reason. He can hit, he can field, and man can he run, a pure athlete who stands out game after game.

His arm from short, his game instincts on the basepaths, and his aggressive style of play while showing composure beyond his years has caught the attention of his coaches, teammates and the opposition.

“Elijah has been impressive, and earned the starting role at short right from the start,” said Jim Swanson, GM of the NightOwls. “For his age, and being away from home for the first time, he’s adjusted well and is a pleasure to be around, not just at the park but with his host family and in the community. He’s dedicated to being the best, and the work he puts in at the gym is a further testament to that.”

The University of Hawaii commit from Wahiawa, HI, which is located north and inland from Honolulu, was named the Gatorade Hawaii Player of the Year for this past spring with Kamehameha Schools Kapalama High School. The Kamehameha Warriors infielder batted .448, stole 26 bases and scored 36 runs to anchor Kamehameha’s run to the state championship. Ickes went 3-for-3 and scored the game-winning run in a 4-3 state final win over Baldwin.

The University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are excited to have him at Les Murakami Stadium come fall, where he can develop into a true pro prospect after three years of NCAA baseball.

Through 17 games for the NightOwls this season, he’s batting .293 with four doubles and 12 runs driven in, stealing four bases. On defence, he has sparkled with just two errors in 117 innings playing shortstop — and he makes all the tough plays.

Ickes was also named the 2023 Interscholastic League of Honolulu Player of the Year — “The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Ickes as Hawaii’s best high school baseball player,” said a release in early June. Ickes ranks among the state’s top five prospects by PerfectGame, and he maintained a 3.54 GPA — all while volunteering at local food drives and finding time to umpire youth baseball games.

This is as well-rounded a person — not just a player — as you will see on the diamond, and scouts are giving him strong consideration for the upcoming draft.

The NightOwls are home at historic Serauxmen Stadium this weekend, facing the Port Angeles Lefties on Friday night (6:35pm) and day games on Saturday and Sunday (1pm both days), after this current trip with three games against the Yakima Valley Pippins (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Drop Third Game of Kelowna Series

Published

2 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took on the Kelowna Falcons for the third game a row this afternoon, losing the final matchup by a score of 9-2.

The Falcons were the first side to find purchase on the offensive side in a long third inning. Cats starter Daniel Tovar (Northern Kentucky) allowed a couple of baserunners on a walk and an error, and was swapped out for right-hander Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State). Kelowna strung together a few singles together on Tomlinson over the course of the inning, taking a 3-0 lead.

BOX SCORE

The home team followed that up with an uppercut in their next trip to the plate, smashing a three-run homer off of Tomlinson in the fourth to blow the game wide open.

Tate Collins (Arkansas State) took over for the fifth and pitched a clean inning, but was accosted for another scoring trio in the home half of the sixth. A single, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly gave the Falcons a daunting 9-0 lead.

The Cats at last found life in the seventh frame, kicked off by a solo bomb off the bat of Fresno State outfielder Marcus Nolen. Matthew Westley (George Mason) followed that homer up with a fine job of manufacturing a run. The Virginia product drew himself a walk, stole two bases, and advanced all the way home on a wild pitch to continue cutting a chunk out of that mountainous lead.

Carson Ackermann (Tacoma) took to the pitcher’s mound in the seventh and only allowed two baserunners across his two innings of work, but in the end the lead proved insurmountable and the Falcons secured a 9-2 win on home turf.

WCL STANDINGS

The HarbourCats will now travel back to Victoria and look to rebound on Tuesday night in the first matchup of a three-game mid-week series versus the Bend Elks.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games 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.

GET YOUR ALL-STAR TICKETS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE! Tickets for the 2026 WCL All-Star Home Run Derby (featuring former Blue Jay Kevin Pillar) and the West Coast League All Star Game on July 14-15 are selling fast. Get yours today! Each event is now on sale separately, or grab the package deal for both and save a few bucks at http://harbourcats.com/tickets! Or call the office at 778-265-0327 to order by phone.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Two major events announced with Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game

Published

13 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Legendary scout Marti Wolever to speak at luncheon

July 4, 2026

VICTORIA, B.C. — Having the West Coast League all-star festival in Victoria brings tremendous extra opportunities — like hearing from some of the best in the game.

The organizers of the Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game, presented by Canadian Club, are proud to announce two signature pieces of the two-day festival, and they are sponsored by valued partners of the Victoria HarbourCats Baseball Club — The Wilson’s Group of Companies, and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

“Sponsors like Wilson’s and The Chamber make events like this possible — and with the big names and details, will get people fired up to attend,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the Victoria HarbourCats.

Both events are also held at the Studio 919 thanks to partnership with the Strathcona Hotel (919 Douglas Street).

HOT STOVE PANEL, presented by The Wilson’s Group of Companies
Tuesday, July 14 — 9pm-11:30pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Admission — $10
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

A soiree on baseball following the WCL All-Star Home Run Derby, fans are urged to keep the evening going with a social, relaxed, panel-style discussion of baseball and tons of stories — headlined by Kevin Pillar and legendary baseball scout Marti Wolever, and including HarbourCats head coach Todd Haney, himself a five-year MLB player, the dean of pitching coaches, Gorm Heimueller, who is celebrating his 50th year in the game, and legendary local baseball scout Walt Burrows.

Food and refreshments will be available for attendees to purchase.

OFFICIAL ALL-STAR LUNCHEON, presented by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday, July 15, 11:30am-1pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Tickets — $25 (Limited quantities available to the public).
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

All of the all-stars and coaches will be there to hear a welcome from John Wilson, a member of the HarbourCats ownership group and also the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, from WCL commissioner Rob Neyer, and then keynote speaker Marti Wolever, who has been enshrined in the MLB Scouts Hall of Fame, and now is senior amateur scouting advisor for the Miami Marlins.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Narrowly Defeated by Falcons in Game Two

Published

15 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took to the field against Kelowna again on Saturday night, dropping the second game of the series by an all-too-familiar score of 3-2.

The Falcons swooped in to take an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, punishing Landon Marchetti (San Jose State) for allowing two walks with a 2-RBI double.

BOX SCORE

That score stood until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Kelowna gained enough ground to add on. A few baserunners and a sacrifice fly ended the outing for Landon Marchetti, who went 3.2 innings with three runs, three hits, and seven strikeouts. The new job opening was filled by Concordia-Nebraska right-hander Trent Schlim, who successfully cleaned up the runners left behind by Marchetti.

Schlim exited the game after loading the bases with nobody out in the fifth, and in came Taylor Franklin (George Fox) for his season debut. Franklin worked quickly to get a popout and a double play, miraculously escaping the jam with no runs across.

Landon Marchetti allowed Kelowna’s only runs in his three-inning start. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria found the beginnings of revenge in the top of the sixth, executing a double-steal perfectly for Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) to swipe home plate and score the Cats’ first run. David Krahn (UBC) came around to score on a single later in the frame, making it a one-run ballgame with three innings to go.

Franklin retired to the dugout after a couple of scoreless innings, replaced by Leif Friedrich (Concordia-Nebraska) for the eighth. Friedrich held strong for a quick one-two-three inning, swiftly getting the Cats back on offence. Victoria kept it close but were unable to break the threshold, taking their second 3-2 loss in a row.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats will attempt to salvage a win in the final game of the series tomorrow night, and will return to Victoria for a three-game set with the Bend Elks starting on Tuesday.

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