VICTORIA, B.C. — It was heartbreak for the Nanaimo NightOwls on Wednesday night at Royal Athletic Park. They led the entire game until the last batter in the ninth innings, which saw the Victoria HarbourCats take game two of the series in walk-off fashion, 4-3. The NightOwls looked to be in control all game until a late rally in the eighth inning saw Victoria tie it up before winning it in the bottom of the ninth.
Opposite of yesterday, it was the NightOwls that jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to singles by 3rd basemen Drew Gianinni and Catcher Nathan Davis. Talan Zenk was about to score a run on a fielder’s choice. Not to be outdone, Brady Morse stepped up with a single to knock in another run, and Nanaimo was up early. They would add another in the top of the third inning.
The HarbourCats would claw one run back in the bottom of the fourth inning, and things would stay 3-1 until the eighth inning. Some mistakes by the NightOwls were all Victoria needed to send 1959 fans home happy. Well, let’s call it 1800 because I saw those NightOwls jerseys out there!
Starting pitcher Lino Zepeda had a great night on the mound for the NightOwls. He went five innings, giving up just one run on four hits, walking two, and striking out one. Teague Van Dyke and Jaeyden Edwards both pitched scoreless innings with one strike-out each. Nanaimo also stranded 12 batters on base, which showed some of their ability to pitch through pressure.
The Nanaimo NightOwls finished the night with three runs on five hits and an error. Victoria had four runs on seven hits with no errors, and no bigger hit being the last one of the game.
Brady Morse, the Daville, Kentucky Native, had a good day at the plate, going two for two with one RBI and one walk. Brady and Talan Zenk also had stolen bases for Nanaimo. One of the runs was on an error from the HarbourCats, but the other went to Jacob Hayes, who, despite being on base once and getting an RBI, saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end.
The Nanaimo NightOwls will look to salvage a game in the series with the Victoria HarbourCats on Thursday, June 19th. The team returns home on June 20th for a weekend series against the Port Angeles Lefties. That goes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 20th, 21st, and 22nd at Serauxemen Stadium. The team is on a 10-game homestand starting on the 20th of June. We have some great promotional days coming up, including Indigenous Peoples Day and Halloween in June.
The Nanaimo NightOwls At The Malahat Skywalk
Make sure to get your tickets and follow the team on our website and social media when they are on the road for the latest information and updates. On Wednesday, the team went to the Malahat Skywalk, and we got to find out who was scared of heights. There will be lots more fun stuff coming this season, and player profiles so you can get to know your Nanaimo NightOwls.
NANAIMO, B.C. — Jacob Hayes, and Owen Wessel, but the punctuation on it.
The Nanaimo NightOwls ended the home portion of their fourth season in the West Coast League with a convincing 6-1 triumph over the visiting Kamloops NorthPaws in an entertaining game played Sunday afternoon at Serauxmen Stadium.
Hayes, with a team-record 10th home run, and Wessel, with his first of the season, went deep for Nanaimo, while Dawson Schultz and Vinny Bruno kept the Kamloops bats silent.
Wessel hit a two-run shot in the second, and Hayes had a solo shot in the third. Both were to left field.
The NightOwls (22-29, 10-14 in second half) close out the season with three road games in Bellingham, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Season tickets will start renewal shortly after another exciting season of WCL baseball in Nanaimo, with local product and head coach Cody Andreychuk returning in 2026, and the expectation that veteran pitching coach Gorman Heimueller, one of the best in all of baseball, will be with Nanaimo next season for what will be his 50th year in the game — leading to a season-long celebration.
Dawson Schultz started and was masterful, going six innings with four hits allowed while striking out five. Vinny Bruno, the Italian right-hander, closed it with a save and three innings with two strikeouts.
Hayes, named team MVP before the game, was 2-3 with two RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Andrew Ivy, Easton Mould and Spencer Sullivan also had two hits each. Andew Nykoluk had two runs and Wessel had two RBIs.
Sullivan was given the team’s Development Award, right-hander Aidan Boice was given the top pitcher award, Ryder Florence earned the citizenship award, and concession stalwart Jo-Ann Hammond was named the volunteer of the year.
The HarbourCats have won eight of their last ten games (Photo: Justin P. Morash)
August 5, 2025
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats celebrated Jersey off our Backs night with a convincing 8-2 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks Tuesday night.
After Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s) led off the second inning with a double, Jake Butler (George Mason) drove him home with a sacrifice fly to give the Cats an early 1-0 lead.
The Hawks answered back with a sacrifice fly of their own in the top of the third inning to level it up 1-1.
Tanner Beltowski (Westmont College) doubled in the bottom of the third and came home on the next play after an error allowed him to score. The Cats caused havoc on the basepaths all game stealing five bags, and Jack Johnson (Tulane) was at the centre of that, stealing second and third to set up a situation with men on the corners. Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii) stole second and drew the throw which allowed Johnson to break for home and he scored, making it 3-1.
Tyler Patrick tied his season-high with five strikeouts (Photo: Justin P. Morash)
Shiryu Sato added a second Edmonton run in the fifth inning driving in Anthony Kodama with a two-out RBI single, cutting the Cats lead to 3-2.
Tyler Patrick struck out five batters over 4-2/3 innings of work starting his sixth game of the campaign.
Tristan Buehring (Whitman College) hit an RBI single for the second straight game to push the Cats lead to 4-2.
The HarbourCats piled on four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their advantage to 8-2. First it was Beltowski with an RBI single that was then followed by a pair of sacrifice flies from Johnson and Lopez. Butler continued to swing a hot bat, driving in his second run of the ballgame on a single to cap off the big inning. The second baseman has 13 RBIs in his last eight games.
Jacob Thompson was first out of the bullpen for Todd Haney’s team and he did exactly what was asked of him, pitching 2-1/3 shutout innings while striking out three. Garrett Villa (Angelo State) closed out the game recording the final six outs giving up no runs and striking out a pair.
Tristan Buehring has three hits in his first two games as a HarbourCat (Photo: Justin P. Morash)
This 8-2 win means playoff seeding will go down to the final game tomorrow night. It is simple, the winner of tomorrow’s game between Victoria and Edmonton will win the second half and earn home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs, to be played this weekend August 8-10.
VOUCHER REMINDER: Tomorrow is the final game you can redeem your vouchers. They are not eligible to be used for playoff games. You can do so at harbourcats.com/tickets, and if you have any questions or need help exchanging your vouchers, call the HarbourCats office at (778) 265 0327.
Tomorrow is Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Passion Sports. Get tickets at harbourcats.com/tickets.
BELLINGHAM, WA — With nothing but pride on the line, the Nanaimo NightOwls are showing they are full of character.
A sacrifice fly by outfielder Spencer Sullivan in the 10th inning at Joe Martin Field on Monday gave the NightOwls, who will miss the playoffs in their fourth season in the West Coast League, a 3-2 victory over the playoff-bound Bellingham Bells — who won the North Division’s first half pennant to lock up their post-season berth.
Andrew Ivy led off the game with a home run, his first of the season, crushing a 2-1 pitch out of one of the WCL’s hardest parks to clear the fence.
Dalton Hanson was strong in a short starting assignment, the Scottsdale CC product going three scoreless innings, giving up two walks and three hits. Venezuelan lefty Richtter Castillo was effective in three innings, allowing two hits and three walks, with one earned run and two strikeouts.
Jayden Gabrillo (Hawaii Pacific) struck out four batters over two innings, giving up two hits and one run. Moosa Nonomiya, fresh off helping Team Pakistan earn international standings points in a series played in Chicago against Palestine, got the win with two innings of scoreless work.
Leadoff man Ivy was 3-4 with the home run, a double, a walk and an RBI and scored two of the team’s runs, while the guy behind him, Ryder Florence, was 2-4 to raise his batting average to .210 — he’s batting .421 over his last seven games. Easton Mould was 2-4 with an RBI.
The NightOwls have two games left in the WCL season, playing in Bellingham on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, before the players head off to their respective collegiate programs. The NightOwls are 23-29 overall, and 11-14 in the second half — the team will finish fifth or sixth overall in the eight-team North Division.
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