NANAIMO, B.C. — The NightOwls are on a roll as they make it four games in a row with a 6-5 victory over the Wenatchee AppleSox. It was a packed crowd of close to 1100 people at Serauxmen Stadium Friday night to cheer on Nanaimo, and despite going down 4-0, they kept their voices strong and cheered on the team to a big comeback.
Nanaimo NightOwls vs Wenatchee AppleSox (Photo Credit: Chad Frostad)
Wenatchee put two runs on the board in the third inning and one each in the fourth and fifth to jump out to a 4-0 lead. The NightOwls stormed back in the bottom of the fifth inning with 4 runs of their own to tie things up 4-4. The AppleSox got one more in the sixth, but the fans cheered on the team for a seventh inning rally and scored two runs to take the 6-5 lead and didn’t look back to get their fourth win in a row and move back to .500% at 17-17.
Nanaimo finished the night with six runs on 12 hits with three errors that almost cost them the game. The Wenatchee AppleSox had five runs on 13 hits and one error.
Starter Aidan Boice was dealt a daunting task with the number of pitchers the NightOwls and pitching coach Gorman Heimueller had to use in the last series against Kelowna. He was a beast for the NightOwls, going five innings and striking out four of the Wenatchee batters. He left the game, giving his team a chance to win at the end of the fifth inning.
Ricardo Villegas got back in the lineup and threw one inning for the Nanaimo NightOwls. Cole “Cowboy” Carmichael came into the game in the seventh inning and pitched a scoreless inning giving up just one hit. He got the win for the Nanaimo NightOwls, as he is now 2-0 on the season in relief.
Nanaimo NightOwls vs Wenatchee AppleSox (Photo Credit: Chad Frostad)
That led the way for Jayden Gabrillo to come in for the six out save in the eighth inning. He gave up just one hit, one walk while striking out four to seal things for the Nanaimo NightOwls.
It was our All-Star Jacob Hayes that lead the way for the NightOwls on Friday as he went three for three with a double, two singles, an RBI and than Wenatchee just got tired of it and intentionally walked him. I spoke with him after the game about his performance, “I feel like I’m seeing it well, kind of back to what I said earlier [From a previous interview], just trusting to stay up the middle and trusting Cody [Andreychuk] and what he says, I think, plays a big thing, and then stepping up for the guys and coming through in those big moments.”
Nanaimo NightOwls vs Wenatchee AppleSox (Photo Credit: Chad Frostad)
He also spoke about the play of the team of late, on a four game winning streak currently, “Yeah, definitely, definitely. After a sweep you want to you want to keep it going and I know the AppleSox haven’t had their way, so they’re down, and just as long as we can, kind of kick them in the teeth and keep our ship rolling so I think it’s good.”
Multiple players had two hit nights as Raoul Fabian Jr. went two for five with two RBI and a double. Spencer Sullivan and catcher Hunter Stencil also had two hits for the Nanaimo NightOwls in the 6-5 victory. Raoul had a clutch double off the Save on Foods monster to start the pivotal seventh inning, he missed a home run by about a foot.
Tyler Arnold and Brock Wirthgen also chipped in with an RBI for the NightOwls. Make sure to check out the first player prolife on catcher Brock Wirthgen that is up now on our NightOwls website, or just click the link!
It was also an important night for us as it was “Help Fill A Dream Foundation Night” at the ballpark. Click the link for more information and to support their great endeavors.
The series continues against the Wenatchee AppleSox on Saturday, July 12th, at 6:35 pm, before a 1:05 matinee on Sunday, July 13th. Monday, the NightOwls have a day off before two exhibition games against the Nanaimo Selects and the All-Star Break. Remember that kids and adults who feel like kids can run the bases on Sunday afternoon!
The Cats mustered just five runs over the three game series. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats offence came up short in this afternoon’s ballgame, as Victoria was defeated 6-3 to finish off the weekend.
The Falcons took an early lead this afternoon on a sacrifice fly to centre, but it was smooth sailing otherwise for starting pitcher Jeremiah Arnett (Rice). The righty gave up four hits over four innings, the only run being that sac fly, with a trio of strikeouts and no free passes.
Austin Lindsey (Hill College) was tagged in for the top of the fifth and nailed his first inning of work, setting the Falcons down in order. The sixth was a different story, as Lindsey allowed a solo homer to push Kelowna’s lead to 2-0.
San Jose State reliever Landon Marchetti took over on the mound for the seventh, letting a couple of runners on but managing to escape the inning without a run scoring.
Flynn Warren (Hawaii Pacific) emerged from the bullpen in the top of the eighth to a precarious situation: bases loaded, no outs. The New Zealander walked one batter, hit two more, and gave up a sacrifice fly to allow four runs before the end of the frame.
Jeremiah Arnett (Rice) pitched four innings with three strikeouts. (Photo by JPM Photography)
The bottom of the eighth saw the HarbourCats offence finally gain some ground. A double from Kade Davis (UTSA) made room for Koa Won (Hawaii) to score, followed up by a single from Hewitt to bring in another run. Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) drove in one more before the inning came to a close with a score of 6-3 in favour of the Falcons.
The Cats would be unable to add on any more runs in the bottom of the ninth, dropping the final game of the series 6-3.
Victoria will now head on the road for a midweek matchup with the Edmonton Riverhawks, returning home on Friday to take on the Springfield Drifters.
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby 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.
Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats were defeated 8-1 by the Kelowna Falcons in the second game of the series.
The Falcons drew first blood in this one, launching a three-run dinger to left field in the top of the fourth to snag an early lead. Victoria’s starting pitcher Schuyler Fairchild (Wenatchee Valley) had cruised through the first three frames without much trouble up to that point, but his contributions this evening came to a close after the long ball in the fourth. Fairchild allowed three runs on four hits, striking out one batter and issuing a walk.
Inning number five required the services of Auburn, Washington’s Caden Shoul (Wenatchee Valley). The right-hander pitched 1.2 innings, calling it a night after giving up two runs in the top of the sixth to push Kelowna’s lead to 5-0.
Tyler Bono (North Central Texas) came into the game with the bases loaded and put on a sub-par performance, hitting two batters and walking one to allow three more runs. Marcus Janovsky (UBC) was summoned from the bullpen to finally get out of the inning.
Garen Geoghegan (Whitman) and Pierce Stone (Regis) combined for two scoreless innings in the final stages of the game, but Victoria’s offence continued to sputter.
Centre fielder Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) led off the bottom of the ninth with a double, and was welcomed home by another double hammered by Carter Eberhard (Cal Baptist) to score the Cats’ first and only run of the game.
The Cats close out the series on Sunday, June 7 at 1:05 pm before departing to Alberta for a midweek matchup with the Edmonton Riverhawks.
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby 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.
Missed opportunities with runners in scoring position led to a disappointing outcome for the Cats. (Photo by Victoria Spotlight Photography)
Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats were defeated 4-1 by the Kelowna Falcons on Friday night in the first game of the series.
Both sides’ bats stayed quiet until the third inning this evening, when the Falcons drove a pair of base hits up the middle, jumping out in front to a 2-0 lead.
Easton Reimers (North Dakota State) entered the game in the top of the fourth to relieve Cats starter Bryson Toner (Hawaii). Toner allowed two runs on five hits through his three innings on the bump this evening, throwing in a walk and a strikeout as well.
Reimers was excellent throughout his first two innings until a leadoff homer in the sixth broke his hitless streak. A second run scored on a passed ball before Reimers was able to get out of the inning and pass the baton to Jack Clark (CSU San Marcos).
The Cats offence woke up in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases and scoring a run on a ball that dropped just fair in left field from Rohne Klein (San Jose State). That was the only run they got on this crucial opportunity, as the Falcons picked up a big strikeout to escape the jam and maintain a 4-1 lead.
Tate Collins (Arkansas State) claimed control of the mound for the Cats in the top of the eighth inning. Despite a leadoff walk, the Little Rock, Arizona native tossed a zero on the board to bring about the bottom of the eighth for the Victoria offence.
The Cats were unable to pull off a comeback after loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, leaving the runners stranded and losing the ballgame 4-1
Victoria and Kelowna will be back in action Saturday, June 6 at 6:35 pm for game two of the weekend series.
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby 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.
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