NANAIMO, B.C. — It was an impressive win by the NightOwls on Tuesday night at Serauxmen Stadium against the Redmond Dudes. It was a pitching masterclass, and the NightOwls exploded for 12 runs on 12 hits with zero errors. Nanaimo was only a double and a walk away from a perfect game. The pitching staff faced just 29 batters to get the required 27 outs.
The team has exploded on offence in the past two games, scoring a combined 23 runs. It’s the perfect time for the team to find its groove before they resume regular season play on Friday against the Edmonton RiverHawks. Tuesday night, it was a six-run 3rd inning, and they just continued to score. Brock Wirthgen had a big night at the plate with two RBI, but it was everyone getting in on the scoring.
Newcomer Zach Horwith, from Castlerock, Colorado, made the start for the Nanaimo NightOwls and pitched two perfect innings and striking out two. He arrived from the airport last week when the team was down in Victoria. Jakin Rohne got the win for the NightOwls, pitching two innings and giving up the only hit on the night for the dudes.
Not to be outdone, the rest of the pitching staff didn’t allow a hit for the remainder of the game. Vinny Bruno is looking sharp in his return from injury. He faced a minimum of six batters and struck out three of them in his two innings of work. Brady Morse, Carter Chard-Hill, and Cody Carmichael all threw scoreless innings to close things out for the Nanaimo NightOwls.
I mentioned him earlier, but Brock Wirthgen, with his parents in town, went two for four on the night with two doubles and two RBI and set the tone for the NightOwls. I spoke with Brock after the game, and he had this to say about the team, “I think this team is something special, the bond that we have has been nothing but family-like. I believe we are a good team, a post-season team if you will.”
He would continue, ” We just hit a rough patch which all great teams do. But, I will say that I don’t think we’ve played out best ball yet this summer and when we start playing it, it will be a fun team to watch.”
Outfielder Alessandro Volpe also went two for four with two RBI’s. Brady Morse along with his one shutout inning, also went two for three with two RBI. Jaisen Abner, Hunter Stencil, Easton Mould, and Carter Cathers all chipped in with RBI’s for the Nanaimo NightOwls against the Redmond Dudes.
That’s one of two exhibition games out of the way with the Redmond Dudes, a huge win for the NightOwls and we get right back at it Wednesday June 25th at 6:35 pm. It is Valentines Day in June so bring your sweetheart for a hot dog and some amazing baseball. I might even give you a flower as you walk in, I’ll give it to you to give it to them!
The regular season gets back in action with a weekend series starting this Friday against the Edmonton RiverHawks. Friday and Saturday June, 27th and 28th are 6:35 pm first pitches while we go Nanaimo Bars Family Fun Sunday at 1:00 pm on the 29th. 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! See you at the ball park!
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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