Summer Collegiate

NightOwls Pitching Coach Fondly Recalls Time Playing with Rickey

Published

1 year ago

December 22, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Every pitch Gorm Heimueller threw in the major leagues, Rickey Henderson had his back, positioned in the outfield behind him.

When news broke Saturday of the far-too-soon passing of the greatest base stealer the game has ever known — and likely will ever know — Heimueller was stunned, and saddened.

“I heard from a friend of Rickey’s, who had heard from (former MLB pitcher) Dave Stewart — this is a big blow for the baseball world, like Pete Rose a few months ago,” said Heimueller, who will be pitching coach again for the NightOwls again in 2025, the only pitching staff leader the West Coast League team has known since debuting at historic Serauxmen Stadium in 2022. This season will mark 49 years in the game for Heimueller, one of the most-respected people in all of baseball.

“I loved Rickey — but I loved everyone, I was in the big leagues. I got to play with Rickey and Joe Morgan, two Hall of Famers, it’s hard to believe they are both gone. Rickey looked like he was doing well and healthy. Very sad news.”

Henderson, who would’ve turned 66 on Christmas Day, passed away Friday, a surprise to everyone as he had appeared to be in good health. Initial reports indicated a bout of pneumonia claimed the Hall of Famer, who played with nine teams over 25 years and stole 1,406 bases. Canadian baseball fans will recall his short time with the Blue Jays in 1993, helping Toronto win its second consecutive World Series.

“The best part of playing with him was knowing I didn’t have to face him,” said Heimueller.

“My first game, he made a catch up against the wall — really good catch. People think of the stolen bases but look at all the home runs he hit. He was also unique as not many guys are right-handed hitters and then throw left-handed, very rare in the game. He was one of the more confident players I ever played with — and Rickey talked about Rickey, he had his ways about him that you never forget, that was the way he talked.

“That first game, in Baltimore, he’s leading off — I’m thinking this is pretty cool, and I’m the starting pitcher. I knew I was in the big leagues right there.”

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Close Out Series with 6-3 Loss

Published

1 day ago

June 7, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

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.

BOX SCORE

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.

WCL STANDINGS

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.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Offence Stunted Versus Kelowna

Published

2 days ago

June 7, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

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.

BOX SCORE

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.

WCL STANDINGS

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.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Fall 4-1 to Falcons

Published

3 days ago

June 6, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

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.

BOX SCORE

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

WCL STANDINGS

Victoria and Kelowna will be back in action Saturday, June 6 at 6:35 pm for game two of the weekend series.

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