Summer Collegiate

Pandemic Forces Cancellation of NightOwls, HarbourCats 2021 Schedules

Published

5 years ago

April 14, 2021

Dugout Wire Service

The virus continues to win — in life, and in sports.

With great sadness, following extensive evaluations and consultations with Canadian West Coast League (WCL) teams in Kamloops and Edmonton, the ownership group that leads both the Nanaimo NightOwls and the Victoria HarbourCats is announcing the cancellation of their 2021 seasons due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the HarbourCats, this will be the second, devastating season in a row with no baseball at Wilson’s Group Stadium, while the NightOwls were gearing up and looking forward to their inaugural season in the league under the brand-new lights at historic Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo.

The Edmonton Riverhawks and Kamloops NorthPaws were also looking forward to their first year in the league. The Kelowna Falcons previously announced their withdrawal from the 2021 WCL season in March. The 10 U.S.-based WCL teams, thanks to more effective vaccine roll-outs and COVID-19 mitigation efforts in Washington and Oregon, will be playing a modified, U.S.-only schedule, with teams being allowed to have fans in some capacity.

Unfortunately for the Canadian teams, given the ongoing nature of the pandemic — the recent rise in case numbers and variants, the Provincial Health Officer’s guidelines and current and possible future restrictions in both British Columbia and Alberta, along with the ongoing Canadian-US Border closure — ownership felt they had no other choice but to cancel the 2021 season.

“There are simply too many things working against us,” said Jim Swanson, currently the GM of both the HarbourCats and the NightOwls. “We certainly appreciate the efforts of the NorthPaws and Riverhawks in truly exploring all options for a 2021 season, they will be great additions to the WCL and the Canadian side of the league, now starting in 2022.”

“We are also very appreciative of both our fan base and our sponsorship base, who have continued to support both teams and remain patient,” added Swanson. “The groundswell of support in Nanaimo has been nothing short of tremendous, with major partners such as Island Savings, Save On Foods, Panago on Fourth, and Mid Island Co-op to name a few, coming on board as inaugural partners. And in Victoria, we appreciate that the long-time partners we have cultivated over the last few years, are sticking by our side and will be ready to roll again in 2022.

“This is hard on our staff and coaches, and we now give players time to find places to develop further this summer, likely somewhere in the U.S. Make no mistake — the HarbourCats will be back at Wilson’s Group Stadium, and the NightOwls are going to get off the ground in 2022.”

Fans who have purchased tickets, or ticket vouchers for both HarbourCats and NightOwls 2021 games, will receive full value for their purchases. Season Ticket holders who have paid in full, will automatically have their tickets rolled over into the 2022 season. Fans with 2020 or 2021 specific game tickets (HarbourCats) or 2020 or 2021 flex pack vouchers (both teams), will be able to redeem those for tickets into the 2022 season once that schedule is announced.

With regard to the 2022 schedule, there is hope that the league makes developing that a priority over the next few weeks, despite the fact that the 10 U.S. teams will be playing in 2021. “One of the best things that the league can do for the Canadian teams right now, in fact for all the teams, ” said Christian J. Stewart, the HarbourCats Assistant GM, Ticketing and Media, “is to develop and release a 2022 schedule as early as possible. In that way, our teams can immediately start marketing and planning for that schedule, rather than having to wait until the late fall, when the WCL schedule is traditionally released.”

Both the HarbourCats and the NightOwls will continue to build to what will certainly be a celebratory return to baseball in 2022 and will find ways to add special events when allowed to do so. Season tickets, 10-game flex packs, gift cards and merchandise will continue to be available for both teams, and new sponsors are of course welcome to join both teams and be part of that celebration. Substantial stadium improvements will continue in Nanaimo and both teams will continue to be involved as key members of their communities.

“While it will be another tough summer missing our fans, the excitement of the game and the fun things we do at the park,” noted Stewart, “we know that our fans and those in Nanaimo will be back in force in 2022 and that is the motivation that we will all use to get us through this. Opening day in 2022 is going to be one heck of a party and we can’t wait to see everyone there!”

Further details and updates on ticket exchanges and timing, as well as other teams updates can be found on the team’s respective websites at www.harbourcats.com and www.nanaimonightowls.com. Fans are also urged to sign-up for the e-mail lists of both teams and follow both teams on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) for all the latest news.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – 5-1 Win Secured in Port Angeles

Published

10 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria threw strikes and claimed a decisive win to begin the series.

Port Angeles, WA – The HarbourCats opened up the road series in Port Angeles on Friday night, taking a 5-1 win on the back of some excellent pitching performances.

BOX SCORE

The first outburst of the ballgame belonged to the HarbourCats this evening, doing some serious damage in the third inning. The first of three runs came on an infield single by Tristan Buehring (Whitman) to drive in Dryden Fuoco (Hill College), followed by a 2-RBI double hammered by Logan Shepherd (Mercer).

Right-hander Erik Rico (Fresno State) was back on the bump to start the game for the Cats in his fourth appearance of a sensational season thus far. It was business as usual in this outing for the Fresno State flamethrower, piling up a tidy eight strikeouts over the course of four innings and still refusing to give up a run all season.

Victoria added to their lead in the top of the fifth. Designated hitter Logan Shepherd earned a walk, stole a bag, and blazed his way around third to score on a two-bagger down the line from third baseman Matt Westley (George Mason).

Another arm was required for the Cats in the wake of Rico, and from the bullpen emerged Easton Reimers (North Dakota State). The Missoula, Montana native gave up a two-out solo blast in his first inning of work, but Victoria answered with another run the very next frame. Rohne Klein (San Jose State) showed off some heads-up baserunning and ended up coming around to score on a groundout in the top of the sixth to push the score to 5-1.

Reimers buckled down for the bottom of inning number six, setting down the side in order with a pair of strikeouts and finding his groove to pitch through two innings without giving up another run. Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State) filled in for the eighth before giving way to Hudson Lance (Coastal Carolina), who closed out the win for Victoria in the series opener.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats will play two more contests against the Lefties this weekend and then return home to take on the Nanaimo NightOwls at 6:30 pm on Tuesday evening.

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 Win Series with 14-7 Victory

Published

2 days ago

June 18, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

The Cats played hard with the lead all afternoon to come away with a 14-7 win. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria, B.C. – The Redmond Dudes took on the HarbourCats for the rubber match of the series, eventually being ousted from town in a 14-7 Cats win.

Collegiate Cats pitcher Nate Major was simply lights-out through his three-inning start today. The right-hander only allowed two hits, striking out two and keeping the Dudes off the board.

BOX SCORE

The HarbourCats the first move offensively in the bottom of the third inning, as designated hitter Logan Shepherd (Mercer) singled to right field to drive in Hayden Woodson (USC) and take a 1-0 lead.

Major was relieved in the top of the fourth by Travis Hartfield, another Collegiate Cats pitcher, who made quick work of Redmond’s lineup for three more clean innings! Hartfield’s afternoon came to an end following the sixth inning, allowing no runs on just one hit.

Kade Davis went 1/2 with two runs scored in the Thursday matinee. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria made a splash in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Redmond walked in a run before allowing two more to cross the plate on a wild pitch and a throwing error, breaking the game open and extending the Cats’ lead to 4-0. Carter Eberhard (Cal Baptist) came to the plate ready to swing in the next inning, driving in run number five on a single right back up the middle.

The HarbourCats went to the bullpen in the seventh for another Collegiate Cats arm, this time retrieving Peter Cunningham. The righty walked the bases loaded, surrendering four runs on a sacrifice fly, a single, and a double to tighten the score to 5-4 in favour of Victoria.

Hayden Woodson found his way home on an error in the next inning to bolster the Cats’ fragile lead, but the Dudes swung right back. Three more runs scored in the top of the eighth, giving Redmond the upper hand in a 7-6 ballgame. The away team then threw the lead away, loading the bases with no outs and allowing two runs on a pair of wild pitches. The Cats’ bats took advantage of the opportunity, widening the lead to 10-7 courtesy of a Hayden Woodson base hit.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats kept adding on and Redmond just couldn’t keep up, eventually resulting in a 14-7 victory for Victoria.

The HarbourCats will now hit the road for a weekend series in Port Angeles against the Lefties!

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Dudes Claim Game Two 9-5

Published

3 days ago

June 18, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria, B.C. – The Cats and Dudes faced off again on Wednesday evening, with Redmond taking a 9-5 victory this time.

It was the Dudes’ turn to strike first tonight. Victoria starting pitcher Carson Ackermann (Tacoma) got two outs in the top of the first before watching a ball sail over the left field fence for the first run of the ballgame. The top of the Cats lineup was quick to answer with a leadoff double by Hayden Woodson (USC), a stolen base, and a Logan Shepherd (Mercer) sacrifice fly to bring home the tying run in the bottom of the first inning.

BOX SCORE

Redmond came close to taking back the lead in the top of the second, but the go-ahead run was gunned down at the plate on a laser beam from Rohne Klein (San Jose State) in left field. Although the Dudes were kept scoreless, Ackermann’s command noticeably wavered in his second inning of work, inspiring a pitching change for the Cats.

Pierce Stone (Regis) appeared on the mound in the top of the third. After a couple of Cats errors led to a go-ahead run for the Dudes, Stone held strong and left the rubber with the Cats down 2-1. The sidewinder returned for the fourth and let another run slip by, but a bizarre Redmond baserunning gaffe somehow resulted in a double-rundown to end the frame.

Photo by JPM Photography

Proven clutch performer Matt Westley (George Mason) drew the score back to even in the bottom of the fourth. Following a couple of stolen bases to create an RISP opportunity, the third baseman sizzled a ball through the infield to tie the game at three.

Hunter Daniels (Phoenix) took control of the mound to kick off the fifth inning, and was immediately greeted by a solo homer to put Redmond back in the lead. The freshman had a shaky inning, walking two batters in a row, but managed to end the frame without surrendering another run. Daniels ran into more trouble in the form of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, walking in three runs to widen the Dudes’ lead to 7-3.

Finn Vlahovic (Collegiate Cats) made his HarbourCats debut in the top of the seventh, working quickly to complete a clean inning. That solid frame paved the way for a Jax Heid (Southeast Oklahoma State) solo blast in the bottom of the seventh to chip away at the lead.

The Cats looked dangerous in the bottom of the eighth, finding themselves with runners on second and third with no outs. Victoria’s offence only scraped together one run on the opportunity though, scoring on a groundout to second base.

Local catcher Jai Berezowski (Victoria Collegiate) made his pitching debut in the top of the ninth inning for the Cats. The backstop-turned-bullpen arm stunned with two straight strikeouts to shut down the Dudes.

Victoria tried and failed to get a rally going in the bottom of the ninth, sealing a 9-5 win for Redmond.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats finish off the exhibition series on Thursday morning for an 11:05 School Spirit Game!

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