Summer Collegiate

Pro baseball bloodlines follow Hisle to Nanaimo

Published

3 years ago

June 14, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

When Jax Hisle opened his uniform package in the offices of the Nanaimo NightOwls, he knew this was meant to be.

Hisle, an 18-year-old infielder/outfielder heading to Parkland College after graduating early and taking a gap year to add strength, saw No. 9 staring back at him as he stood in the depths of historic Serauxmen Stadium.

That was the number his grandfather Larry Hisle Sr. wore as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, where he was an all-star in 1978 and finished third in MVP voting after a season with a .290 average, 34 home runs and 115 RBIs. No one with the West Coast League team knew that number meant so much — call it a fateful and welcomed coincidence for the 6-3/205 pound switch hitter who has a pro frame already, and was on display at the Hank Aaron Invitational last summer.

The elder Hisle debuted with Philadelphia in 1968, was later traded to the Minnesota Twins and led the American League in RBIs with 119 in 1977 and went to his first of two all-star games. He played 14 MLB seasons and just shy of 1200 games in total.

“His reaction caught me off guard, and was priceless— I’d like to say we planned it, but we didn’t,” said Jim Swanson, GM of the NightOwls, who recruited Hisle (pronounced HIGH-suhl) — more on that tie later.

Jax, who tripled in a game in Kelowna on the team’s first road trip, is extremely proud of his grandfather, known best in Canada for his time as hitting coach of the Toronto Blue Jays under Cito Gaston — yes, THOSE years, the World Series banner flying north of the border for the first time, 1992 and 1993. He refined the swings of many Hall of Famers such as Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield and Rickey Henderson, and sweet swingers like John Olerud, Devon White and Joe Carter.

Jax’s father, Larry Jr., is also a role model, in part for being named the Wisconsin Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year for high school basketball (being 6-5 surely helps), and playing pro ball including two seasons as a power-bat outfielder with the Grand Forks (ND) Varmints of the independent Prairie League. He played collegiate ball at the University of Dayton for Mark Schlemmer, also his manager for one season with the Varmints.

Swanson was the administrator/commissioner of that league in 1996 and the GM of the Varmints for the 1997 season, and the two have kept in touch since then. Hence, the signing of prospect Jax, born years after the Prairie League went defunct.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Lefties Take Game Two in Extra Innings

Published

11 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Port Angeles, WA – The Port Angeles Lefties eked out a win in an extra innings nail-biter, walking it off for an 8-7 victory,

It didn’t take long for the HarbourCats to follow up on last night’s win. Jacob Silva (UTSA) stepped into the box and crushed an RBI double to take an early lead in the top of the first.

BOX SCORE

The Lefties responded in a big way in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of hard contact and a HarbourCats error to set the stage for a three-run homer. This ended a short start for Bryson Toner (Hawaii), giving way to Daniel Tovar (Northern Kentucky) to finish the second inning down 5-1.

Lightning struck twice in the fourth inning for the HarbourCats. Brady Hewitt (Fresno State) crushed his team-leading third homer of the year, followed up by Renton, Washington’s Rohne Klein (San Jose State) sending one well over the fence as well. With two home runs in just one inning, the Cats were suddenly right back in this game.

Brady Hewitt let one fly tonight for his third homer of the season. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Momentum continued for the Cats in their next trip to the plate. David Krahn (UBC) found a gap and hustled his way to a leadoff double before returning home on a Matt Westley (George Mason) base hit later in the inning. Kade Davis (UTSA) would eventually be the man to take back the lead for Victoria, as he came through with a 2-RBI double down the right field line to push the score to 6-5 in favour of the HarbourCats.

The home team was determined not to let this outburst slide, solving Daniel Tovar for the first time and tying the game at six. Tovar exited the game after a strong outing on the bump, going 3.1 innings with two hits, one run, and three strikeouts.

Jack Clark (CSU San Marcos) was rock-solid in a four-inning relief appearance in which he gave up only one hit. The score remained deadlocked all the way until extra innings, when Rohne Klein earned a sacrifice fly to take a narrow 7-6 lead in the top of the tenth frame. The Lefties struck back once again in the bottom of the inning, laying a bunt down to move the runners over and walking it off to force a rubber match on Sunday.

WCL STANDINGS

The third and final match of the series takes place on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 pm, after which the Cats will return to Victoria to face the Nanaimo NightOwls at 6:30 pm on Tuesday night.

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 – 5-1 Win Secured in Port Angeles

Published

23 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.

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Win Series with 14-7 Victory

Published

3 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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