Summer Collegiate

Strong returning core taking shape for NightOwls for 2024

Published

2 years ago

November 28, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Easter, Fleury, Buchan and Waters excited to be back in Nanaimo

Building a team is also about building a culture, with character people who have leadership skills — and that culture is important.

The Nanaimo NightOwls are pleased to announce the return of four key players from the 2023 team, the second season of WCL baseball at historic Serauxmen Stadium, and it’s a group of four that especially has veteran pitching coach Gorm Heimueller smiling.

Two quality arms, a big bat and a second-team All-WCL catcher will be back in the navy and yellow — Michael Easter behind the dish, part of the catching crew that will receive pitches again from Nathan Buchan and Jake Fleury, along with a strong hitter in Wylie Waters. They join local infielder Aaron Marsh, last year’s co-player-of-the-year, as the first group confirmed for 2024.

Nathan Buchan, LHP, University of Redlands, from Mercer Island, WA

Jake Fleury, RHP, Skagit Valley College, from Burlington, WA

Wylie Waters, IF, South Mountain CC, from West Vancouver, BC

Michael Easter, C, Azuza Pacific, from Arcadia, CA

The WCL schedule was announced earlier this month — the regular season home opener for Head Coach Greg Frady and the NightOwls is Tuesday, June 4 against the Cowlitz Black Bears.

Easter, who has moved from East LA CC to D-1 Azuza Pacific, was part of a strong catching core in 2023, walking more times than he struck out (26BB, 18K) and hitting .315 (16th in the WCL in average) with 21 runs driven in. His nine doubles tied for third on the team.

Buchan, the opening day starter in 2023, is a warrior and a throwback, often going deep in games and going 3-3 with a 4.09 ERA over nine starts — a pitcher’s pitcher who struck out 32 batters in 37.1 innings.

Potent hitter Waters, who played some infield, some outfield and DH in 2023 for Coach Greg Frady, is at South Mountain CC in Arizona, and had a strong summer in the WCL in which he hit .317 (14th in the WCL) with two home runs, 21 RBIs and 10 doubles, second on the NightOwls, in 42 games. He struck out just 22 times, matching his total of 22 combined base on balls (17) and hit by pitch (5).

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Summer Collegiate

Jacob Hayes becomes HR King in win over Kamloops

Published

2 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

NANAIMO, B.C. — First baseman and WCL all-star Jacob Hayes (Azusa Pacific) hit his team-record ninth home run Friday to lead the Nanaimo NightOwls to a solid 6-2 victory over the visiting Kamloops NorthPaws in front of a raucous crowd at Serauxmen Stadium.

Hayes blasted a two-run shot to left in the fifth inning giving the NightOwls crucial runs, and moving him past former NightOwls all-star Wylie Waters for the team’s top spot in the key power category.

Nanaimo starter Brennan Kettle needed just 63 pitches to get through five innings, surrendering just four hits and one unearned run. Blake Hager went 2.2 innings with two hits and no runs, and Carter Chard-Hill ended it with 1.1 innings of solid relief.

Hayes and Owen Wessel were both 2-4 and Ryder Florence continued his impressive second half with three runs scored.

The NightOwls are playing their final regular season home games this long weekend, with Kamloops at Serauxmen for games Saturday (6:35pm) and Sunday (1pm). Tickets are available online, at the gate, or General Admission vouchers through Save On Foods.

The NightOwls complete their fourth WCL regular season with a road series in Bellingham, August 4-5-6.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats bats go cold in loss to Lefties

Published

16 hours ago

August 2, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

August 1, 2025

For immediate release

PORT ANGELES, WA – The Port Angeles Lefties snapped the Victoria HarbourCats’ four-game winning streak with a 5-1 win Friday night.

Shea Lake (West Texas A&M) started for the Cats and has been dominant in recent weeks, but struggled tonight. A double, a single, and a walk loaded the bases for Ty Thomas, who drove home the first run of the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the first.

The Lefties added two more runs in the second, including a Garrett Patterson RBI double to make it 3-0 early.

BOX SCORE

Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii) extended his hit streak to 10 games with a solo home run in the top of the fourth inning, his fourth of the campaign.

Taylor Kirk’s RBI single in the bottom of the fourth restored the home team’s three-run advantage, making it 4-1.

Lake’s evening was done after four innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out a pair.

WCL STANDINGS

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Jeremy Giesegh drove home a run on a single, extending the lead to 5-1.

That fourth inning Nahaku home run was the only hit of the game for the HarbourCats, as Lefties’ starter Takuma Sato threw a complete game one-hitter, striking out 12 batters and only walking one.

Dillon Dibrell (Rogers State) and Jacob Thompson (Minot State) both pitched two innings of relief for Victoria, striking out three batters each.

The Cats will be hoping for a better performance tomorrow night as the two teams are back in action at 6:35 PM. You can watch the game HERE.

The Victoria HarbourCats only have three remaining home dates this season, including a doubleheader followed by FIREWORKS on Monday, August 4, with game one starting at 4:05 PM. Tuesday is Jersey off our Backs night, and Wednesday is Fan Appreciation night! Buy tickets at harbourcats.com/tickets, and if you have any remaining vouchers, don’t forget to redeem them. You can do so at harbourcats.com/tickets, and if you have any questions or need help exchanging your vouchers, call the HarbourCats office at (778) 265 0327.

Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.

For more updates, be sure to follow @HarbourCats on all social channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

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Summer Collegiate

Clutch Owls edged in extras in Edmonton

Published

2 days ago

August 1, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

EDMONTON, Alta. — The comeback kids came up a bit short.

Two runs by the Edmonton Riverhawks in the bottom of the 10th inning broke the hearts of the Nanaimo NightOwls on Thursday night at Remax Field, with a stellar crowd of 6,132 looking on for an eventual 8-7 win for the home club.

The NightOwls scored two runs in the ninth to take a lead and had the Riverhawks down to their last strike in the bottom of that inning.

The Owls then went ahead 7-6 in the top of the 10th, and nearly held on — Edmonton found a clutch two-out hit to right field to provide the winning run.

The NightOwls, who outhit the Riverhawks 10-9, scored four times in the fifth inning, the key hit being a two-run double from outfielder Owen Wessel (Hawaii Pacific). Wessel was one of four NightOwls to record two hits — Ryder Florence, Raoul Fabian Jr. and Trevor Goldenetz being the others.

Vinny Bruno and Jaedeyn Edwards put up impressive relief appearances, Bruno throwing 1.2 innings with just one hit and no runs, and Edwards going three innings after Bruno exited, with one hit, two strikeouts, and no runs. Jayden Gabrillo threw well in his 1.2 innings recorded, striking out two.

The NightOwls fly back from Edmonton on Friday morning.

There are just three more regular season home games for the NightOwls in 2025, a weekend series against Kamloops that starts Friday (August 1-2-3), with the Friday and Saturday games at 6:35pm and the Sunday capper at 1pm. The NightOwls complete their fourth WCL regular season with a road series in Bellingham, August 4-5-6.

Those home games are the only chance to use remaining vouchers purchased at Save On Foods, or as part of 10packs.

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