Duncan’s Gavin Pringle (above, pitching for the Victoria Eagles) headlines four new HarbourCat pitchers signed for 2021
For Immediate Release
March 11, 2021
Victoria, BC – If things keep going the way they are going, the Victoria HarbourCats may just have to permanently switch their uniforms to the alternate red and white, “Cats” Canada Day jerseys that they often wear, as with the signing of Duncan BC’s Gavin Pringle, the HarbourCats now boast seven players on their 2021 roster that, at some point in their young careers, donned the red and white for Canada’s Junior National Team (JNT).
Pringle joins Josh Walker, Steven Moretto, Declan Dutton, Russell Young, Noah Takacs and Giordano Mezzomo as former JNT members on the 2021 squad.
The 6′ 2″, 210lb. Pringle is a graduate of the Victoria Eagles of the BC Premier Baseball League (PBL) and made his NCAA college debut this past week, playing for Hawaii Pacific University. He has been one of the more dominant arms in the province over the past two years and in addition to his stints with the JNT, pitched in the Canada Cup and was impressive for the Eagles in the PBL, where in 2019, he had a 2-2 record, 2.06 ERA, striking out 28 batters in 20.1 innings of work.
The HarbourCats today also announced the signing of Braeden Gowdy, RHP (Chico State), teammate Micah Wallette, LHP (Chico State), and A.C. Plumb, RHP (Rice).
Gowdy, a resident of Pleasant Hill, California, is a Junior this season with Chico State, where he transferred after two seasons pitching for Cuesta College. The 6’2, 195lb. righty put together a 7-3 record in 2019 with one save and a 2.83 ERA, earning him Fist Team All-Western State Conference North recognition.
Braeden Gowdy pitching for Chico State (Photo: Ryan McCasland)
Micah Wallette
Wallette, a Long Beach, California resident took a similar path to his Chico State teammate, transferring there this season after pitching for two seasons with Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California. In 2019, the now Junior student posted a 7-5 record, making 14 starts with 60 strikeouts in 67 innings. The multi-sport athlete also lettered in football and can stake claim to saying he has played a ball game at Dodger Stadium.
Plum, a Los Angeles, California resident and in his sophomore season as a Rice Owl, will have to get used to disliking Owls (of the Nanaimo variety) when he comes to Victoria. Plum could be a dominant force on the mound for the HarbourCats. In 2019, the 6’7″ 220lb. righty held opposing hitters to a composite .143 batting average and averaged 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, while in his senior year of high school in 2018, he struck out 56 batters in 54.2 innings and amassed a 4.23 ERA.
A.C. Plum pitching for the Rice Owls (Photo: Maria Lysaker)
“We continue to be impressed by the level of baseball talent available right here in British Columbia,” said Curtis Pelletier, the HarbourCats Hitting Coach and Director of Player Development, “and adding Gavin [Pringle] to the list of local players we have already signed is a huge bonus for us. We expect him to give us a number of quality innings this season.
“We are also impressed by Plum, who with his size, could be dominating,” added Pelletier, “and Wallette give us yet another left-handed option on the hill.”
The HarbourCats are scheduled to begin the 2021 season on the road on June 1, 2021 with a three-game series against the Edmonton Riverhawks, the first ever West Coast League games in Alberta and then will return home for their home opener against the Port Angeles Lefties on Friday, June 4th.
Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are now on sale, while individual game tickets will go on sale in limited fashion on Tuesday, March 16th at 9:00 am.
The Kamloops NorthPaws won a thriller at home against the Edmonton Riverhawks 8-6 in game one of the weekend series. The Riverhawks led five one and hit back-to-back home runs, but the NorthPaws were able to claw their way back into the game mainly because of five brilliant innings from Nolan Austin on the mound. Kamloops scored three in the eighth and shut the door, winning the series opener.
“If we lose that game, we’re 1-3 on the week, and morale isn’t going to be the highest, but I think our group is at a point where we never feel like we’re never out of games,” said Head Coach Reily Jepson.
Edmonton would get off to a quick start by scoring three runs off four singles and a wild pitch. Kamloops responded in the bottom of the second as shortstop Anthony Setticassi sent an RBI double to right center field. The Riverhawks wasted no time in the top of the third, hitting back-to-back solo home runs to left and right field, taking a 5-1 lead.
In the bottom of the third, the NorthPaws scored a pair of runs on a past ball and a wild pitch while only recording one hit in the inning. Righty Nolan Austin took over in the fourth inning and recorded three straight scoreless innings while not allowing a hit, slowing down the Riverhawk’s offence.
“Nolan was going after hitters tonight; that was as good as anyone’s pitched all year,” said Pitching Coach Jack Slominski.
The bottom of the sixth saw Jared Hall lead off with a walk and move to second after a wild pitch. Left fielder Joey Rico sent a double to the gap in left-center, scoring Hall. Rico then advanced to third after a Matt MacDonald ground ball. First baseman Keegan Drinkle hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Rico tying the game.
Edmonton responded in the seventh, with catcher Kyle Yip hitting a triple with two outs. Austin uncorked a wild pitch that brought the go-ahead run home for the Riverhawks. That was the lone run Austin gave up over his five innings in relief.
The NorthPaws rallied in the bottom of the eighth with Jared Hall reaching base, and Rico hit his second double of the night. Drinkle was at the plate and sent a grounder to second base. Hall broke for home and dove in safely. Pinch hitter Kalen Applefield had runners at second and third. The lefty hit a grounder through the right side, scoring Rico and giving the NorthPaws their first lead of the game. Drew Abercrombie and Elijah Clayton both walked, loading the bases for Connor Clark. The right fielder stayed tough in the batter’s box and worked a walk, extending the lead.
Julio Garcia was on in the top of the ninth for his second save opportunity in as many days. Garcia was excellent, going three up and three down, sending the fans home happy with a NorthPaw win. Despite a rigid back-to-back, having travelled from Wenatchee the night before, the team showed grit, scoring eight runs on only five hits.
“It’s cool to see, these guys the whole night said in the dugout that they would be coming back in that game, and they did,” said Jepson.
The second game of the series will go at the same time from the same place, 6:35 pm at Norbrock stadium, as the NorthPaws look to take the first two games against the Riverhawks. You can find the game on West Coast League TV.
KELOWNA, B.C. — The Nanaimo NightOwls headed out to the Okanagan to take on the Kelowna Falcons June 13th, for the start of a three-game series. Despite the weather not being cooperative, and a delay in the 9th inning. The NightOwls were able to battle the elements and the Falcons to hold on for a 4-3 win. That makes it two in a row for Nanaimo and puts them at 7-6 on the season.
It was a masterclass on the night from starting pitcher Ricardo Villegas. He went five innings, allowing just two runs on four hits, walking two but striking out 7 Kelowna batters on the night. The Nanaimo Night Owls would finish the day with a combined 13 strikeouts. Villegas received the win on the night, while Carter Chard-Hill picked up the save.
A couple of big innings were all the Nanaimo NightOwls needed to take the opening game of the series against the Kelowna Falcons. Two runs in the second inning thanks to RBIs from Hunter Stencil and Andrew Ivy. Andrew went two for five on the night with an RBI and a stolen base. Hunter finished with one RBI, a hit, and a base on balls.
The fourth inning saw the NightOwls extend their lead thanks to a bomb to left field from Caden Petrey. He had a great night at the plate, going two for three with a home run, two RBI, and a walk.
For back-to-back nights, Jacob Hayes has been impressing at the plate. He hit a grand slam on Thursday night in Victoria and continued with the hot bat in Kelowna against the Falcons. The Anacortes, WA, native had another two hits and improved his hit streak to nine games.
Reliever Brennan Kettle gave up one run but got out of an 8th inning jam with a strikeout to strand a runner at second and third to keep the score 4-3 for the NightOwls heading into the 9th. There was a brief weather delay before the 9th inning started. Things got a bit nervous for Nanaimo with runners on first and third with 2 outs, but Carter Chard-Hill finished things off, getting the final batter to fly out for the save.
Nanaimo finished the night with four runs on nine hits and one error, while the Kelowna Falcons had three runs on nine hits with one error. The rain delay lasted approximately an hour before they were able to finish the 9th inning.
The Nanaimo NightOwls continue their road trip in Kelowna against the Falcons on Saturday and Sunday, June 14th and 15th. Nanaimo heads back to Victoria for a three-game stint before returning home on June 20th against the Port Angeles Lefties for a weekend series. Make sure to get your tickets and follow the team on our website and social media when they are out on the road for the latest information and updates!
Jacob Silva has four hits in his first four HarbourCats games (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
June 13, 2025
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats bounce back in a big way, snapping the division-leading Bellingham Bells’ five-game winning streak, winning 12-1 to open the weekend series.
The Cats got on the board in the first inning for the fifth straight game when Jacob Silva (TCU) hit a deep fly ball to right field with the bases loaded that went in and out of Gavin Long’s glove. The error allowed two runs to score. Cayden Munster (Fresno State) followed that up with a sacrifice fly, giving the home team a 3-0 lead after the opening frame.
No more runs were scored until the fourth inning, when the Bells’ pitching lost control and the Cats took advantage. Three walks and one hit by pitch gave the Cats plenty of opportunity to drive in runs, and they did just that, scoring five in the inning, giving them a resounding 8-0 lead.
Thomas Bridges has walked just one batter in 11 innings of work this season (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
Jake Butler (George Mason) debuted and had his first hit in that big inning, an RBI single.
Thomas Bridges (TCU) made his third start of the season and picked up where he left off. The right-hander threw four shutout innings, giving up three hits and one walk, while striking out a season high five batters. Bridges has yet to give up a run this season in 11 innings pitched.
Carson Burks (Hill College) took over in the fifth and threw three innings, giving up one run on three hits, walking one, and striking out three.
Victoria added to their lead in the fifth inning through an Owen Clyne bases-loaded walk, his second RBI of the evening, and Xander McAfee scoring on a wild pitch, making it 10-0.
The Bells broke the shutout with a Brock Sell sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.
Xander “Boogie” McAfee (Texas Arlington) hit an RBI single in the eighth, which was followed by a Jacob Doyle (Nevada) sacrifice fly to make it 12-1, Victoria.
Cayden Munster has six hits in his first three games as a HarbourCat (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
Dustin Davidson (Brookhaven) closed out the game, pitching two scoreless innings, striking out three batters.
The HarbourCats had nine hits and drew eight walks Friday night. Victoria is now 7-6 on the season, gaining ground on Bellingham, who fall to 9-4.
Game two of the series is tomorrow at 6:35 PM. Logan Rumberg (George Mason) is projected to make his HarbourCats debut as the starting pitcher. Buy tickets at HERE
Season Tickets, 10 and 32-Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are now on sale for all 33 home games and four “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats’ new and one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.
Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.
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