Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Cats complete comeback with walk-off win
Owen Clyne was back in the lineup Wednesday night, going one for five (Photo: Justin P Morash)
June 18, 2025
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats take game two in dramatic fashion, coming back to walk-off the Nanaimo NightOwls and winning 4-3.
Robert Sanford (Paris JC) made his fourth appearance and third start of the season for the Cats and started brightly with a one-two-three first inning. However, Nanaimo struck first in the second inning when Talan Zenk hit into an RBI fielder’s choice after a pair of singles put runners on the corners. Zenk then stole second and came around on a Brady Morse single to give the visitors an early 2-0 lead.
Jacob Hayes made it 3-0 in the top of the third with a deep sacrifice fly to the warning track in left. Sanford threw a season-high 53 pitches over three innings of work, giving up three runs on four hits, walking two and striking out one.
Ben Hewitt (Ottawa) was the first Cat out of the bullpen, making his third appearance of the campaign, and first since picking up the win on June 11. The big right-hander pitched two shutout innings while striking out one batter. Hewitt has not allowed a hit in five innings of work this season.
Saanichton native and captain of the New York Sirens of the PWHL, Micah Zandee-Hart, threw out the ceremonial first pitch (Photo: Justin P. Morash)
Victoria loaded the bases in the fourth inning and got a run on a Connor Ross (Cal Baptist) RBI groundout, cutting the Owls’ lead down to 3-1. Lino Zepeda got Jacob Doyle (Nevada) to fly out to end the threat. Zepeda started the game and threw five innings, giving up one run on four hits while striking out one batter.
Shea Lake (West Texas A&M) threw three shutout innings of relief to keep the Cats within touching distance, striking out four and giving up just one hit.
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In the bottom of the seventh, the HarbourCats had the bases loaded with no one out but could not score, with Owls right-hander Jaedeyn Edwards pitching his way out of the jam.
Doyle cut the deficit to one with a two-out RBI single to left field, making it 3-2 Owls. Dalton Hanson then surrendered back-to-back walks to Xander McAfee (Texas Arlington) and Curtis McKay (Niagara), with the latter scoring the tying run.
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Garrett Villa (Angelo State), who is no stranger to pitching in high-leverage situations, came in to pitch the top of the ninth and kept the game tied at 3-3 with a scoreless inning.
Jacob Silva (TCU) was hit by a pitch and Cayden Munster (Fresno State) was walked which was followed by a pickoff attempt error to put the winning run on third base. Ross then smacked a single up the middle to walk it off and complete the comeback for the HarbourCats.
Victoria look for the sweep tomorrow at 11:00 AM. It is the second School Spirit Game of the season, presented by Kidsport. Be part of the one-of-a-kind atmosphere and buy tickets at Harbourcats.com/tickets.
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.
Respected island businessman John Wilson has been named President of the company that oversees the successful collegiate baseball teams based in Victoria and Nanaimo.
Wilson, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and whose family owns and operates the Wilson’s Group of Companies, has been part of the core ownership group of the Victoria HarbourCats since 2015, and the Nanaimo NightOwls since inception in 2020 (started play in 2022). The NightOwls, a rival to the HarbourCats on the field, play at historic Serauxmen Stadium.
Wilson takes the position from Ken Swanson, who remains on the board after a solid 10-year run as team president. The group also operates the Victoria Collegiate (CCBC) baseball program and the busy indoor facility on Cook St., the Edwards Family Training Centre.
“Ken has led the corporate structure well, and he’s deserving of a break,” said Wilson. “We have a strong and committed group of owners and staff and a refresh is good for us all, keeping these teams playing great baseball and positively impacting these amazing communities in a stable, creative manner. Ken literally leaves big shoes to fill.”
The HarbourCats, which started play in 2013, will host the WCL All-Star Game in 2026 and 2027, showcasing the island’s immense love of baseball and the team that helped produce eight current MLB players including Nathan Lukes (Blue Jays), Nick Pivetta (Padres), Cade Smith (Guardians), Andrew Vaughn (Brewers) and Chase Meidroth (White Sox). The 2026 all-star festival will take place July 14-15 using Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park and sites around the South Island, with exciting details to come.
Wilson and Swanson lead a nine-member ownership group that includes Rich Harder, Helen Edwards, Mike Macdonell, Sean Finn, Vic Vendetti, John Schnaderbeck and Jim Swanson.
“No one knows the community like John, so we are all looking forward to what will be a flawless transition that will bring some new life to the organization,” said Ken Swanson.
The management structure remains the same — former GM Jim Swanson in the Managing Partner role, overseeing day-to-day operations, assisted by Adrian Somers (Business Operations and Marketing). In Victoria, Christian Stewart (General Manager) and John Pollard (Marketing Director) remain in place, while Tina Cornett continues her strong leadership in Nanaimo as General Manager, with Kent Malpass overseeing the concession.
The teams maintain wholly separate coaching staffs and recruiting processes — veteran Todd Haney, a five-year MLB player, as the sixth-year Head Coach in Victoria, and local product Cody Andreychuk, a collegiate program head coach at University of Pikeville, enters his second season in Nanaimo, assisted by pitching coach Gorman Heimueller, who has three World Series rings from his 50 years in the game.
Tickets are selling fast…get yours today. www.NanaimoNightOwls.com/ticketinfo
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer
For immediate release
January 20, 2026
VICTORIA, BC — A former HarbourCats outfielder, a member of the record-breaking WCL team in 2016, knew he wanted to send players he now coaches to a great summer baseball factory.
Jarron Silva, then an outfielder from UCLA, really enjoyed his time in Victoria, on a team that won a record 40 games, including 19 in a row at one point.
Now as an assistant coach at San Jose State, he connected with veteran HarbourCats coach Todd Haney to secure development spots for two pitchers and two position players.
“Jarron was a spark plug for that 2016 team, and he remembers the fan support and atmosphere at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP — Victoria is a baseball city,” said Managing Partner Jim Swanson. “We are excited to see the pitchers signed, and to see the power in Rohne Klein and Ethan Nunez — they have the potential to represent Victoria when we host the WCL All-Star Game on July 15.”
Four Spartans and a versatile fielder from George Mason, Matthew Westley, have been signed by Coach Haney:
- RHP Landon Marchetti, San Jose State, 5-11/190, Brentwood, CA
- RHP Spencer Kratt, San Jose State, 6-0/210, Woodland Hills, CA
- IF Rohne Klein, San Jose State, 6-4/230, L/R, Renton, WA
- OF Ethan Nunez, San Jose State, 6-4/190, R/R, Chino Hills, CA
- IF/OF Matthew Westley, George Mason, 6-1/210, R/R, Manassas, VA
Marchetti, previously at UC San Diego, has nearly 30 games of college experience, including five starts, and used a lower lefty arm slot to register high strikeout numbers in high school. Kratt is a power righty who runs it up to 92, a transfer from LA Valley College.
Landon Marchetti delivers a pitch while playing for the UC San Diego in 2025.
Klein, a transfer to SJSU from Utah, is a developing power bat who also is noted for a strong arm — can play third, outfield or first. He’s an athlete, playing both quarterback and linebacker on his high school team.
Nunez is a transfer from Colorado Mesa, where he was the RMAC freshman of the year — and he will miss the spring as a redshirt to get an injury fully rehabbed, but will be good to go for summer. At Colorado Mesa, he hit .356 with 14 bombs.
The lone non-SJSU addition announced by Coach Haney is utility guy Westley, formerly of Virginia Tech and now at George Mason. He has two summers of experience in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.
The Victoria HarbourCats will begin their 2026 West Coast League season in late May of 2026, with the home opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Plenty of excitement is on board for 2026 including:
- Three fireworks nights (June 6, 30 and August 3)
- Two 11:00 AM School Spirit Games (June 4 and 18)
- Five Family Fun Sunday Matinees (June 7, 14, 28 July 19 and 26)
- $12 Tuesdays and Thursdays (June 16, July 2, 7, 9, 28 and 30)
Season ticket memberships, single-game tickets, 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) and 2026 WCL All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.
All ticket types and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-5pm.
John Wilson Named As New Team President
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
Victoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer
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