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Victoria HarbourCats – ‘Cats SWEEP Riverhawks to win second-half North Division title!

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Playoffs to begin in Wenatchee Tuesday, with Games 2 and 3 (if needed) at home Wednesday and Thursday

Story and Photos by Christian J. Stewart

August 6, 2023

Edmonton, AB – HarbourCats Player of the Year Tyler Davis had a clutch two-out RBI in the top of the eighth, and Jack Johnson had an RBI double in the top of the ninth, to give the HarbourCats all they runs they needed, in an eventual 3-0 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks Sunday afternoon in the final game of the West Coast League regular season at Re-Max Field in Edmonton.

The win gave the HarbourCats the sweep over the Riverhawks, but more importantly, secured first place in the second-half North Division standings and the second seed in the playoffs, with the home field advantage that comes along with that.

What this means then is that the HarbourCats will open the North Divisional Playoffs Tuesday, August 8th IN Wenatchee against the AppleSox and then come home for Game 2 of the series on Wednesday and Game 3 (if needed) on Thursday.

North Divisional Playoffs
IN WENATCHEE
GAME 1 – Tuesday August 8th, HarbourCats @ Wenatchee, 6:35pm

AT WILSON’S GROUP STADIUM at ROYAL ATHLETIC PARK
GAME 2 – Wednesday, August 9th, Wenatchee @ HarbourCats, 6:35pm

GAME 3 (if needed) – Thursday, August 10th, Wenatchee @ HarbourCats, 6:35pm

Tickets for Wednesday’s playoff game can be ordered on-line at https://harbourcats.com/tickets.  Fans should be sure to order PLAYOFF GAME #1 for the Wednesday game and fan’s already holding tickets for Playoff Game #1 should be sure to use this ticket on Wednesday evening.

Fans can also come into the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver street to get their tickets. The office WILL BE OPEN on BC DAY Monday from 10 am to 5pm for this purpose, as well as all day Tuesday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and Wednesday pre-game from 9:30 am to 5pm.  Tickets will also be available at the gate at Wilson’s Group Stadium on Wednesday beginning at 5:30 pm.

Fans already holding tickets for Playoff Game #2, will use this ticket EITHER Thursday night (if the series goes three games), or else for the North Division final which we would host on Saturday, August 12th, should we win the Wenatchee series in two games.

Should the HarbourCats advance to the WCL Championship final, this potentially could be played at Wilson’s Group Stadium on Monday, August 14th, if anyone BUT the Corvallis Knights advance from the South.  By virtue of their 3-0 win over Ridgefield Sunday, the Knights secured the best record overall in the league (by one win over Victoria) and would host the final should they advance.

On Sunday in Edmonton, it was a classic pitcher’s duel, as the ‘Cats could not figure out Edmonton starter Halen Knoll until the eighth inning when Davis laced his RBI single, just the ‘Cats fourth hit of the game, to give the ‘Cats the 1-0 lead.

Meanwhile HarbourCats starter Sam Jordan, and relievers Jake Finkelstein and Ryan Magdic were also doing their best, limiting the ‘Hawks to just three hits through seven innings of work to keep the game scoreless.

After the Cats broke the tie in the eighth, they then added some insurance in the ninth, as Russell Young singled and was driven home on Johnson’s double, with Johnson then coming home on a Michael Crossland RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

Reliever Brett Harvey would shut the ‘Hawks down on just a single hit through the eighth and ninth innings to preserve the lead and get the save.

NOTES:  The win gives the HarbourCats an overall record of 38-15 (25-2 at home) on the year with one game cancelled as a result of a rainout in Kamloops.  Hudson Shupe, who came into the game just .001 percentage point behind in the batting race, was o for 5 on the day Sunday and will lose the title to either Walla Walla’s Ben Parker (who is no longer on the Sweet’s roster) or Wenatchee’s Frankie Carney who will play later tonight.

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Summer Collegiate

Plenty of weekend action in 2027 NightOwls schedule

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November 10, 2026

NANAIMO, B.C. — It’s hard to boil down the 2027 Nanaimo NightOwls schedule to a few highlights — it’s a strong schedule for fans and partners, and for the players and coaches.

The sixth season of NightOwls baseball at historic Serauxmen Stadium, in the impressive West Coast League, includes ample weekend dates in both June and July, with a game on Sunday, June 20 the perfect fit for Father’s Day celebrations.

It also includes the first-ever Nanaimo visit by the South Division’s Springfield Drifters, who have not faced the Serauxmen challenge prior to this 2027 schedule — and the Drifters are the OPENING SERIES foe for the NightOwls (June 4-5-6).

“We really like what this schedule will mean for our fans and our sponsors,” said GM Tina Cornett. “There are a lot of ways we can be creative with the dates, and the travel for our players and coaches is more than workable, with just one South Division trip (to Yakima).

“We can’t wait to get seats set up for everyone, and to start lining up all the group outings that are so popular at Serauxmen Stadium. There are no long homestands, one spot in late June where we have six games in seven days, and in August we have Edmonton and Kelowna in consecutive home series.”

Season tickets, packages and group bookings are available now (email tina@nanaimonightowls.com for more information), and single-game tickets will be on sale soon.

The NightOwls open with a three-game series in Victoria, June 1-2-3, and also end on the road Aug 9-10-11 in Kamloops.

The NightOwls are planning to add another fireworks date to the offering — the ultra-popular July 1/Canada Day date (vs. the island rival Victoria HarbourCats) remains in place, but a season-opening fireworks show in the second home game of the season, Saturday, June 5, is in the works.

The NightOwls host the home opener on Friday, June 4, vs. the Springfield Drifters, starting a three-game series that ends with a Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. at Serauxmen.

The NightOwls will face the Kelowna Falcons and Edmonton Riverhawks nine times this season. Nanaimo and Victoria will also meet nine times in the 54 games, six of those in the capital city. Victoria will host the West Coast League all-star game for the second year in a row, two days of activities there July 13-14 at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.

HOME DATES, 2027
Nanaimo NightOwls, at Serauxmen Stadium
Mon-Sat games, 6:35 pm — Sunday games, 1pm

Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 4-5-6 — vs. Springfield Drifters (including planned fireworks game, Saturday, June 5)
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 11-12-13 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 18-19-20 — vs. Wenatchee AppleSox (including Father’s Day, June 20)
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, June 22-23-24 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks
Tuesday, June 29 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats
Thursday, July 1 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats (Canada Day fireworks)
Wednesday, July 7 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 9-10-11 — vs. Bellingham Bells
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 16-17-18 — vs. Coquitlam Angels
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24-25 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, August 3-4-5 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7-8 — vs. Kelowna Falcons

ROAD DATES, 2027
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 1-2-3 — at Victoria
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 8-9-10 — at Bellingham
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 15-16-17 — at Edmonton
Fri-Sat-Sun, June 25-26-27 — at Kelowna
Wednesday, June 30 — at Victoria
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 2-3-4 — at Wenatchee
Tuesday, July 6 — at Victoria
Thursday, July 8 — at Victoria
Tues-Wed-Thurs, July 20-21-22 — at Yakima Valley
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 30-31/Aug1 — at Kelowna
Mon-Tues-Wed, August 9-10-11 — at Kamloops

PLAYOFF DATES
Division semifinal — August 13-14-15
Division final — August 17
WCL final — August 19

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Victoria HarbourCats – Fall 2026 Indoor Training Clinics Now Open for Registration

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Sessions begin October 31. Register NOW!

The Victoria HarbourCats and the Edwards Family Training Centre (EFTC) are now taking individual bookings for our Fall 2026 indoor training sessions for baseball.

The “Offseason Academy“, presented by The EFTC, is designed to keep athletes sharp, confident, and improving long after the final game of summer. Built for youth players who want to stay ahead of the competition, our Academy focuses not only on technical skill development but also on the physical conditioning that keeps athletes strong and game-ready.

With a lineup of specialized camps in areas such as hitting, analytics, and general skills, athletes can train with experienced coaches, benefit from professional-level technology like HitTrax, and build the habits that matter most during the offseason.

All sessions take place in the same professional training facility used by the HarbourCats and Victoria Collegiate Cats, giving players access to a proven environment for growth and performance.

Running for eight weeks, athletes will receive 32 hours of training designed to keep their skills sharp through the winter.

2026 Fall Sessions Include:

Baseball, Foundations and Futures, $300, Saturdays, 9:00am- 12noon, October 31 thru December 19. Ages 8-11
Foundations & Futures” is a high-energy baseball camp for players aged 8–11. This camp delivers professional-grade instruction in a dynamic, fun environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and carry your skills into next season. REGISTER HERE

Baseball, High Performance Prep, $300, Saturdays, 12:30-3:30pm, October 31 thru December 19. Ages 12-16.
High Performance Prep is designed for players aged 12–16 who are ready to refine their skills and maintain peak form after summer. This camp delivers advanced instruction in a focused, competitive environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and prepare for the season ahead. REGISTER HERE

There are limited spaces in each camp so don’t delay. Register NOW!

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Victoria HarbourCats – Zach Swanson Returning as Pitching Coach for HarbourCats in 2027

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September 2, 2026

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. – After a successful debut season in the West Coast League, Zach Swanson will be back as Pitching Coach for the Victoria HarbourCats.

Head Coach Todd Haney is pleased to be putting together the key pieces of his staff already for the 2027 season, and that includes Swanson, the Victoria product and former college pitcher, after setting notable records in 2026.  Swanson is a Lambrick Park graduate who played for the Victoria Eagles and Mariners, and pitched collegiately at San Diego Christian and Park University-Gilbert, earning an MBA in the process.

The records and notables of the 2026 HarbourCats:

  • Most team strikeouts (536) in team history in a season, two short of a WCL record (and notably, the HarbourCats would have played two more games, but they were cancelled due to smoky conditions in Washington State)
  • Highest K/9 rate in WCL history (10.48)
  • Second in batting average against (.235)
  • Fourth in league ERA (4.48)
  • Right-handers Jeremiah Arnett (66) and Erik Rico (64) now sit first and second in HarbourCats history in strikeouts in a season, and both were named all-stars – on top of it, Arnett was named the WCL Pitcher of the Year
  • HarbourCats reliever Nathan Mueller was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers and pitcher Will Zielinski was a 20th round pick of the Detroit Tigers

Swanson is the Pitching Coach at Hawaii Pacific University (NCAA Division 2) in Honolulu, entering his second year – in his first season, Swanson had three all-conference pitchers and the team ERA improved by more than a run per game.

“I’m incredibly excited to welcome Zach back as our pitching coach for the 2027 season.  He built tremendous trust with our pitchers and has a great understanding of what it takes to develop players,” said Haney, who earlier this week added former MLB infielder Jeff Frye to the coaching staff for 2027.

“Our pitching staff responded to Zach’s leadership every single day, and we saw real growth both on and off the mound.  Zach brings an exceptional work ethic, passion and competitive edge to our staff.  Our pitchers are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with him now, as it’s only a matter of time before Zach is an MLB pitching coach.”

Swanson is excited to return to a team he knows well, holding many roles – batboy, to player, to play-by-play voice in 2022.  Swanson was Victoria’s starting pitcher for Game 1 of the WCL final in 2019 against the Corvallis Knights in a game played at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.

“It’s a joy and a privilege to be returning to Victoria in 2027,” said Swanson, son of Managing Partner Jim Swanson.

“After a 2026 season full of development, my wife Madeline and I are looking forward to coming back to this great city.  I can’t wait to help write another chapter – both in the lives of these athletes and in the history books of this organization.”

 

The HarbourCats have started the recruiting process for 2027 already, and Season Ticket Memberships are now available for purchase or renewal.  New members may order their seats on-line if desired at harbourcats.com/tickets (click the Membership tab), or by calling the office at 778-265-0327.

Renew or purchase your seats by September 30th to be eligible to win a round trip airfare on Harbour Air to Vancouver.

The HarbourCats 2027 schedule is expected to be announced in late October 2026, with single-game tickets expected to be available by December 1, 2026.

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