Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Clutch homer from Shepherd lifts Cats to win
The HarbourCats are now 11-10 on the season, three games back of the North Division lead (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
June 25, 2025
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – Logan Shepherd’s (Mercer U) late-game heroics powered the Victoria HarbourCats to a 6-4 win against the Edmonton Riverhawks.
HarbourCats starter Logan Saloman (Nevada) and Riverhawks starter Jesse Kaphing were both in control early, keeping it scoreless through the first two innings.
Tanner Beltowski (Westmont College) led off the third inning with a single, his first of two hits on the night, stole second base, and eventually scored on a JC Allen (UC San Diego) RBI groundout to give the hosts their first lead of the series.
Victoria doubled their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Beltowski drew a walk with the bases loaded to make it 2-0.
Tanner Beltowski was in the leadoff spot today and reached base four times and stole three bases (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
Saloman took a no-hitter into the fifth inning but gave up three hits in the frame, including a Robert Phelps RBI single to cut the Cats’ lead in half. Saloman’s evening ended after five solid innings, giving up one run on three hits, walking two and striking out a pair.
Edmonton tied it up at two in the sixth inning through a Grant Yzermans single. In the seventh inning, it was the Hawks’ stars who came up clutch. First, Max Stagg hit a two-out RBI single to give the visitors their first lead. Trent Lenihan was up next and smacked a double to the gap, scoring Stagg, and making it 4-2.
Ben Hewitt (Ottawa) pitched two innings, giving up three runs on four hits.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Hudson Shupe (Gonzaga) and Jacob Doyle (Nevada) hit back-to-back singles to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Shepherd pinch-hit and took a hanging curveball high over the left field fence for a three-run home run to flip the script and make it 5-4 Victoria. It was his team-leading fifth long ball of the year and 17th RBI.
Hudson Shupe was back in the lineup Wednesday and went two for four (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
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Later in the inning, Beltowski’s aggressive baserunning once again proved decisive as his steal of third base caused an errant throw, allowing him to score and make it 6-4.
After pitching a scoreless eighth inning, Jacob Thompson (Minot State) was trusted to close out the game in the ninth inning and did just that to give his team a much-needed victory.
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The rubber match between the two teams is tomorrow at 6:35 PM. 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.