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Victoria HarbourCats | Easing of outdoor crowd restrictions too little, too late for HarbourCats and NightOwls

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Teams looking at possible exhibition series this summer, full speed ahead for 2022!

For Immediate Release

June 29, 2021

VICTORIA, BC — If only things were where we are now six months ago. Even two months ago.

The Province today announced that after July 1, outdoor gatherings in British Columbia can have up to 5,000 people in attendance, or up to 50% capacity, whichever is greater. While that is great news for many, and for all of us in British Columbia moving forward, unfortunately, it is too little, too late for sports teams like the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls, who had to make critical business decisions two months ago regarding the 2021 West Coast League Baseball season.

At that time, with the border still closed – and it is still slated to be closed until July 21 – and with the vaccination levels then nowhere near what they are right now, with COVID cases still high, the HarbourCats had to make the tough decision to forego playing the 2021 season, the second-straight lost season due to the pandemic.

It also meant at the time, the HarbourCats had to release all the players they had signed, so that they could find somewhere else to play this year. So for fans hoping to see the HarbourCats rapidly put a team together and start playing games, it is not going to happen.

There may be an opportunity though for the HarbourCats to put together some sort of exhibition game or series with their sister team the Nanaimo NightOwls later this summer, and Managing Partner for both teams, Jim Swanson, is starting to explore that possibility.

“With our U.S. teams in the West Coast League already well into their 2021 WCL season, and with the border still closed, it will be impossible for us to ramp up any kind of regular season,” said Swanson. “But we are exploring some kind of exhibition series between our two teams, albeit altered from what we’ve been proud to put on the field for so many years. If something is able to be done, we will let everyone know any plans at a later date.”
On a longer term, the news today means that the HarbourCats and NightOwls can both proceed full speed ahead for a full season of West Coast League baseball season in 2022, the eighth for the HarbourCats and the inaugural first for the NightOwls, with fans in full attendance.

While the 2022 West Coast League schedule is not expected to be released until October, fans should be warned now that tickets for 2022 will be in high demand. With four new teams in the league – the NightOwls, the Kamloops NorthPaws, the Edmonton Riverhawks and the Springfield (Oregon), Drifters, and the fact that fans will be itching to get to a game after a two-year absence, it could be a record-setting attendance year at Wilson’s Group Stadium in Victoria, and close to a sell out for every game, in the smaller Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo.

“With many fans having vouchers to exchange from both 2020 and 2021 and the demand for tickets for people who will just want to see a game again, we are suggesting that if you have been sitting on the fence about getting HarbourCats season tickets, now is time to act,” said HarbourCats Assistant GM of Ticketing and Media Christian Stewart. “Season tickets are by far the best value for your money, and we have plenty of options available for Victoria in all seating areas, except our field level Diamond Club seats.”

Fans can also purchase 10-game flex pack vouchers now, but will have to renew them, along with all fans holding 2020 and 2021 vouchers, once the schedule is released in the fall. Flex-pack vouchers are also available as a “season ticket equivalent,” whereby for the same price as a season ticket, fans get 35 vouchers to use in any combination and for any regular season game that they wish.

“We can’t wait to entertain fans back at the ballpark again,” added Stewart. “Hopefully we can get something together for a game or two in July or August, but either way, 2022 is going to be amazing and we want as many fans as possible to be there with us when we celebrate the full return of HarbourCats baseball.”

For more information on tickets for both teams, please visit or contact:

Victoria HarbourCats
https://harbourcats.com/ticketinfo/
Contact: Christian Stewart chris@harbourcats.com
Phone: 778-265-0327

Nanaimo NightOwls
https://nanaimonightowls.com/tickets/
Contact: Raymond Kirk ray@nanaimonightowls.com
Phone: 250-709-2882

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Middle infield combo, power corner infielders added by HarbourCats

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Above:  Infielder Jake Butler from George Mason University should be a key cog in the middle infield for the HarbourCats in 2025. 

March 24, 2025

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA — It’s always a bonus to find a double-play combo from the same school, especially one as strong as George Mason University (GMU).

The Victoria HarbourCats are excited to add middle infielders Owen Clyne, who starts at short, and Jake Butler, his usual counterpart at second but also able to play third, from GMU — the school that provided star catcher Connor Dykstra, who signed in July with the Seattle Mariners.

“This group we are announcing today, we will be counting on them to lead key parts of our team this summer,” said HarbourCats GM Christian Stewart.

“Butler and Clyne are impressing everyone this spring, and JC Allen from UC San Diego is off to a strong start as well. Our offense just got even stronger with these four signings, and you know (head coach) Todd Haney will get the most out of them.”

Announced as signed today, by Coach Haney:

IF Owen Clyne, George Mason, L/R, 6-2/185, Wichita, KS
IF Jake Butler, George Mason, R/R, 5-11/185. Towson, MD
IF JC Allen, UC San Diego, R/R, 6-4/210, Irvine, CA
IF/OF Curtis McKay, Niagara, R/R, 6-3/205, Dorchester, ON

Clyne, batting .363, has 28 RBIs in 24 games so far this season, with three home runs, nine extra-base hits and more walks than strikeouts. Butler has 35 runs driven in and is batting .326 with a .457 on-base clip in 20 games.

UC SanDiego’s JC Allen is another player who should see plenty of playing time in the HarbourCats infield in 2025.

Allen is off to a huge start at the D1 level, after two years at Saddleback College, with six home runs and 24 RBIs in his first 22 games for UC SAN Diego. He hit 13 bombs in his second season at Saddleback. He can play either corner infield spot, or get his bat active in the DH role.

McKay, from Ontario, can play corner infield or outfield, is batting .303 with four home runs and an RBI per game (22 total) over 18 starts at Niagara.

The HarbourCats open their 2025 home schedule on Friday, June 6, with the Port Angeles Lefties visiting Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP. Season Tickets, 10 and 32-Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are now on sale for all 33 home games and three “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats new and one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.

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

ATTENTION 2024 SEASON TICKET HOLDERS – FINAL NOTICE! If you have not already done so, please renew your seats for 2025 so that they can be locked into the new ticketing system. Season Tickets will be sent to all members electronically this season on April 1, 2025, perhaps sooner. Any seats not renewed by MONDAY, March 31 will be released and placed back into the system. Contact Christian at the office at 778-265-0327 to renew.

 

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Victoria HarbourCats – KidSport celebrating notable anniversary with HarbourCats in 2025

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March 18, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — Count ’em, 25 years of helping youth enjoy sports.

KidSport Greater Victoria is teaming up with the Victoria HarbourCats to celebrate an amazing 25 years of assisting kids in the pursuit of both participation and excellence in local sports, with planned events this summer at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.

And, not the least of which is the June 19 KidSport Greater Victoria School Spirit Game, a Thursday matchup starting at 11am featuring the HarbourCats and island rival Nanaimo NightOwls, with many schools all but emptying to take in the action and helping celebrate this tremendous achievement for KidSport Greater Victoria.

“We can’t think of a better community organization to have involved with this, the KidSport School Spirit game,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the HarbourCats.

“This will be a season-long theme of celebration, of reminding our fans of the great work they do and have done for so long in Victoria. Each and every game, people will have an opportunity to show their support for KidSport Greater Victoria, including a few special events outside this School Spirit Game.”

This will be the second Thursday game in a row in the HarbourCats home schedule in 2025 which will be dedicated to kids — on June 12, the Mayfair Optometric School Spirit Game will take place, also an 11am start featuring the HarbourCats and NightOwls. KidSport Greater Victoria and Mayfair Optometric Clinic are aligned with community values and supporting youth, making this an ideal match to welcome a combined total of more than 5,000 school kids to the park.

“We are so grateful for the past and ongoing support the HarbourCats have offered KidSport, and very excited about the various ways our organizations will work together this year,” said Jill Shaw, Executive Director of KidSport Greater Victoria. “Demand for our support is at an all-time high. We are seeing more families than ever coming to us in need of help so their children can access organized sport. The HarbourCats June 19th School Spirit Game is a great opportunity both to raise awareness about the work we do, and to offer local kids great access to another fun and rewarding local sport experience – we are very happy to be involved!”

KidSport Greater Victoria will also be front and centre on Harvey’s Birthday Game on July 11 at Wilson’s Group Stadium, and will be involved in other special games that are still to be announced.

Supporting KidSport will be a constant theme of the HarbourCats in this 2025 West Coast League season. The HarbourCats encourage all who can to contribute to this great cause, which you can action by clicking this link (https://www.kidsportvictoria25.ca/).

KidSport Greater Victoria has seen tremendous growth over the last 25 years, with demand for their support increasing very steeply starting in 2023 in particular. KidSport Greater Victoria exists to help ensure all kids have opportunity to play; annually they cover the registration fees for well over 1400 local kids living in financial need, enabling them to take part in seasons of sport of their choice – including baseball! As the largest KidSport chapter in the province, we know that on just about every sports team in the region, there are children playing who are able to take part thanks to KidSport and the supporters and donors who make their work possible.

To order tickets as a school group for the June 19 KidSport Greater Victoria School Spirit Game, or the June 12 Mayfair Optometric Clinic School Spirit Game, contact GM Christian Stewart, chris@harbourcats.com — some seats are left, but not many!

For fans looking for tickets for these exciting games, and any other HarbourCats game in 2025, visit the HarbourCats ticketing site HERE.

 

 

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Star Vegas catcher, Hawaii Pacific players added to summer roster

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Unveiled today for Coach Andreychuk’s roster in 2025:

C Anthony Marnell IV, S/R, College of Southern Nevada (and Oregon State), 6-2/200, Las Vegas

RHP Zach Horwith, R/R, 6-1/200, Bellarmine University, Castle Rock, CO

RHP Brennan Kettle, R/R, 6-0/155, Hawaii Pacific, Houston, TX

SS Andrew Nykoluk, R/R, 5-10/165, Hawaii Pacific, Simi Valley, CA

RHP Jayden Gabrillo, L/R, Hawaii Pacific, 5-8/165, Ewa Beach, HI

OF Owen Wessel, R/R, 5-8/165, Hawaii Pacific, Huntington Beach, CA

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