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Victoria HarbourCats – Golden Tide Fall to Eagles, Will Play Saskatchewan in Downey Semi-Finals

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Story and Photos by Christian J. Stewart

September 11, 2021, Victoria, BC – The Victoria Eagles used a four-run fifth inning and some solid pitching to defeat the Victoria Golden Tide 7-2 Saturday morning in the final round robin game for both teams at the Zack Downey Memorial Tournament at Layritz Park in Victoria.

The win gives the Eagles the number one seed for the playoffs and they will now take on the Parksville Royals at 12:30 pm Sunday in the semi-finals.

The Eagles Drew Abercrombie (right) puts the tag on the Tide’s Myles Wall during a rundown Saturday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Royals, despite losing a heartbreaker to Saskatchewan Saturday, 6-2 in extra innings, snuck into the fourth seed spot by virtue of the Victoria Mariners and Nanaimo Pirates essentially playing to a 4-4 tie in the final round-robin game of the day Saturday.

Tide starter Haldon Craig looked good for the Eagles early Saturday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Mariners could have advanced into the forth seed with a shut-out win over the Pirates, but Mid-Island scored two runs in the very first inning of that game, to put that mathematical possibility to rest.

The Eagles Derek Peterson was masterful over four innings, allowing the Golden Tide just two hits (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Golden Tide will now have a re-match with the Saskatchewan Grizzlies in the other semi-final Sunday, starting at 10:00 am. In their game with Parksville Saturday, the Grizzlies broke open a 1-1 tie by scoring five runs in the top of the eighth inning to secure the win.

The Championship game at the Zack Downey Tournament is scheduled for 3:00 pm Sunday.

For the Eagles, hard throwing Derek Peterson got the start and he was brilliant, limiting the Tide to just two hits and no runs in his four innings of work.

The Eagles Jack Swinton slides safely into third before the tag by Golden Tide third baseman Brandon Green (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Peterson got offensive support from the Eagles with a run in the third, thanks to an RBI single from Jai Berezowski that scored Jack Swinton and another in the fourth, thanks to an RBI single from Jacob Wayman that scored Owen Taylor.

The Eagles Drew Abercrombie heads to first with a single Saturday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

In the Eagles four-run fifth inning, they took advantage of Tide pitcher Jackson Belanger who had a debut he would rather forget, giving up a single, two walks and two hit batters, before being replaced by Braden Perozny.

Golde Tide shortstop Myles Wall makes a nice play against the Eagles Saturday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Tide would see a glimmer of hope when they scored a pair of two-out runs in the fifth inning off Eagles reliever Brandon Cain, but Cain would get out of the inning with no further damage.

The Eagles would then score another insurance run in the top of the sixth and then Josh Gladstone would shut the door, retiring the side in the bottom of the sixth to close out the 7-2 win.

Jack Swinton had a single, double and two runs scored against the Tide on Saturday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

For the Eagles offensively, Jack Swinton, brother of Golden Tide player Parker Swinton, would lead the way with a single, double and two runs scored. Josh Burrows, with a single and two walks, would also score twice.

The Tide’s Alex McLauclan bangs out one of the Tide’s 5 hits against the Eagles Saturday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

For the Tide, Brendan Morrison had a hit and an RBI, while Tyler Burton had a single, walk and run scored. Alex McLauclan, Colton O’Brien and Tristian Bolger had the other hits for the Tide in the losing effort.

Eagles catcher Jai Berezowski congratulates Josh Gladstone after the Eagles win over the Golden Tide Saturday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Haldon Craig got the start for the Tide, allowing just a hit in his two innings of work, with relief from Wyatt Mohr-Royer, Belanger and Perozny.

The Golden Tide will have an interesting day on Sunday, as in addition to the semi-final and possible final at the Zack Downey Tournament, they are also scheduled to play a double-header in Nanaimo against Vancouver Island University. Head Coach Curtis Pelletier will split his large squad accordingly to accommodate all games.

Parksville second baseman Tyler Newby prepares to tag Saskatchewan’s Brady Bye during a rundown in their game Saturday. The Grizzlies would ultimately beat the Royals 6-2 and will now play the Golden Tide in Sunday’s semi-final (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

ZACK DOWNEY TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE, LAYRITZ PARK, SAANICH

Sunday September 12, 10:00 AM Golden Tide vs Saskatchewan Grizzlies – SEMI-FINAL
Sunday September 12, 12:30 AM Victoria Eagles vs Parksville Royals – SEMI-FINAL
Sunday September 13, 3:00 PM – FINAL

GOLDEN TIDE FALL HOME SCHEDULE

SEP. 17, 6PM – TRU WOLFPACK
SEP. 19, 1PM – VAN.ISLE UNIV. (DH*)
SEP. 25, 1PM – FRASER VALLEY (DH)
SEP. 26, 3PM – MID-ISLE PIRATES (DH)
OCT. 2, 6PM – VICTORIA MARINERS
OCT. 16, 1PM – VAN. ISLE PREP (DH)
OCT. 17, 1PM – UBC (DH)
OCT. 23, 1PM – TBA (DH)
OCT. 24, 1PM – PARKSVILLE ROYALS (DH)
OCT. 26-31 INTERSQUAD WORLD SERIES
*DH = Double Header

The Golden Tide begin their fall exhibition season on September 17, with 11 home games, plus inter-squad games at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria. The fall home opener is on Friday, September 17th at 6:00 pm against Thompson Rivers University.

Tickets are $10 for Grandstand seating (Section 10) and $5 everywhere else (all rush seating) and are available at the gate or in advance at the HarbourCats office (101-1814 Vancouver Street) or by calling 778-265-0327.

BECOME A TIDE BOOSTER!
Fans who wish to enjoy priority seating in the Diamond Club or Campbell Club seating areas for all games may now join the Golden Tide Booster Club, where a $200 fee secures a spot, gets one a Golden Tide hat and t-shirt and access to other Booster Club perks and benefits. E-mail chris@harbourcats.com or call the office at 778-265-0327 for details.

 

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Former MLB infielder Frye joins HarbourCats coaching staff

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August 31, 2026

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — Add another former Major League player to the coaching staff of the Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League — and one who definitely has opinions on how the game should be played.

Jeff Frye, who registered nine years and 15 days of MLB service and 667 big-league games overall, joins the staff led by Head Coach Todd Haney, another former MLB infielder who himself played parts of five seasons with the Expos, Cubs and Mets. Haney enters his seventh season as Victoria’s Head Coach in 2027 and has been with the HarbourCats since 2018.

The versatile Frye, who now lives in Maryland, played mostly second base for Texas, Boston, Colorado and the Toronto Blue Jays, and hit for the cycle as a member of the Blue Jays. Frye had a career .290 batting average and slugged 16 home runs — he had 626 hits in the big leagues, 162 of them for extra bases. He also stole 56 bases and only struck out 279 times in 2,451 plate appearances.

“I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Jeff to our coaching staff. Jeff knows exactly what it takes to compete at the highest level,” said Haney.

“He brings a winning mindset, tremendous baseball knowledge and a passion for helping players succeed. His incredible experience and expertise will elevate our player development as we continue our focus of bringing a championship home to our fans.”

Frye is also very well known in baseball social media circles (follow @shegone03 on X) for unabashedly standing up for the game’s fundamentals and traditional values — which are also important to Haney and the HarbourCats organization.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to coach with my buddy Todd Haney in the beautiful city of Victoria B.C.,” said Frye, who was born in California but played high school and college baseball in Oklahoma before being drafted by the Rangers in 1988 (30th round). (Haney, a native Texan, was a 38th round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 1987, the same draft the Mariners chose Ken Griffey Jr. first overall.)

“I’ve always had the desire to get back on the field teaching the game I love and it’s finally here. Let’s get to work!”

Frye, who celebrates his 60th birthday today, played college baseball at Carl Albert State College and Southeastern Oklahoma State, where he set program records with a .455 batting average in 1988 and a .420 career batting average. Despite being an undersized guy — a playing profile very much like Haney had in college and pro — Frye was all-conference twice, an all-American, conference player of the year, and was inducted into the Southeastern athletics hall of fame.

Frye also used two summers with the Fort Smith Red Sox in the Jayhawk League (1986-87) as valuable development, so he understands the value of baseball players playing baseball for a quality organization.

The HarbourCats franchise has a legacy of attracting former MLB players to be part of the coaching staff, including Greg Swindell, Mark Petkovsek, Brian McRae, and current local assistant coach Steve Sinclair, who played parts of two seasons with the Blue Jays and Mariners. The team also had Manny Ramirez as a guest coach in 2024 when his two sons, Manny Jr. and Lucas, played for the team.

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 http://harbourcats.com/tickets (click the Memberships tab), or by calling the office at 778-265-0327.

Existing members who have accounts in good standing on SHOWPASS can simply log into their account to renew, or can also call the office or pop in to pay for their 2027 seats.

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 be to available by December 1, 2026.

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Victoria HarbourCats – 2026 HarbourCats Reliever Lands Pro Contract

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For Immediate Release

August 27, 2026

VICTORIA, B.C. — Hard-throwing right-hander Nathan Mueller has used a summer with the Victoria HarbourCats to land an MLB contract.

The six-foot-five, 215-pound Fort Worth product, who was at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, has inked a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, after spending the summer in the West Coast League in Victoria.

Mueller, 22, joined the team for the second half and made five appearances, including a start. He had 14 strikeouts and just three walks in 9.2 innings, including six strikeouts in three innings of work on July 29 against Port Angeles. He topped 97mph as a HarbourCat.

“From day one, Nate arrived in Victoria to take full advantage of his summer baseball opportunity, and signing with the Brewers is a testament to his work ethic, professional mindset and competitive drive,” said Todd Haney, Head Coach of the Victoria HarbourCats.

The HarbourCats have had eight former players advance to play at the MLB level, including current stars Nathan Lukes (Blue Jays), Nick Pivetta (Padres), Cade Smith (Guardians), Andrew Vaughn (Brewers) and Chase Meidroth (White Sox), who all play prominent roles on their teams.

This past summer, six other former HarbourCats were drafted or signed after the MLB selection process in July – Cody Howard, Carson Cormier, Owen Clyne, Ryne Palmer, Cade Rusch, and Will Zielinski.

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

Existing members who have accounts in good standing on SHOWPASS can simply log into their account to renew, or can also call the office or pop in to pay for their 2027 seats.

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 2027, with single-game tickets expected be to available by December 1, 2027.

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats Season Memberships now available for 2027

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Renew or book new memberships by September 30, 2026 for your chance to win a return flight on HarbourAir to Vancouver.

August 25, 2026

Victoria, BC – Season Ticket Memberships and 12-Flex and 24-Flex Ticket packages are now available for purchase and renewal for the 2027 Victoria HarbourCats season.

All renewals and new memberships, as well as any purchasers of 24-Flex ticket packages that occur by September 30, 2026, will be entered into a draw to receive a return trip ticket to Vancouver courtesy of HarbourAir. Two such prizes will be awarded.

In addition, all renewals, new memberships and 24-Flex purchasers, will have first right to purchase 2027 West Coast League All-Star game and Home Run Derby Tickets once they are available later this fall.

New members may order their memberships on-line if desired at https://www.showpass.com/m/victoria-harbourcats-season-tickets/ or by calling the office at 778-265-0327.

Existing members who have accounts in good standing on SHOWPASS can simply log into their account to renew, or can also call the office or pop in to pay for their 2027 seats.

Season tickets offer the utmost in savings over single-game pricing and have the benefit of including all non-league and exhibition games (except All-Star events) as well as free playoff tickets should we qualify in 2027.

FULL-SEASON MEMBER PERKS

* Same seat every game!
* Free playoff tickets!
* Non-League games and special event games (except 2027 All-Star Game Events) included at no extra cost!
* First right of refusal for purchase of tickets to other special events when scheduled
* SHOWPASS Online Account Management
* No Ticket Wasted Program and On-Line Exchange
* Cat Shop Merchandise Discount (15%)
* No extra charges for Premium game pricing (Home Opener and Fireworks nights)

2027 MEMBERSHIP LEVELS
General Admission – $425 + GST – First-come, first-served rush seating in the silver bleachers behind Sections 6, 8,9 and 11 and in the soccer grandstand down the first baseline.

Premium Reserved – $525 + GST – Assigned seating along the first base line (Sections 6-9) and third baseline (Sections 11-12). Close to the action! Only 8 rows in each section.

ReMax Grandstand Reserved – $600 + GST – Assigned seating in Rows E-M in the covered grandstand directly behind home plate. Padded seats (bottom), and access to the mobile Fan Food in-seat food and beverage ordering system with in-seat delivery.

Peterbilt Pacific Club Seats – $725 + GST – Assigned seating in Rows A-D in the covered grandstand directly behind home plate. Close to the action! Padded seats (backs and bottom), and access to the mobile Fan Food in-seat food and beverage ordering system with in-seat delivery.

NEW FOR 2027! Nordic Fencing Dugout – $725 + GST – VIP on-field seating, right next to the HarbourCats dugout down the first base line. Comfy custom sling back style chairs. Access to the mobile Fan Food in-seat food and beverage ordering system with in-seat delivery.

Elements Casino Diamond Club – $850 + GST – (SOLD OUT, WAIT LIST) – VIP on-field seating, closer to home plate than the pitcher! Comfy custom sling back style chairs. Access to the mobile Fan Food in-seat food and beverage ordering system with in-seat delivery.

MILITARY 2 for 1 DISCOUNT
If you are an active or retired military member, we offer a 2 for 1 discount on season tickets. This is NOT available to book on-line, so if interested in this, please call our office at 778-265-0327, or stop in at the office at 1814 Vancouver Street and we will set this up for you.

2027 FLEX PACKS

12 and 24-game Flex Packs are also now available on-line or at the office and offer the utmost in flexibility for those who can’t make every game. Redeemable for any regular season games including opening night and fireworks night (not eligible for All-Star events or playoffs). Flex packs essentially serve as ticket credits that you apply to a purchase and come in both digital format (a single discount code that you use for every redemption), or hardcopy paper vouchers (each with a distinct discount code printed on them).

Digital vouchers are perfect if you will be using the vouchers just for yourself and redeeming all the tickets under your account. These can be purchased on-line at the appropriate links at HarbourCats.com/tickets

Hardcopy vouchers are better suited if you plan on distributing vouchers to family, friends, clients, etc. and then having them redeem using the voucher codes. Hardcopy vouchers are NOT available online but can be arranged by calling the office at 778-265-0327 or dropping in to set up.

2027 FLEX PACK PRICING
General Admission: 12-Game $225 + GST | 24-Game $399 + GST
Premium Reserved: 12-Game $280 + GST | 24-Game $499 + GST
ReMax Grandstand Reserved: 12-Game $340 + GST | 24-Game $575 + GST

Flex Packs are not available in Peterbilt Club, Nordic Fencing Dugout, or Elements Casino Diamond Club seating.

If you have questions or need more information, please contact the office at 778-265-0327 or e-mail Christian at chris@harbourcats.com.

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