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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats add seven to 2023 roster, including five pitchers and three locals

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A 2022 WCL Pitcher of the Week winner, returning HarbourCat Cooper Crompton (above) highlights the latest round of 2023 player announcements

February 28, 2023

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA, B.C. — Top arms from TCU, a pro prospect catcher from George Mason and three local players highlight the latest round of signings for the 2023 season of Victoria HarbourCats baseball.

“We always value securing local and Canadian players where they fit with their stage of development and the quality competition in the West Coast League,” said General Manager Christian Stewart. “Our fans also like seeing players return, and that’s the case in these latest signings with Cooper Crompton, Noah Takacs and Dawson Hurford. I know the coaching staff is excited to see Connor Dykstra and Tyrus Hall, and the TCU guys coming north for the summer are premium arms.”

Announced today are:

  • Tyrus Hall, IF, school undecided, 6-2/190, Victoria, B.C.
  • Connor Dykstra, C, George Mason University, 6-1/230, Chilliwack, B.C.
  • Cooper Crompton, RHP, Iowa Western (committed to Oregon), 6-5/180, Langley, B.C.
  • Kole Klecker, RHP, Texas Christian University (TCU), 6-2/205, Chandler, AZ
  • Louis Rodriguez, RHP, Texas Christian University (TCU), 6-1/205, Long Beach, CA
  • Noah Takacs, RHP, Sacramento State, 6-3/200, Victoria, B.C.
  • Dawson Hurford, RHP, Southern Arkansas, 6-3/210, Victoria, B.C.

Hall is a Canadian national junior team product who played for the Victoria Eagles, and is known for his defence and strong arm. He is taking a gap year after high school and going to showcase events while working through his recruitment process, and will decide on a college program soon. Has primarily played as a shortstop.

Former Victoria Eagle and Canadian JNP product Ty Hall will give the ‘Cats some great talent in the middle infield

Dykstra, a big man at 6-1/230, found his name on the list of the top 50 NCAA Division 1 catchers due to his strong work behind the plate and his lethal right-hand bat. In 2022, he hit .444 with six home runs and 33 RBIs while also swiping four bases in the Atlantic10 Conference. Dykstra also got hit by pitch 21 times in 51 games played. He jumped to George Mason from Galveston College.

Dykstra will be a solid presence behind the plate this season

Crompton, currently in his second year at Iowa Western, where he is already 2-0 on the season, made five starts for the HarbourCats in 2022, amassing 24.2 innings and giving up just 20 hits while walking only seven and earned a WCL Pitcher of the Week award for his efforts.  He is committed to the Oregon Ducks in the fall.

Victorian Noah Takacs will return in 2023 to bolster the HarbourCats pitching staff (Photo: Christian J Stewart)

Rodriguez was a USA Baseball national team participant from the time he was 12, and was Orange County pitcher of the year as a senior in high school. He’s 1-0 with a 3.37 ERA as a TCU freshman. Kole Klecker — already makes the WCL’s all-name team — threw a complete game to help his high school win the Arizona state championship. Is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 11 strikeouts (and no walks) in 8.1 innings already as a freshman at TCU.

Louis Rodriguez has been a member of Team USA since the age of 12 and won in his debut this spring with TCU.

Takacs, a product of the Victoria Eagles, is a sophomore at Sacramento State, was 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA for the HarbourCats in six starts in 2022. He’s now thrown more than 80 innings for Sac State, and is 3-3 over 16 starts.

Hurford, a Victoria Mariners product, threw in six games as a HarbourCat in 2022, with a record of 0-1 and 6.46 ERA. He’s moved from Western Nebraska College to NCAA Division-2 University of Southern Arkansas, where he is used out of the bullpen.

Already 2-0 in his freshman year at TCU, Kole Klecker should be a key arm in the HarbourCats bullpen in 2023.

The HarbourCats celebrate their 10th Anniversary in 2023 and the season kicks off with the home opener against the Kamloops NorthPaws on Friday June 2, 2023.  Single game tickets for that game and all 31 HarbourCats home games in 2023 are now on sale and can be purchased on-line through our one-and-only ticketing partner, Select Your Tickets, at harbourcats.com/tickets.  They can also be purchased at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or at the Select Your Tickets box office at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.  Fans can also call 778-265-0327 to order over the phone.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also now on sale.  For details on all ticketing options, including our special $10.00 Tuesdays, Forces Fridays and Save-on-Food Vouchers, please visit harbourcats.com/ticketinfo.

HOST FAMILIES!  The HarbourCats are in need of host families for 2023!  If you are interested, you can find more details HERE, or contact Cindy Kent, our Host Family Coordinator by e-mail at hostfamily@harbourcats.com.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Lefties Take Game Two in Extra Innings

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Port Angeles, WA – The Port Angeles Lefties eked out a win in an extra innings nail-biter, walking it off for an 8-7 victory,

It didn’t take long for the HarbourCats to follow up on last night’s win. Jacob Silva (UTSA) stepped into the box and crushed an RBI double to take an early lead in the top of the first.

BOX SCORE

The Lefties responded in a big way in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of hard contact and a HarbourCats error to set the stage for a three-run homer. This ended a short start for Bryson Toner (Hawaii), giving way to Daniel Tovar (Northern Kentucky) to finish the second inning down 5-1.

Lightning struck twice in the fourth inning for the HarbourCats. Brady Hewitt (Fresno State) crushed his team-leading third homer of the year, followed up by Renton, Washington’s Rohne Klein (San Jose State) sending one well over the fence as well. With two home runs in just one inning, the Cats were suddenly right back in this game.

Brady Hewitt let one fly tonight for his third homer of the season. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Momentum continued for the Cats in their next trip to the plate. David Krahn (UBC) found a gap and hustled his way to a leadoff double before returning home on a Matt Westley (George Mason) base hit later in the inning. Kade Davis (UTSA) would eventually be the man to take back the lead for Victoria, as he came through with a 2-RBI double down the right field line to push the score to 6-5 in favour of the HarbourCats.

The home team was determined not to let this outburst slide, solving Daniel Tovar for the first time and tying the game at six. Tovar exited the game after a strong outing on the bump, going 3.1 innings with two hits, one run, and three strikeouts.

Jack Clark (CSU San Marcos) was rock-solid in a four-inning relief appearance in which he gave up only one hit. The score remained deadlocked all the way until extra innings, when Rohne Klein earned a sacrifice fly to take a narrow 7-6 lead in the top of the tenth frame. The Lefties struck back once again in the bottom of the inning, laying a bunt down to move the runners over and walking it off to force a rubber match on Sunday.

WCL STANDINGS

The third and final match of the series takes place on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 pm, after which the Cats will return to Victoria to face the Nanaimo NightOwls at 6:30 pm on Tuesday night.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

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Victoria HarbourCats – 5-1 Win Secured in Port Angeles

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Victoria threw strikes and claimed a decisive win to begin the series.

Port Angeles, WA – The HarbourCats opened up the road series in Port Angeles on Friday night, taking a 5-1 win on the back of some excellent pitching performances.

BOX SCORE

The first outburst of the ballgame belonged to the HarbourCats this evening, doing some serious damage in the third inning. The first of three runs came on an infield single by Tristan Buehring (Whitman) to drive in Dryden Fuoco (Hill College), followed by a 2-RBI double hammered by Logan Shepherd (Mercer).

Right-hander Erik Rico (Fresno State) was back on the bump to start the game for the Cats in his fourth appearance of a sensational season thus far. It was business as usual in this outing for the Fresno State flamethrower, piling up a tidy eight strikeouts over the course of four innings and still refusing to give up a run all season.

Victoria added to their lead in the top of the fifth. Designated hitter Logan Shepherd earned a walk, stole a bag, and blazed his way around third to score on a two-bagger down the line from third baseman Matt Westley (George Mason).

Another arm was required for the Cats in the wake of Rico, and from the bullpen emerged Easton Reimers (North Dakota State). The Missoula, Montana native gave up a two-out solo blast in his first inning of work, but Victoria answered with another run the very next frame. Rohne Klein (San Jose State) showed off some heads-up baserunning and ended up coming around to score on a groundout in the top of the sixth to push the score to 5-1.

Reimers buckled down for the bottom of inning number six, setting down the side in order with a pair of strikeouts and finding his groove to pitch through two innings without giving up another run. Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State) filled in for the eighth before giving way to Hudson Lance (Coastal Carolina), who closed out the win for Victoria in the series opener.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats will play two more contests against the Lefties this weekend and then return home to take on the Nanaimo NightOwls at 6:30 pm on Tuesday evening.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

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Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Win Series with 14-7 Victory

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The Cats played hard with the lead all afternoon to come away with a 14-7 win. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria, B.C. – The Redmond Dudes took on the HarbourCats for the rubber match of the series, eventually being ousted from town in a 14-7 Cats win.

Collegiate Cats pitcher Nate Major was simply lights-out through his three-inning start today. The right-hander only allowed two hits, striking out two and keeping the Dudes off the board.

BOX SCORE

The HarbourCats the first move offensively in the bottom of the third inning, as designated hitter Logan Shepherd (Mercer) singled to right field to drive in Hayden Woodson (USC) and take a 1-0 lead.

Major was relieved in the top of the fourth by Travis Hartfield, another Collegiate Cats pitcher, who made quick work of Redmond’s lineup for three more clean innings! Hartfield’s afternoon came to an end following the sixth inning, allowing no runs on just one hit.

Kade Davis went 1/2 with two runs scored in the Thursday matinee. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria made a splash in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Redmond walked in a run before allowing two more to cross the plate on a wild pitch and a throwing error, breaking the game open and extending the Cats’ lead to 4-0. Carter Eberhard (Cal Baptist) came to the plate ready to swing in the next inning, driving in run number five on a single right back up the middle.

The HarbourCats went to the bullpen in the seventh for another Collegiate Cats arm, this time retrieving Peter Cunningham. The righty walked the bases loaded, surrendering four runs on a sacrifice fly, a single, and a double to tighten the score to 5-4 in favour of Victoria.

Hayden Woodson found his way home on an error in the next inning to bolster the Cats’ fragile lead, but the Dudes swung right back. Three more runs scored in the top of the eighth, giving Redmond the upper hand in a 7-6 ballgame. The away team then threw the lead away, loading the bases with no outs and allowing two runs on a pair of wild pitches. The Cats’ bats took advantage of the opportunity, widening the lead to 10-7 courtesy of a Hayden Woodson base hit.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats kept adding on and Redmond just couldn’t keep up, eventually resulting in a 14-7 victory for Victoria.

The HarbourCats will now hit the road for a weekend series in Port Angeles against the Lefties!

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

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