Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats gear up for playoffs with 11-8 win
Fresno State teammates Sky Collins and Cam Schneider led the way for the HarbourCats playing 45 and 44 games respectively, the two highest totals on the team (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
August 7, 2024
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats sent their fans home happy on Passion Sport’s Fan Appreciation Night, beating the Corvallis Knights 11-8 to wrap up the regular season.
The game could not have started any worse for the home team as they found themselves behind 6-0 after the top of the first inning.
Brooks Brewster (Panola College) started the game for the HarbourCats but only lasted four batters. He could not find the zone walking three Knights and hitting another. Willem Heilker (Everett CC) came into the bases-loaded jam and didn’t fare much better, giving up three RBI singles and walking a pair.
Michael Crossland (UC San Diego), the HarbourCats 2024 MVP, led off the bottom half with a solo home run, his fourth of the season. Later in the inning Ryan Deagle (Golden Tide) drove home his first of two runs in the game to make it 6-2.
Todd Haney’s team finishes with a 29-25 overall record in the 2024 regular season (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
The Cats’ offence kept things rolling in the bottom of the second inning. After Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii) drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, Tyrus Hall (Bossier Parish) and Sky Collins (Fresno State) hit back-to-back RBI doubles to tie the game 6-6.
After the frantic first, Heilker settled in throwing a scoreless second and third inning. Jalen Sami (Golden Tide) had his best outing of the season pitching three scoreless innings while striking out a season-high three batters.
Kerim Orucevic (UC San Diego) broke the tie in the fifth inning with a clutch two-out double off the wall in right field, his second double of the season.
The HarbourCats scored three more in the sixth inning to increase their lead to 10-6 including Hall’s second RBI double of the game for his third RBI.
Collins, who had a three-hit night, made it 11-6 in the seventh with an RBI infield single. The outfielder wraps up his regular season with a .304 batting average in a team-leading 45 games played.
The Victoria HarbourCats 2024 award winners (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
The Knights scored twice in the eighth cutting the Cats lead to 11-8. Taylor Franklin (George Fox) made his third appearance for the HarbourCats and pitched the final two innings giving up two runs on two hits while striking out one.
In addition to Crossland’s MVP award, before the game started Carson Cormier was named HarbourCats Pitcher-of-the-Year and Jai Berezowski was the recipient of the Community Service Award. Congratulations to all three players and thank you for your contributions to the HarbourCats on and off the field!
The HarbourCats playoff run starts on Saturday as they host game one of the Divisional Series against the Wenatchee AppleSox at Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo.
Thanks to Wilson’s Transportation and the City of Victoria, there will be two buses available to HarbourCats fans who wish to attend the game. To purchase and reserve your bus tickets you can call the HarbourCats office at 778-265-0327 or come to the office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.
The HarbourCats hope to see as many fans as possible in Nanaimo to replicate that special Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park atmosphere on the road, and to support Todd Haney’s team on their quest for a Championship!
Respected island businessman John Wilson has been named President of the company that oversees the successful collegiate baseball teams based in Victoria and Nanaimo.
Wilson, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and whose family owns and operates the Wilson’s Group of Companies, has been part of the core ownership group of the Victoria HarbourCats since 2015, and the Nanaimo NightOwls since inception in 2020 (started play in 2022). The NightOwls, a rival to the HarbourCats on the field, play at historic Serauxmen Stadium.
Wilson takes the position from Ken Swanson, who remains on the board after a solid 10-year run as team president. The group also operates the Victoria Collegiate (CCBC) baseball program and the busy indoor facility on Cook St., the Edwards Family Training Centre.
“Ken has led the corporate structure well, and he’s deserving of a break,” said Wilson. “We have a strong and committed group of owners and staff and a refresh is good for us all, keeping these teams playing great baseball and positively impacting these amazing communities in a stable, creative manner. Ken literally leaves big shoes to fill.”
The HarbourCats, which started play in 2013, will host the WCL All-Star Game in 2026 and 2027, showcasing the island’s immense love of baseball and the team that helped produce eight current MLB players including Nathan Lukes (Blue Jays), Nick Pivetta (Padres), Cade Smith (Guardians), Andrew Vaughn (Brewers) and Chase Meidroth (White Sox). The 2026 all-star festival will take place July 14-15 using Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park and sites around the South Island, with exciting details to come.
Wilson and Swanson lead a nine-member ownership group that includes Rich Harder, Helen Edwards, Mike Macdonell, Sean Finn, Vic Vendetti, John Schnaderbeck and Jim Swanson.
“No one knows the community like John, so we are all looking forward to what will be a flawless transition that will bring some new life to the organization,” said Ken Swanson.
The management structure remains the same — former GM Jim Swanson in the Managing Partner role, overseeing day-to-day operations, assisted by Adrian Somers (Business Operations and Marketing). In Victoria, Christian Stewart (General Manager) and John Pollard (Marketing Director) remain in place, while Tina Cornett continues her strong leadership in Nanaimo as General Manager, with Kent Malpass overseeing the concession.
The teams maintain wholly separate coaching staffs and recruiting processes — veteran Todd Haney, a five-year MLB player, as the sixth-year Head Coach in Victoria, and local product Cody Andreychuk, a collegiate program head coach at University of Pikeville, enters his second season in Nanaimo, assisted by pitching coach Gorman Heimueller, who has three World Series rings from his 50 years in the game.
Tickets are selling fast…get yours today. www.NanaimoNightOwls.com/ticketinfo
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer
For immediate release
January 20, 2026
VICTORIA, BC — A former HarbourCats outfielder, a member of the record-breaking WCL team in 2016, knew he wanted to send players he now coaches to a great summer baseball factory.
Jarron Silva, then an outfielder from UCLA, really enjoyed his time in Victoria, on a team that won a record 40 games, including 19 in a row at one point.
Now as an assistant coach at San Jose State, he connected with veteran HarbourCats coach Todd Haney to secure development spots for two pitchers and two position players.
“Jarron was a spark plug for that 2016 team, and he remembers the fan support and atmosphere at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP — Victoria is a baseball city,” said Managing Partner Jim Swanson. “We are excited to see the pitchers signed, and to see the power in Rohne Klein and Ethan Nunez — they have the potential to represent Victoria when we host the WCL All-Star Game on July 15.”
Four Spartans and a versatile fielder from George Mason, Matthew Westley, have been signed by Coach Haney:
- RHP Landon Marchetti, San Jose State, 5-11/190, Brentwood, CA
- RHP Spencer Kratt, San Jose State, 6-0/210, Woodland Hills, CA
- IF Rohne Klein, San Jose State, 6-4/230, L/R, Renton, WA
- OF Ethan Nunez, San Jose State, 6-4/190, R/R, Chino Hills, CA
- IF/OF Matthew Westley, George Mason, 6-1/210, R/R, Manassas, VA
Marchetti, previously at UC San Diego, has nearly 30 games of college experience, including five starts, and used a lower lefty arm slot to register high strikeout numbers in high school. Kratt is a power righty who runs it up to 92, a transfer from LA Valley College.
Landon Marchetti delivers a pitch while playing for the UC San Diego in 2025.
Klein, a transfer to SJSU from Utah, is a developing power bat who also is noted for a strong arm — can play third, outfield or first. He’s an athlete, playing both quarterback and linebacker on his high school team.
Nunez is a transfer from Colorado Mesa, where he was the RMAC freshman of the year — and he will miss the spring as a redshirt to get an injury fully rehabbed, but will be good to go for summer. At Colorado Mesa, he hit .356 with 14 bombs.
The lone non-SJSU addition announced by Coach Haney is utility guy Westley, formerly of Virginia Tech and now at George Mason. He has two summers of experience in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.
The Victoria HarbourCats will begin their 2026 West Coast League season in late May of 2026, with the home opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Plenty of excitement is on board for 2026 including:
- Three fireworks nights (June 6, 30 and August 3)
- Two 11:00 AM School Spirit Games (June 4 and 18)
- Five Family Fun Sunday Matinees (June 7, 14, 28 July 19 and 26)
- $12 Tuesdays and Thursdays (June 16, July 2, 7, 9, 28 and 30)
Season ticket memberships, single-game tickets, 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) and 2026 WCL All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.
All ticket types and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-5pm.
John Wilson Named As New Team President
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
Victoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer
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Summer Collegiate1 week agoVictoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer
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Summer Collegiate3 days ago
John Wilson Named As New Team President
-
Summer Collegiate3 days ago
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
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