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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats, NightOwls partner with PitchCom

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Island WCL teams and Golden Tide of CCBC to be first Canadian teams outside the Blue Jays to employ system used in MLB

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April 3, 2024

NANAIMO and VICTORIA, BC — The ownership group that oversees the two West Coast League teams on Vancouver Island — along with the Victoria Golden Tide of the CCBC — has added another key development tool to the programs of the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls.

The teams will become the first Canadian baseball teams aside from the MLB Toronto Blue Jays to employ the PitchCom system, a one-way device which allows the catcher to communicate signals to the pitcher without any concern of having those signals picked up by the other team.

PitchCom is the standard in this new technology area, used exclusively at the MLB level.

This move aligns with other leading technology that the HarbourCats, NightOwls and Golden Tide have employed ahead of other peer programs — including digital-broadcast quality streaming game coverage, and AI and other aspects for platforms led by Online Director Chris Beveridge. The Golden Tide will be the first to use PitchCom, as the CCBC regular season started last weekend.

“The mandate of our programs is to develop players in a winning environment, and we are developing more players for the pro level than any other Island sports teams,” said Jim Swanson, a former coach and scout who oversees the programs, noting that five MLB players have been produced from nine seasons of HarbourCats baseball in the WCL.

“Everything we do is geared to preparing our exceptional college players for entry into the professional level — our coaching and front office personnel are dedicated to providing the pathway to those pro opportunities. We are proud to partner with PitchCom to help our catchers and pitchers in particular get ready for the technology at the pro level.”

The system is a one-way communication that allows the catcher to call for the pitch type, location or situation, through a small button pad, and audio receivers allow the pitcher and an infielder to hear the selection. The system was developed in part to answer issues around sign-stealing issues at the MLB level.

The Golden Tide can use and test the system under Head Coach Ethan Fox, who is also part of the HarbourCats summer staff.

“PitchCom is a big step for the NightOwls, HarbourCats and Golden Tide,” said Swanson. “Players are going to be excited about this addition.”

***

Single game tickets are now available for the HarbourCats 2024 season including the home opener on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 6:35pm against the Kamloops NorthPaws. These can be purchased online at www.harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also now on sale via the HarbourCats office or by calling 778-265-0327.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you are a 2023 Season Ticket holder who has not yet renewed your seats for the 2024 season, please do so by April 15th, 2024 or your seats will be released and available to the public for sale. Please call Christian at 778-265-0327 ASAP to renew your seats.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Portland takes rubber match of opening series with HarbourCats

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The HarbourCats will return to Wilson’s Group Stadium in Victoria (above) on Tuesday for their Home Opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks.

By Christian J. Stewart

May 31, 2026

Portland, OR – The Victoria HarbourCats looked to have things under control, until they didn’t.

The Portland Pickles used a nine-run fourth inning to overcome a 3-0 deficit and then cruise to a 18-5 win over the HarbourCats in West Coast League action Sunday night at Walker Stadium in Portland.

The win gave the Pickles the series win, having won game one of the series on Friday.

FULL BOX SCORE

Victoria appeared to have the game under control, building an early 3-0 lead, thanks in part to a first inning RBI single from Jax Heid, a second inning home run from Marcus Nolan and three innings of shut-out pitching from starter Schuyler Fairchild.

However in the bottom of the fourth inning, Victoria sent reliever Tate Collins to the mound and four walks and a hit batter later, the Pickles cut the deficit to 3-2. Collins was replaced by Houston Tomlinson, but he could not stem the bleeding, and after three more singles, a double, and a HarbourCats error, the Pickles emerged from the inning with a 9-3 lead.

The HarbourCats would never fully recover after that and when the Pickles scored five more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and four more in the bottom of the eighth, their fate was sealed.

On the bright side, David Krahn had another strong day at the plate, going three for five with two runs scored, while Marcus Nolen finished three for three with a home run and pair of RBI.

WEST COAST LEAGUE STANDINGS 


The HarbourCats now return to the friendly confines of Wilson’s Group Stadium, where they will welcome the Edmonton Riverhawks for the Home Opener on Tuesday evening at 6:35pm. That is followed by our Help Fill a Dream Night on Wednesday at 6:35pm and the our first of two School Spirit Games on Thursday June 4th at 11:00 am.

Tickets for all games are available at our one and only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.

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NightOwls ready for home opener, drop finale in Ridgefield 

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RIDGEFIELD, WA — The Nanaimo NightOwls were licking some wounds as they rolled north on I-5 on Sunday evening, partially due to a 15-3 series-ending loss to the host Ridgefield Raptors.

Ridgefield took the series two games to one, as both clubs opened the West Coast League season. Nanaimo won the opener 7-6 then dropped the second game 4-3 despite having multiple base runners in the last two innings.

It wasn’t just the score on Sunday afternoon, the NightOwls used three catchers because starter Jack Bergstrom took a foul tip and left the game as a precaution, then second backstop Malachi Noet was hit flush in the face by a pitch while batting — an ambulance was called, but he was able to be on his own power and in good spirits by the end of the game. Third catcher Damian Cataldo, from Victoria of the CCBC, made his WCL debut in relief.

BOXSCORE LINK — https://wclstats.com/sports/bsb/2026/boxscores/20260531_z2w9.xml

Ridgefield got out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, an infield error causing a mess. 

Both teams made three errors and the Raptors out hit the NightOwls 14-3.

Ethan Reynolds had two of the Nanaimo hits, and Jacob Hayes had the other hit for the visitors.

STANDINGS AND STATS LINK — https://wclstats.com/sports/bsb/2026/standings

Adison Mattix started the game on the mound and was charged with five runs but only one was earned. Blake Hager, Kaleb Tenn, Josh Rego, Tyler Clementz and Cole Carmichael also pitched.

WCL PIXELLOT VIDEO LINK — West Coast League Live

The NightOwls now set their sights on all the excitement of the home opener, which is on Tuesday against the Kelowna Falcons at historic Serauxmen Stadium (6:35pm first pitch). The brand new video scoreboard will make its debut and bring a whole new level of game presentation to the West Coast League.

Tickets for the home opener are going fast — nanaimonightowls.com/tickets for the official Showpass ticketing site, do not be fooled by googling and ending up at a third-party offshore ticketing website.

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats deep fry Pickles

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May 30, 2026

Portland, OR – It was billed as “Wrestling Night” in Portland Saturday night and while the wrestlers in the ring on the third base concourse of Walker Stadium did their best to ensure chaos reigned there all night, the HarbourCats did the same on the field, pummelling the Pickles by a score of 15-6.

FULL BOX SCORE


Victoria atoned for their three-hit performance in the opener on Friday by body slamming the Pickles for 19 hits in total, 14 of which came in the first four innings, allowing them to build a 13-0 lead over that same time span.

The Pickles got up off the mat briefly in the bottom of the fourth, scoring all their six runs in that frame, but never threatened again after that, shut-out the rest of the way.

The HarbourCats offence was led by leadoff hitter David Krahn, who had four hits, including a double, four RBI and four runs scored. Right behind him was Dryden Fuoco with three hits, including a double and the first HarbourCats home run of the season. Max Bernal, Jax Heid, Lukas Le Gras, Matthew Westley, Rhone Klein and Kade Davis also contributed two hits each to the winning effort.

Victoria starter Erik Rico was flat out brilliant in his HarbourCats debut, going three shut-out innings, and allowing just two hits and one walk, while striking out six, including the first three Portland batters of the game. Relievers Bryson Toner, Hunter Daniels, Easton Reimers and Anson Stuckly were also solid, combing for 5.1 innings of scoreless relief with eight strikeouts.

WCL STANDINGS

The HarbourCats and Pickles will complete the rubber match of the series on Sunday night wth a 6:05 PM start. Victoria then travels home for their opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks on Tuesday, June 2 at 6:35. Tickets for that are selling fast and are available at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.

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