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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats start 2022 signings with local talent

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Nine from Victoria, including Golden Tide standouts, lined up for WCL season

January 6, 2022

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA, B.C. –– There’s a lot of baseball talent in the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

The Victoria HarbourCats are pleased to announce the first nine signings — yep, a full lineup, from Victoria — for the 2022 West Coast League season, and all have strong Victoria roots.

The players range from NCAA Division-1 players to those who showed their skills and work ethic with the Victoria Golden Tide, the new Canadian College Baseball Conference (CCBC) team that plays out of Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.

Tide pitcher Haldon Craig will join the HarbourCats in 2022 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

“Developing local talent from the ground up has been my goal since I came on board with the HarbourCats in 2018,” said Curtis Pelletier, the team GM who was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for four years with the HarbourCats and is also the Head Coach of the Golden Tide. “The kids in the stands all hope to wear the HC one day and we’re making that a reality now. We have put together a phenomenal group of coaches to train the Golden Tide and Players Club athletes with the goal of signing them to the HarbourCats. Get used to seeing local players on the field here in the summer as there is some serious talent coming through our programs.”

Golden Tide’s Daniel Sawchyn, will bring speed to the HarbourCats outfield and base paths in 2022 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The nine players are:

• RHP Noah Takacs, Sacramento State, 6-3/200
• OF Josh Walker, Sacramento State, 6-1/175
• LHP/1B Eric Luchies, Lower Columbia College, 6-3/200
• RHP Owen Luchies, Lower Columbia College, 6-2/195
• RHP Dawson Hurford, Western Nebraska College, 6-3/195
• RHP Haldon Craig, Victoria Golden Tide, 6-3/215
• LHP Jacob Popadynec, Victoria Golden Tide, 5-11/175
• IF Jordan Bond, Victoria Golden Tide, 6-0/185
• OF Daniel Sawchyn, Victoria Golden Tide, 6-0/170

Takacs, a product of the Victoria Eagles of the BC Premier Baseball League (PBL), had a 4.82 ERA and made four starts for the Hornets in 2021. Sacramento State teammate Walker, a lefty hitter who came through the Victoria Mariners PBL program, has appeared in 13 games over two spring seasons.

The Luchies brothers, Eric and Owen, are both from the Eagles PBL program and are making the big jump, one year apart, to the Lower Columbia program, a junior college in the NWAC. Both bring a power game and tremendous potential. Hurford, from Victoria but a product of the PBL’s Langley Blaze, has made 18 appearances, including 11 starts for the WNC Cougars.

Pitcher Owen Luchies throwing for the Golden Tide in exhibition play last fall (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Bond, Sawchyn, Craig and Popadynec are all local products (Bond and Popadynec from the Eagles, Craig from the AAA Capitals, and Sawchyn from the Mariners) who got their first college action this last fall with the Golden Tide, and will provide valuable depth — Bond and Sawchyn for their bat and defence, Popadynec and Craig off the mound.

Jordan Bond had a strong fall season with the Golden Tide (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Takacs is thrilled to have the chance to play summer collegiate baseball in his hometown. “It means the world to me… I wanted to play HarbourCats baseball all my life and finally, through all the pandemic problems, myself and a few others will get that opportunity. Victoria is a small baseball town but at the heart of it has some of the most dedicated individuals you’ll ever meet. Whenever I come home to train I know that I will have the right dudes around me to push me to get better every day. Without the people I met in Victoria I wouldn’t be the player or person I am today.”

The HarbourCats will begin their 2022 West Coast League campaign with their Home Opener on Tuesday May 31, 2022 at 6:35 pm against the Port Angeles Lefties, the first of 34 home games that will be played at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.

Golden Tide pitcher Jacob Popadynec will be a nice left-handed option for the HarbourCats in 2022 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Season Tickets, 2022 single-game tickets, 10-game flex packs, gift cards and HarbourCats merchandise are now on sale at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or by calling 778-265-0327. Single-game tickets may also be purchased directly on-line at www.harbourcats.com/tickets.

Fans holding unused tickets or flex-pack vouchers from the cancelled 2020 and 2021 seasons may also now exchange these for tickets for any 2022 regular season game. This can be done at the HarbourCats office.

For more details and to keep up with the latest news on the 2022 season, please visit the HarbourCats website at www.harbourcats.com.

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Summer Collegiate

Arrived as a Golden Bear, leaves as a Fighting Camel: How Elijah Clayton navigated the transfer portal amid a busy season

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In April of 2024, the NCAA changed a long-standing rule regarding transfer portal eligibility. Previously, athletes had to sit out a season if they transferred, resulting in very few transfers and players often staying in one spot for longer. The new rules allow instant eligibility for athletes, meaning players no longer have to sit out a season after transferring to a new school.

It’s all part of a new era in the NCAA, along with NIL deals that allow athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness. In college athletics today, it’s very common for underclassmen to transfer out of their program to find a spot where they can get more playing time sooner.

For NorthPaws utility man Elijah Clayton, he found himself coming to Kamloops with the portal being a possibility. Clayton just finished his freshman season at CAL, which saw him make just three starts with two hits in 12 at-bats. The purpose of Clayton coming to Kamloops was to gain additional playing time and develop ahead of the fall.

Collegiate summer baseball is the ideal setting for underclassmen development, with leagues across North America offering a condensed, pro-style schedule that allows players to log additional playing time. For Clayton, the goal shifted when decisions were made at CAL, and it became in his best interest to find a new home and enter the portal.

“I definitely thought it could be a possibility, but I wasn’t 100% set on anything,” said Clayton.

When the goal shifted from developing to showcasing skills for schools in the portal, being an everyday player for the NorthPaws helped his case. Clayton has made 25 starts for the team this season and has played at five different positions in the field. Clayton has been a mainstay at the top of the batting order, hitting .287. Clayton is also the West Coast League stolen base leader and is in a tie for first with three triples this season.

“It’s definitely nice to be in the lineup almost every day because I’m able to show coaches that I can play anywhere in the infield as well as the outfield and showcase my skills night after night,” said Clayton.

The West Coast league schedule certainly isn’t an easy one, and being an everyday player can be tough. When you add the element of now needing to find a new school to play at, it can get overwhelming, but Clayton credits the NorthPaws staff with helping him through the process.

“It was hectic at times trying to find a place to play for next year while also trying to focus on coming out every day and performing, but I had some good teammates and coaches helping me out with everything,” said Clayton.

Ultimately, Clayton chose to transfer to Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. The Fighting Cammels play in the Coastal Athletic Association. Clayton couldn’t be happier and is eager to get started.

“I just felt like I’m a perfect fit for them, I’m going to work hard and get developed, and that’s a place I think can make me better,” said Clayton.

Heading into the second half of the season, Clayton’s goal has changed once again: he will prepare to impress the coaches during the fall and try to earn an everyday spot on the roster.

Clayton and so many others have similar stories, and it’s yet another example of how beneficial Collegiate League Baseball can be for young players in the new era of NCAA sports.

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New Country, same mentality: How four UT Tyler teammates are trying to bring a winning culture back to the NorthPaws

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When the NorthPaws made Riley Jepson their new head coach at the end of last summer, he got full autonomy in constructing this season’s roster. Jepson played at the University of Texas at Tyler from 2020 to 2021 and still has excellent connections with their coaching staff since becoming a coach.

When building the roster, one of his first calls was to UT Tyler. He was able to sign infielders Drew Schmidt and Tanner Hornback, outfielder Connor Clark, and right-handed pitcher Julio Garcia. Schmidt, Clark, and Garcia were all teammates last summer with the Victoria Generals in the Texas Collegiate League.

With the Generals, they won the TCL and continued their success this past spring as UT Tyler took a huge step, going 49-13 and advancing to the NCAA Division II World Series for the first time in program history. It’s been a very successful year of baseball for those players, and they bring a unique perspective to the team, having played in very meaningful games both in the TCL and at UT Tyler.

“Last summer, we had this expectation to win in Victoria, and we did so. For us, going into the fall, we learned how to win games,” said Clark.

Collegiate Summer baseball and the NCAA have some significant differences, but Schmidt notes that winning in both settings shares some commonalities.

“I think it’s all about camaraderie, especially in the summer, you need to be a close-knit group to win games, and we certainly did that last summer as well as in the spring,” said Schmidt.

Clark and Schmidt each played 20+ games with the Generals last summer, and Garcia logged 12.2 Innings. Clark played 43 games in the spring, and Garcia made 17 appearances out of the bullpen. Schmidt, however, took the most significant strides playing 62 games and hitting a staggering .410 in the spring.

The three of them are once again on the same squad, but joining them this time around is fellow middle infielder Tanner Hornback, who, like Schmidt, played 62 games and hit .410. Coming to a new country can be difficult, but the transition has been easier.

“Tanner and I played up the middle all year at Tyler, so that’s just tremendous to have a guy you’re so close with be on the same team as you in the summer,” said Schmidt.

For all of them, the West Coast league and the country of Canada are all new, but the familiarity with each other makes it easier.

“Having buddies from home and familiar faces with me in a different country is always cool, it’s good to have them around,” said Garcia.

Injecting winners into your lineup can always be a boost to teams, especially for the NorthPaws, who have already won more games than in 2024 and are looking at making their second-ever playoff appearance.

“I feel like we walk around with the mentality of we’re not going to let people come here and push us around, we’re here to win,” said Schmidt.

The UT Tyler teammates have been instrumental in the team’s success, with Clark and Schmidt combining for 15 RBIs, Garcia cementing himself as the team’s closer, and Hornback hitting .340. Every night, one of these players has an impact on the game, and it’s all part of an effort to get the NorthPaws back to the postseason.

The team is already turning heads this season, and the “Tyler Boys,” as they’re known, are looking to continue leading the charge and building a winning culture with Jepson and the rest of the NorthPaws.

 

 

 

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The NightOwls Break The Losing Streak With a 3-1 Win Over The RiverHawks

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EDMONTON, A.B. — The NightOwls break the losing streak with a 3-1 win over the Edmonton RiverHawks. A big second inning and some amazing pitching were all Nanaimo needed to break their losing streak. Nanaimo looks to take the series in game three on Sunday.

The NightOwls only needed five hits to score their three runs, thanks to a double from Jacob Hayes, Brock Wirthgen, and Owen Wessel. They moved the runners around at a pivotal point in the game in the second inning, and the team turned things over to their pitching staff. Edmonton had one run on eight hits with an error in the loss.

https://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=622689

Starting pitcher for the NightOwls tonight was Zach Horwith, and he had a great night on the mound. He went three innings, giving up just one hit while walking and striking out two batters.

NightOwls vs RiverHawks (Photo Credit: James Maclennan)

Dawson Schultz was the pitcher of record on the night, going two innings, giving up no runs and no hits while striking out two RiverHawks. Jaedeyn Edwards went two innings, allowing one run on two hits.

https://wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv/

I mentioned the NightOwls only had five hits on the night, and two of them were thanks to Catcher Brock Wirthgen. The newly Hawai’i Pacific University commit, went two for four with a double, a single, and a run.

Jacob Hayes continues to wield a hot bat and had a double and walk for the NightOwls. Owen Wessel went one for three but had the big double in the second inning for two RBI, he also scored a run. Spencer Sullivan had the only other hit for the NightOwls.

http://Nanaimonightowls.com/tickets

It’s an early start on Sunday morning as the NightOwls and Riverhawks get back at it at 11:30 am PST. Make sure to stream the game with the link above.

The NightOwls will have a well deserved day off after 10 straight days of games. Them Nanaimo returns home with a three game series against the Kelowna Falcons in a mid week matchup. That starts Tuesday July 8th at 6:35pm and continues Wednesday and Thursday at the same time. Make sure to follow us on social media for the latest NightOwls news and use the hashtag #IlluminateTheDark!

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