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Victoria HarbourCats | HarbourCats Super Fan gives the gift of baseball to local charities

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Three charities to enjoy a season’s worth of HarbourCats baseball in 2022 thanks to Helen Edwards

For Immediate Release

July 21, 2021

Victoria, BC – To say Helen Edwards is a big HarbourCats fan is an understatement.

In fact, Edwards, a season ticket holder since 2014, loves HarbourCats baseball so much, that she has purchased six season tickets for the 2022 season and then donated them to local charities, so that they can give the gift of baseball to their clients.

The local charities that will be the benefactors of two Premium Reserved season tickets each include The Cridge Centre for the Family, the 1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre Society and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Victoria.

Edwards, who is always recognizable at HarbourCats games in her Diamond Club seats, wearing her classic red HarbourCats hat and jersey (see photo above with the HarbourCats Parker Bramlett in 2019), was looking for a way to spread the word about HarbourCats baseball, given the cancellation of the past two seasons and felt this would be a perfect opportunity.

“Not only did I want to help the HarbourCats out a little,” notes Edwards, “but thought, why not provide some fun for families and individuals that might not ordinarily be able to attend a game. The charities chosen all align perfectly with that goal and I really hope the people that get to use the tickets have as much fun as I do at every game.”

The charities receiving the tickets are excited to say the least. “What a great opportunity!” said Joanne Linka, Manager of Communication and Fund Development at The Cridge Centre for the Family. “There is a fair bit of excitement about this from our team and it will be a great opportunity for our families to do something fun.”

Sarah Downey of the 1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre Society echoes this. “We are very excited and would be happy to accept the tickets. This will bring a lot of joy to many families!” Ashley Adams of Big Brothers, Big Sisters Victoria says, ” I think that this is such an amazing opportunity for our clients and absolutely be something they would enjoy! Thank you so much for thinking about our organization!”

“Next season is going to be a fun, celebratory return to baseball at Wilson’s Group Stadium,” notes HarbourCats Assistant GM of Ticketing and Media Christian Stewart, “and we will be so pleased to welcome these organizations and their clients to the park and have them become part of the HarbourCats family and community. A big thanks to Helen for doing that and for her continued support of HarbourCats baseball.”

SUPPORT YOUR HARBOURCATS! WE NEED YOUR HELP MORE THAN EVER!

Two summers in a row without baseball has been simply devastating for us, but we are confident that there will be a celebratory return to the diamond and the ballpark in 2022. To help us get there, we need your support. If you have been doing well throughout this pandemic, please consider supporting us in any of the following ways:

2022 Season tickets — “We’re Brand New in 2022!” Or as the saying goes, “What’s old is new again!” New players, some new coaches, some new seating changes, new promotions! Come and jump on the HarbourCats bandwagon and see the “new” team in town! Purchasing season tickets is the best way to help, one that guarantees you seats to all our games (usually 35 per year or so) plus other season ticket holder perks. Contact chris@harbourcats.com for details.

10-Game Flex Packs / Vouchers — Don’t want to commit, or can’t commit to season tickets? Consider 10-game flex packs – anytime vouchers that can be used in any combination…10 tickets at one game, 1 ticket at 10 games or anything in between. For you, for your friends, for your staff. Season ticket voucher equivalents are also available. Flex Packs can be purchased at the office and are also available on-line at THE CAT SHOP.

Corporate Partnerships – Want to put your company name or brand in front of our 80,000-100,000 fans we anticipate in 2022? Or know someone who does? Consider joining us as a partner. From a simple program ad, to the most complex of game day sponsorship, complete with signage and tickets, we will customize any campaign to suit your needs and budget. And with our new HCATS.TV platform and our ownership group’s expansion of a new team in Nanaimo in 2022, the opportunities are now Island wide! Contact john@harbourcats.com for details.

Fundraising / 50-50 – Have an organization that needs to raise funds now? A $1000 investment buys you 100 anytime 2022 game vouchers for our Premium Reserved seats that you can then turn around and sell NOW for $20 each, earning you your investment back, plus another $1000 in return. We will then hold a 50-50 date for you in 2022 and you can bring your group to the park to sell that game, taking home 50% of the proceeds. Contact chris@harbourcats.com for details.

Merchandise – Consider a HarbourCats merchandise purchase from our store at 1814 Vancouver Street, or from our on-line store, THE CAT SHOP. We have lots of stock that needs to go!

OFFICE HOURS

We are officially open Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, but may be away at meetings, or dealing with other issues. Best to call 778-265-0327 before venturing over to make sure. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

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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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