Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats walk-off Riverhawks to sweep series
Tyrus Hall’s 12 game hit streak is the longest a HarbourCat has produced this season (Photo: Justin P. Morash)
August 1, 2024
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – It wasn’t pretty, with ten combined errors between the two teams, but the Victoria HarbourCats walked off the Edmonton Riverhawks in the 11th inning to complete the sweep, winning 6-5.
The Cats and Hawks traded runs through the first few innings with Victoria on the board first with Cam Schneider (Fresno State) scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning.
The Riverhawks tied it up on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second before the Cats retook the lead in the bottom half when Gunner Antillon (Bowling Green) stole second drawing a throw, allowing Jake Vrlak (Miami-Ohio) to run home from third and score, making it 2-1 HarbourCats.
After Edmonton tied it up in the top of the third, Tyrus Hall (Bossier Parish) scored on a wild pitch to restore the lead. The shortstop extended his hit streak to 12 games with two hits.
Jake Finkelstein (Montana State) shut it down from there, pitching a season-high four innings and giving up one earned run on two hits while striking out three batters.
Jake Finkelstein has 28 strikeouts in 24 innings this season (Photo: Justin P. Morash)
Victoria extended their lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning through an error which allowed two runs to score, one of six Riverhawks errors on the night.
Jacob Thompson (Minot State) was excellent in relief throwing three shutout innings striking out five while giving up just one hit.
Jalen Sami (Golden Tide) pitched a scoreless eighth inning but the Hawks did not go away quietly in the ninth. Royce Hale hit a solo home run to make it 5-3 then Kaden Zarowny hit an RBI double to cut the deficit to one. Flynn Ridley (Ottawa University) was one strike away from ending the game but Rex Watson found a hole up the middle driving home the tying run to force extra innings.
Ridley gave his team a chance to win pitching a strong 10th and 11th inning giving up zero runs while striking out three.
Debutant Ryan Deagle (Golden Tide), who pinch hit in the seventh inning, came to the plate in the 11th with the bases loaded and the chance to be a hero for his new team. He pulled through in an unconventional fashion, getting hit by a pitch to bring across the winning run.
Jake Vrlak reached base six times tonight (Photo: Justin P. Morash)
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It is now nine straight wins for the HarbourCats as they move closer to the North Division second-half leading Wenatchee AppleSox, sitting one game back. Tonight’s win could prove to be key for playoff implications as the Cats own the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Riverhawks, having won five of nine games this season.
The HarbourCats head to Bellingham Friday for their last road series of the regular season. You can watch the games against the Bells at https://wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv/
The HarbourCats return home on Monday for the last three games of the season, opening a series against the defending WCL champion Corvallis Knights. Monday is the final fireworks night! All games are at 6:35 PM and you can get tickets at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Tuesday is Jersey off Our Backs Night and Wednesday is Fan Appreciation Night! You do not want to miss it!
REMINDER: If you have HarbourCats ticket vouchers of any kind, 10-game flex packs, or season ticket equivalent vouchers, all vouchers must be used for any of our remaining three home games. Should we make playoffs, vouchers are not eligible for any games no matter where they are played. You can exchange your vouchers in advance for game tickets at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.