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Victoria HarbourCats – In 2023, HarbourCats celebrating 10th Anniversary

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Above: Nick Pivetta throws the first pitch in HarbourCats history on June 5, 2013 (Photo David Nicholls)

For immediate release

November 22, 2023

VICTORIA, B.C. — It’s the first truly major milestone for your Victoria HarbourCats, and it’s well worth celebrating.

The West Coast League team will be marking 10 years since inception, that first season in 2013, when the team takes the field in June of 2023. And the HarbourCats will do it while both harkening back to the roots of the baseball club and officially recognizing part of what has become the fabric of the ‘Cats, along with welcoming a new twist.

“No one can say these 10 years have been boring, that’s for sure,” said HarbourCats Managing Partner/GM Jim Swanson. “From that eventful first season including hosting the All-Star Game, to setting attendance and win-streak records, to an ownership shift and welcoming new partners, to making regular trips deep into the playoffs — the list of accomplishments is very long.

“The league is now in an official partnership with Major League Baseball as well. Cap that with three of our players making the MLB level (Nick Pivetta, Andrew Vaughn and Alex DeGoti), and the HarbourCats continue to be a success in Victoria in every way.

“We look forward to the next 10 years at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP, and beyond.”

The team is proud to unveil a 10-year anniversary patch, that will be used on uniforms and merchandise this year — one that takes the team’s traditional HC cap logo and adds an intertwining twist with the letters. The traditional HC will remain the primary cap logo, the historic foundation, with the new twist a look to the future and another sharp option.

The HarbourCats are also officially adding the colour red to the team’s palette, something that grew out of ongoing work with Rawlings Canada in 2016 and the unveiling of the wildly-popular red CATS jerseys, originally planned to do little more than recognize Canada Day — but became such a smash with players and fans alike, they kept making their way to the field. The adoption of red replaces a spot colour of yellow that was supposed to be part of the original uniform options, but outside of one small run of caps, was never used.

The team will continue to proudly wear the Canada-tinged RED CATS jerseys both home and away, as that popular eye-popping alternate. White home jerseys, the highly-acclaimed all-baby blue set, the road navy HC jerseys, and the VicPD Forces Friday version will help celebrate the 10-year mark on the field in 2023. The white home jerseys are planned for the annual Odlum Brown Jersey Off Your Backs giveaway set, so a new white version will be revealed in 2024. (Early plans are for the red Cats set to be given away to fans late in the 2024 season, with a new replacement set in place for 2025.)

The HarbourCats red jerseys are being officially incorporated into the team’s colour scheme in 2023.

The bright addition of red — shown so prominently by co-owner Helen Edwards everywhere she goes, in her red/white HC cap — is also joined by the official recognition of the V-Cat hat logo as a secondary logo. The on-field cap for 2023 will be the Expos-inspired tri-colour fitted New Era cap with the V-Cat emblem (see below), a nod to HarbourCats Head Coach Todd Haney, who made his MLB debut with the Expos in 1992. Haney is the longest-serving manager in team history, in charge of the lineup since 2019 and signed through the summer of 2026.

“This is an important time to plan and get ahead of the curve, and we are excited about some of the new things that will thrill fans in 2023 — the two years away due to the pandemic have rekindled our energies, both at the field and with our online platforms,” said Swanson.

The HarbourCats have a number of special promotional days lined up to help celebrate the 10th Anniversary season in 2023.  Some of those special events, the Top 10 of the HarbourCats 2023 promotions if you will, include:

1. 10th ANNIVERSARY OPENING NIGHT, Friday June 2, 2023, 6:35pm against the Kamloops NorthPaws

2. FIREWORKS, with The Wilson’s Group of Companies, Saturday June 3, 2023, 6:35pm against the Kamloops NorthPaws

3. SCHOOL SPIRIT GAME, with Mayfair Optometric Clinic, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, 11:05am against the Walla Walla Sweets

4. FATHER’s DAY GAME, Sunday, June 18, 2023, 1:05pm against the Yakima Valley Pippins

5. CANADA DAY FIREWORKS, Friday, June 30, 2023, 6:35pm against the Bellingham Bells

6. CANADA DAY MATINEE, Saturday, July 1, 2023, 1:05pm against the Bellingham Bells

7. HARVEY’s 10th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, Saturday, July 15, 2023, 6:35pm against the Wenatchee AppleSox

8. BARK IN THE PARK, with Bosley’s on Yates, Sunday, July 16, 2023, 1:05pm, against the Wenatchee AppleSox

9. 10th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FIREWORKS, Saturday, July 29, 6:35pm against the Kelowna Falcons

10. 10th ANNIVERSARY JERSEY OFF OUR BACKS NIGHT, with Odlum Brown, Wednesday, August 2, 6:35pm against the Nanaimo NightOwls

2023 Season Tickets
Season ticket renewals and new season ticket sales are now underway for 2023, the HarbourCats 10th Anniversary season!  Lock in the best seats in the house by the end of November prior to single-game tickets going on sale. Existing Season Ticket holders should also renew their seats by the end of the month!  Contact chris@harbourcats.com or call the office at 778-265-0327 for details or to renew your existing seats!

2023 Flex-Packs
2023 10-Game and Season Ticket Equivalent Flex Pack vouchers are also now on sale! These can be purchased at the office in-person or by phone and can also be ordered on-line via The Cat Shop at https://victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com/products/10-game-flex-pack-general-admission.    All flex pack vouchers will be eligible to be exchanged for games in the 2023 season once single-game tickets are available (see below).

2023 Single Game Tickets
Single-game tickets for the HarbourCats 10th Anniversary season will be available both on-line and in person at the HarbourCats office starting at 10:00am December 1, 2022. At that time, 10-game flex pack vouchers will be eligible to be exchanged for games in the 2023 season.

Stay tuned to all of our social media for updates and details as they become available.

Web: www.harbourcats.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harbourcats
Facebook Fan Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/harbourcats
Twitter: https://twitter.com/harbourcats
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harbourcats

 

 

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – New coffee cart highlights impressive food truck lineup

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HarbourCats proud of summer food offerings, including new Aerobic Geisha Coffee (above)

For immediate release

June 2, 2025

VICTORIA, B.C. — It’s the most impressive part of a Victoria HarbourCats game, and that’s saying something.

The way to the hearts of Victorians is through their stomachs and the expansive food truck offerings at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park has reached legendary status — with a fun new wrinkle in 2025.

Local coffee cart Aerobic Geisha Coffee will offer a specialty menu with iced drinks and lattes, and will have a HarbourCats-themed drink as a signature.

This will be another way, aside from an ice-cold Pepsi product – the stadium and HarbourCats new soft drink supplier – to accompany one of the many returning staples at HarbourCats games — successful pairings.

The offerings are fun, and they are affordable.

“We are proud of these partnerships, and for us it’s a model that has worked to perfection — we are loyal to our great food partners, and they are loyal to our fans,” said Christian Stewart, General Manager of the HarbourCats.

In addition to the ballpark staples like hot dogs and popcorn in the City of Victoria concession — the hot dogs are exceptional! — the HarbourCats return familiar brands this summer.

  • Greek On The Street
  • Cup-A-Roni
  • L’Authentique Burgers and Poutine
  • Dominoes Pizza
  • Beavertails
  • Sub Zero Ice Cream, with specials on newly-branded Ice Cream Sundays (day games)

Special appearances will be made by Lemon Heaven and Country Crepes, on School Spirit and other premium-attendance days.

The HarbourCats continue to offer great beer products, led by the Island-born craft beers of Red Arrow Brewing and their signature Ballpark Blonde/HarbourCats beer. Molson Canadian products – Coors Light, Canadian – and Vizzy seltzers are also a crowd favourite.

Fans sitting in our Elements Casino Diamond Club, Peterbilt Pacific Club or the Remax Grandstand, as well as those VIP groups on the Strathcona Third Base Party Deck, or Wilson’s Group Upper Deck Experience, can also use our Fan Food mobile ordering app to order from most of our food trucks and the city concession.

Fans can sample some of food vendors on Tuesday night, by attending the BCPBL game between the Victoria Eagles and Victoria Mariners – a 6:35 pm start – and the full slate of trucks will be available for the Home Opener on Friday June 6th, our first Fireworks night on June 7th and for all remaining HarbourCats games.

Tickets for Tuesday night’s game and our home opening weekend are available on-line with our one and only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.  Tickets are also available at the HarbourCats office by calling 778-265-0327 or dropping in at 101-1814 Vancouver Street and can be purchased at ALL games at the box office which opens one hour before gametime (1.5 hours on fireworks nights).

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Bend but dont break: NorthPaws hang on to win and sweep the Lefties

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The Kamloops NorthPaws won a thrilling game on Sunday afternoon 10-9 to secure a season-opening sweep of the Port Angeles Lefties. The NorthPaws scored six runs in the top of the eighth inning but had to fight off the Lefties, who scored eight of their nine runs in the final five innings. 

Once again, the Lefties got the game’s first run in the bottom of the first. After having runners on the corners with only one out, they cashed in on a chopper to first that Keegan Drinkle elected to take to the base himself for an out. 

Kamloops answered when shortstop Anthony Setticasi had the bases loaded with one out and legged out a potential double-play ball that scored Kalen Applefield. In the third, second baseman Joey Marino drove in a run and would later score a run because of an error by the Lefty’s second baseman. A fourth-inning Manny Recchi sacrifice fly would put the NorthPaws up 4-1.

It was the Lefty’s turn to respond in the fifth with a one-out single that cut the lead to two. In the sixth, the Levites got a two-out rally going, capitalizing on a pair of walks, a wild pitch, and a single that scored both runners on base to tie the game. Port Angeles would take the lead later in the inning with another single. In the seventh, they kept their foot on the gas, bringing two more home with, you guessed it… another single.

The NorthPaws offence was shut down by right-handed pitcher Cade Stuart, who went three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit. Going into the top of the eighth, Stuart made way for Liam Karlson. The NorthPaws saw their opportunity and pounced.

A single and a walk set up right fielder Jared Hall, who sent an RBI single to right field. Center fielder Ethan Kodama walked and set up third baseman Kieran Gaffney with the bases loaded and nobody out. Gaffney delivered with a single that brought home two more runs, tying the game at seven all. Anthony Setticassi sent a sharp ground ball to third, and the force play at the plate was thought to have been made with the bases loaded, but the Lefties catcher didn’t have his foot on home plate, allowing the run to score and everyone reach safely. Two wild pitches would bring home the fifth and sixth runs of the inning as Kamloops sent 10 men to bat and now lead 10-7.

“It was great to see the offence stick with their approach and breakthrough in the eighth,” said Head Coach Reily Jepson.

The Lefties would hang around and score in the eighth and mount yet another two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth. A two-out bloop hit and a walk allowed the Lefties to load the bases with two outs. Righty Cade Webber was on for the save and walked his second straight batter on a controversial call on a full-count pitch that was deemed just high by the home plate umpire. Either way, a run scored, and the winning run was all of a sudden 180 feet away. Facing yet another full count, Webber delivered a high fastball in a similar shop that was called for strike three, ending the game. 

“I was a little stressed, but the team seemed very composed; I trust those guys in the back end of the bullpen, and they got the job done; it was a great win,” said Jepson

For Cade Webber, it was his first appearance of the season, and it came at a crucial moment for the NorthPaws. The inning could’ve gotten away from him, but his coach had faith in his abilities.

“You can tell he loves the moment; I don’t think that phased him,” said Pitching coach Jack Slominski.

With the sweep, the NorthPaws have started 3-0 for the first time since 2022, a milestone that has the team and coaching staff excited. 

“It’s awesome. Hopefully, this brings more of our fans out to home games, but before we get there, we’re going to have a tough test this week in Bellingham,” said Jepson.

The team will be off on Monday before travelling to Bellingham for a three-game series against the Bells. The NorthPaws will play their first home game on June 6th against the Kelowna Falcons.

 

 

 

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats sweep Falcons to remain undefeated

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June 1, 2025

For immediate release

KELOWNA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats went curling to start the season, breaking out the brooms on the Kelowna Falcons Sunday night, winning 8-3.

Hudson Lance (Coastal Carolina) started for the visitors and was in control early, retiring the first six batters he faced. However, he ran into trouble in the third inning, allowing four singles in quick succession, giving Kelowna a 3-0 lead.

The lead didn’t last long as the HarbourCats brought 10 batters to the plate in the top of the fourth, scoring five runs, including an RBI single from Victoria’s own Dominic Biello (Golden Tide). Patience was a virtue for the Cats tonight, drawing 12 walks on the evening, including two bases-loaded walks in the fourth to give themselves a 5-3 lead.

BOX SCORE

After Lance completed three innings in his HarbourCats debut, he turned it over to a bullpen that put on a show. Ethan McNish-Heider (Niagara), Marcus Janovsky (UBC), Dillon Dibrell (Central Oklahoma), Dustin Davidson (Brookhaven), Jacob Thompson (Minot State), and Robert Sanford (Paris JC) all pitched one inning and combined for nine strikeouts. two walks, one hit, and zero runs. It was about as dominant a team-wide pitching performance as you will see this season.

BUY TICKETS HERE

On the other side of things, the HarbourCats’ approach at the plate continued to force mistakes, adding two more runs on wild pitches in the latter stages. Enrico Carrion, a commit to the University of Hawaii, drove in his first run in his debut with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Victoria played great defence behind the stellar pitching, committing just one error all series compared to Kelowna’s eight.

Jack Johnson (Baylor) and Bobby Filler Jr. (Niagara) had a pair of hits each, adding to their strong starts to the season.

WATCH GAMES HERE

After a day off tomorrow, the HarbourCats are in action on Tuesday, June 3, opening a three-game series in Edmonton. They return for the home opener on Friday, June 6 at 6:35 PM, followed by the first of four fireworks nights on Saturday, June 7 at 6:35 PM.

Season Tickets, 10 and 32-Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are now on sale for all 33 home games and four “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats’ new and one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.

Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.

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