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Victoria HarbourCats – Local talent added to HarbourCats for 2023 season

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Victoria Golden Tide shortstop Brandon Green (5)  highlights list of six local players announced today for the HarbourCats 2023 roster. 

May 17, 2023

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — The addition of local players who can contribute is a key part to contending as a West Coast League team and the latest confirmed signings by the Victoria HarbourCats is intended to do just that.

Three members of the CCBC’s Victoria Golden Tide, another from TRU in the CCBC, and two players developing stateside highlight the latest group, adding depth:

  • IF/RHP Brandon Green, Victoria Golden Tide CCBC (Sundre, Alta.)
  • RHP Darius Opdam Bak, Victoria Golden Tide CCBC (White Rock, BC)
  • RHP Tristan Bolger, Victoria Golden Tide CCBC (Victoria)
  • RHP Sam Jordan, TRU Wolfpack (Victoria)
  • OF Kai Gray, Trinidad State (Victoria)
  • OF Rei Kimura, College of Idaho (Victoria, international student from Japan)

Green is the starting shortstop and leadoff hitter for the Tide, who have come on strong in the second half of the CCBC season, while Bolger, who saw some time with the HarbourCats in 2022, is showing promise as he transitions to full-time pitching duties under Head Coach Ethan Fox. Opdam Bak has earned opportunities as the Golden Tide closer in the second half of the season.

Golden Tide pitcher Tristan Bolger, a 2022 HarbourCat, returns in 2023 to provide support out of the bullpen (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Jordan is 5-1 in five starts with 36 strikeouts in 34 innings for TRU, graduating from the Victoria Eagles program. Kimura, a first-year player at College of Idaho, is a former Lambrick Park High School student who played PBL in Victoria, a Japanese exchange student who fell in love with the B.C. capital.

Gray, an ex-Eagle, is tearing it up at Trinidad State in Colorado, hitting .338 with 17 doubles and 11 home runs.

“We’re proud of the opportunities we’ve given to so many local players since 2013, and these guys add to others such as Ryder Green, Dawson Hurford, Owen Luchies and Ty Hall as island products who get to prove they can contribute for Todd Haney’s 2023 team,” said GM Christian Stewart.

SEE FULL 2023 (ANNOUNCED) ROSTER HERE

RHP Noah Takacs of Sacramento State, previously announced, won’t be joining the team due to an injury, and RHP/IF Brady Wilson of the Victoria Golden Tide has been released to play in the WCBL.

The HarbourCats celebrate their 10th Anniversary in 2023 and the season kicks off with the home opener against the Kamloops NorthPaws on Friday June 2, 2023.  Single game tickets for that game, all four fireworks nights, and the remainder of our 31 HarbourCats home games in 2023 are now on sale and can be purchased on-line through our one-and-only ticketing partner, Select Your Tickets, at harbourcats.com/tickets.  They can also be purchased at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or at the Select Your Tickets box office at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.  Fans can also call 778-265-0327 to order over the phone.

2023 Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also now on sale.  For details on all ticketing options, including our special $10.00 Tuesdays, Forces Fridays and Save-on-Food Vouchers, please visit harbourcats.com/ticketinfo.

HOST FAMILIES!  The HarbourCats are in need of host families for 2023!  If you are interested, you can find more details HERE, or contact Cindy Kent, our Host Family Coordinator by e-mail at hostfamily@harbourcats.com.

 

 

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Summer Collegiate

Hayes goes deep again, Owls win final home game

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NANAIMO, B.C. — Jacob Hayes, and Owen Wessel, but the punctuation on it.

The Nanaimo NightOwls ended the home portion of their fourth season in the West Coast League with a convincing 6-1 triumph over the visiting Kamloops NorthPaws in an entertaining game played Sunday afternoon at Serauxmen Stadium.

Hayes, with a team-record 10th home run, and Wessel, with his first of the season, went deep for Nanaimo, while Dawson Schultz and Vinny Bruno kept the Kamloops bats silent.

Wessel hit a two-run shot in the second, and Hayes had a solo shot in the third. Both were to left field.

The NightOwls (22-29, 10-14 in second half) close out the season with three road games in Bellingham, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Season tickets will start renewal shortly after another exciting season of WCL baseball in Nanaimo, with local product and head coach Cody Andreychuk returning in 2026, and the expectation that veteran pitching coach Gorman Heimueller, one of the best in all of baseball, will be with Nanaimo next season for what will be his 50th year in the game — leading to a season-long celebration.

Dawson Schultz started and was masterful, going six innings with four hits allowed while striking out five. Vinny Bruno, the Italian right-hander, closed it with a save and three innings with two strikeouts.

Hayes, named team MVP before the game, was 2-3 with two RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Andrew Ivy, Easton Mould and Spencer Sullivan also had two hits each. Andew Nykoluk had two runs and Wessel had two RBIs.

Sullivan was given the team’s Development Award, right-hander Aidan Boice was given the top pitcher award, Ryder Florence earned the citizenship award, and concession stalwart Jo-Ann Hammond was named the volunteer of the year.

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats roll to 8-2 win

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The HarbourCats have won eight of their last ten games (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

August 5, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats celebrated Jersey off our Backs night with a convincing 8-2 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks Tuesday night.

After Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s) led off the second inning with a double, Jake Butler (George Mason) drove him home with a sacrifice fly to give the Cats an early 1-0 lead.

The Hawks answered back with a sacrifice fly of their own in the top of the third inning to level it up 1-1.

BOX SCORE

Tanner Beltowski (Westmont College) doubled in the bottom of the third and came home on the next play after an error allowed him to score. The Cats caused havoc on the basepaths all game stealing five bags, and Jack Johnson (Tulane) was at the centre of that, stealing second and third to set up a situation with men on the corners. Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii) stole second and drew the throw which allowed Johnson to break for home and he scored, making it 3-1.

Tyler Patrick tied his season-high with five strikeouts (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

Shiryu Sato added a second Edmonton run in the fifth inning driving in Anthony Kodama with a two-out RBI single, cutting the Cats lead to 3-2.

Tyler Patrick struck out five batters over 4-2/3 innings of work starting his sixth game of the campaign.

Tristan Buehring (Whitman College) hit an RBI single for the second straight game to push the Cats lead to 4-2.

WCL STANDINGS

The HarbourCats piled on four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their advantage to 8-2. First it was Beltowski with an RBI single that was then followed by a pair of sacrifice flies from Johnson and Lopez. Butler continued to swing a hot bat, driving in his second run of the ballgame on a single to cap off the big inning. The second baseman has 13 RBIs in his last eight games.

Jacob Thompson was first out of the bullpen for Todd Haney’s team and he did exactly what was asked of him, pitching 2-1/3 shutout innings while striking out three. Garrett Villa (Angelo State) closed out the game recording the final six outs giving up no runs and striking out a pair.

Tristan Buehring has three hits in his first two games as a HarbourCat (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

WATCH GAMES HERE

This 8-2 win means playoff seeding will go down to the final game tomorrow night. It is simple, the winner of tomorrow’s game between Victoria and Edmonton will win the second half and earn home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs, to be played this weekend August 8-10.

BUY TICKETS HERE

VOUCHER REMINDER: Tomorrow is the final game you can redeem your vouchers. They are not eligible to be used for playoff games. You can do so at harbourcats.com/tickets, and if you have any questions or need help exchanging your vouchers, call the HarbourCats office at (778) 265 0327.

Tomorrow is Fan Appreciation Night, presented by Passion Sports. Get tickets at harbourcats.com/tickets.

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Gutsy NightOwls edge Bells in extra innings

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BELLINGHAM, WA — With nothing but pride on the line, the Nanaimo NightOwls are showing they are full of character.

A sacrifice fly by outfielder Spencer Sullivan in the 10th inning at Joe Martin Field on Monday gave the NightOwls, who will miss the playoffs in their fourth season in the West Coast League, a 3-2 victory over the playoff-bound Bellingham Bells — who won the North Division’s first half pennant to lock up their post-season berth.

Andrew Ivy led off the game with a home run, his first of the season, crushing a 2-1 pitch out of one of the WCL’s hardest parks to clear the fence.

Dalton Hanson was strong in a short starting assignment, the Scottsdale CC product going three scoreless innings, giving up two walks and three hits. Venezuelan lefty Richtter Castillo was effective in three innings, allowing two hits and three walks, with one earned run and two strikeouts.

Jayden Gabrillo (Hawaii Pacific) struck out four batters over two innings, giving up two hits and one run. Moosa Nonomiya, fresh off helping Team Pakistan earn international standings points in a series played in Chicago against Palestine, got the win with two innings of scoreless work.

Leadoff man Ivy was 3-4 with the home run, a double, a walk and an RBI and scored two of the team’s runs, while the guy behind him, Ryder Florence, was 2-4 to raise his batting average to .210 — he’s batting .421 over his last seven games. Easton Mould was 2-4 with an RBI.

The NightOwls have two games left in the WCL season, playing in Bellingham on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, before the players head off to their respective collegiate programs. The NightOwls are 23-29 overall, and 11-14 in the second half — the team will finish fifth or sixth overall in the eight-team North Division.

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