PORT ANGELES, Wash. — An error at the worst time proved costly for the Nanaimo NightOwls, leading to a 4-3 loss to open a short road series against the Port Angeles Lefties.

A ball dropped in the outfield in the bottom of the ninth provided the difference, instead of sending the game to extra innings.

Boxscore Link

The NightOwls could manage just seven hits and single runs in the first, sixth and eighth innings. Wylie Waters was 2-4 with two runs scored while lead off man Noah Hata drew two walks and scored one run.

Nathan Buchan, Caden Pearlman, Payton Robertson and Paul Montgomery were all effective on the mound for Nanaimo.

nightowls.tv / WCL Pixellot

The NightOwls are in Port Angeles for a rare two-game series, that concludes Thursday with a 1:35pm matinee, celebrating the Fourth of July. The NightOwls then board the Coho Ferry back to the island to be ready for the weekend visit of the Wenatchee AppleSox — games Friday and Saturday evenings (6:35pm), and 1pm on Sunday.

Tickets are available online, at the gate, or get general admission vouchers at all Save On Foods locations in Nanaimo, Ladysmith and Parksville. The NightOwls are expecting more strong crowds for this weekend series after setting a franchise record on Monday with 3,127 in attendance for the Canada Day Classic doubleheader and fireworks show.

Next week, the games on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, ticketed fans will all get a chance to win highly valued concert tickets for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, arriving in Vancouver in December.

Tickets Link

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July 3, 2024

For immediate release 

WENATCHEE, WA — A bullpen collapse stood in the way of the Victoria HarbourCats starting the second half with two road wins.

A night after outscoring the host Wenatchee AppleSox, the HarbourCats gave up a combined five runs in the seventh and eighth innings to drop a 7-6 decision.

The HarbourCats put up all their runs in two innings — the second, and eighth — and were outhit 9-8 by Wenatchee. Victoria also did not take advantage of three errors by the AppleSox — Wenatchee has made nine errors in the first two games of the series.

BOX SCORE

Jake Haggard had a clutch two-run double for the HarbourCats in the eighth inning, part of a three-run frame that gave Victoria a 6-4 lead. He had two hits, as did Michelle Artzberger and Josh Cunnigan.

LEAGUE STANDINGS

Spencer Hatch started for the HarbourCats, followed by Jalen Sami, Jake Finkelstein, Jacob Thompson and Connor Sims. Hatch went four innings, giving up four hits and one earned run, while Sami threw a scoreless fifth. Finkelstein surrendered two runs in the seventh inning, and Thompson struggled in facing four batters in the eighth, leaving Sims to deal with a bases loaded mess — two bases-loaded walks and a wild pitch put the AppleSox back in front.

WATCH AWAY GAMES HERE AND HOME GAMES HERE

The HarbourCats complete the three-game series in Wenatchee on Thursday, then return to the friendly confines of Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP for a weekend home series with the Kelowna Falcons, evening games on Friday and Saturday nights (6:35pm) and Sunday afternoon. Tickets are available at the gate, online at http://harbourcats.com/tickets, or general admission vouchers can be purchased at all Save On Foods in the South Island.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a host family the HarbourCats players? Read all about how rewarding the experience is through the eyes of our very own Helen Edwards HERE. If you are interested in becoming a host family, email Cindy at hostfamily@harbourcats.com.

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July 3, 2024

For immediate release

VICTORIA B.C. — It’s all about the cookies — and the boys.

Helen Edwards is known for many things, her trademark red HC hat perhaps foremost among them at Victoria HarbourCats games.

But for “her boys,” she’s known for her cookies — as a symbol of her hospitality.

Helen is the epitome of opening a home for HarbourCats baseball players, providing a host stay for a combined 14 players since the end of the pandemic. And each one of them has fallen in love with her baking — chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin, the cookie jar may just be the busiest place in her Fairfield character home.

“We also had some with mini M&M’s, they love their cookies,” said Helen, a season ticket holder with the HarbourCats since 2014, and one of the foremost experts on Victoria sports. After all, she’s literally written the book on the history of professional hockey in the city, and has a book in publishing mode chronicling the first 10 years of her beloved HarbourCats.

“They’ll eat anything I make, they like my cooking — chili, chicken wings, lasagna, and you should’ve seen the mac and cheese that disappeared last night. That would have been enough for my family for a few days, and it was gone! It’s great that they love it, and it’s nice to have someone to cook for, and see it being eaten.”

Helen has written other books, on her father-in-law’s diary during WW1, and on heritage buildings in Victoria. She’s also part of the ownership group of the HarbourCats, joining the group in 2020 and being the significant contributor to the Edwards Family Training Centre on Cook Street, the indoor facility that serves the HarbourCats, the collegiate Golden Tide, and at least a dozen local baseball and softball groups, providing a sheltered place for training.

This season, Helen has pitchers Devin Holmes, Spencer Hatch, and Cade Rusch, son of former MLB pitcher Glendon Rusch. In 2023, she had a somewhat revolving door with stalwart Jesse Brown leading a Helen-homed group that included Ben Smedshammer, Kevin Shea, Rei Kimura and Zak Johnson. In the 2022 year coming out of covid, she took in Addison Sells, Jace Walker, Walker Bordovsky, Tyler Attal, Nick Taylor and Aidan McCann.

Edwards, a former shareholder of the Vancouver Canucks who also now provides charitable help to many causes as a philanthropist, truly enjoys her interactions with the players, spoiling them with dinners at team sponsor Moxie’s — and she’s a proud advocate of the HarbourCats program, standing up for the organization at all times, in all situations.

“I’m the age of their grandparents, but it doesn’t seem to matter — because we all love baseball and we talk baseball,” said Edwards.

“They are getting me into doing fantasy baseball even, that’s what we talked about. It’s all so cool. Being able to watch them is like watching my own kids play sports, there is a connection, and the people around me always ask which guys are my players. It’s fun to know that I’m helping them, too, and one of them may make it to the Majors one day, and even if they don’t — I’m proud of them.

“The other benefit is meeting the parents, with some there’s an instant connection, and it’s like you’ve known each other forever.”

Every organization needs ambassadors, and people who will go above and beyond — Helen is such an example for not just the HarbourCats, but the West Coast League.

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