Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – THE TIDE IS IN! College baseball arrives in Victoria

Published

5 years ago

September 8, 2021

Dugout Wire Service

College team makes debut in Victoria, Home Opener on September 17th.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2021

Victoria, BC – College baseball has arrived in Victoria!

The Victoria Golden Tide will make their debut this Thursday at the Zack Downey Memorial Tournament at Layritz Park and will then have their home opener at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park on Friday September 17th at 6:00 pm against Thompson Rivers University.

Catcher Parker Harris (58) sets up to throw to second during infield drills Tuesday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Golden Tide are the newest entry in the Canadian College Baseball Conference (CCBC), an eight-team domestic league that in addition to Victoria, has teams in Nanaimo (Vancouver Island University), Kelowna (Okanagan College), Kamloops (Thompson Rivers University), Chilliwack/Abbotsford (University of the Fraser Valley), Calgary (University of Calgary), Lethbridge (Prairie Baseball Academy) and Edmonton (Edmonton Collegiate Baseball Club).

48 players will be vying for playing time on the Golden Tide this fall (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Tide will be Victoria’s first formal organized college baseball team. There was an attempt a number of years ago to get a college team off the ground, but it never really materialized.

Infielder Austin Wall (4) puts the tag on baserunner Ben Natingor (26) (Photos: Christian J. Stewart)

The Golden Tide roster, currently at 48 players, is comprised of student athletes from the University of Victoria and Camosun College, all of whom have played elite level baseball at the high school level, or who have previous university and college level experience. Those 48 players have already been working out at Wilson’s Group Stadium in preparation for this weekend’s tournament.

With any luck, Golden Tide Head Coach Curtis Pelletier will have his team #1 in the CCBC both in the fall and spring of 2022 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Golden Tide will play an approximate 35-game exhibition season in the fall of 2021 with at least 16 of those games at Wilson’s Group Stadium (see schedule at end of note). They will also participate in the CCBC Fall Championship in Kelowna October 8-11 and will hold their own Intersquad World Series at the end of October.

The official 32-game CCBC League season begins April 1-3 weekend in 2022 and runs until mid-May. Many of the game dates, both fall and spring, will consist of daytime double headers.

Infielder Myles Wall (2) gets set to put the tag on a baserunner during base stealing drills on Tuesday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Tide are backed by the Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League. Games will be played at Wilson’s Group Stadium and the players will utilize the HarbourCats Indoor Training facility on Cook Street for indoor and winter work.

Tide infielder Brandon Green (5) turns two during infield practice Tuesday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Players on the Golden Tide will be eligible to play for the HarbourCats and in fact, most likely some will, especially during the start of the West Coast League season when the HarbourCats are waiting for players to arrive from U.S. schools. Others may play for the full season, should it be warranted.

Infielder Parker Swinton (39) snags an errant throw during a base stealing drill on Tuesday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Tide will be managed by Curtis Pelletier who is well known to HarbourCats fans as the Hitting Coach for the ‘Cats and the Director of the youth Players Development Club. Pelletier will be joined on the Golden Tide coaching staff by Pitching Coach Ethan Fox, Hitting Coach Kyle Orr, Assistant Coaches Shawn Loglisci, Aaron Witzke, Mike Musselwhite and Ryan Haines and Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeremy Cordle.

Golden Tide Head Coach Curtis Pelletier observes a portion of Tuesday’s team workout from up high in the stands (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Tickets for all Golden Tide home games are available for just $5, or $10 for seats in the Grandstand (Sec. 10)(open seating). Booster Club memberships are also available for $200, and include admission to all fall /spring games, priority seating in Diamond Club / Campbell Club sections, and a free hat and t-shirt.

Tickets are available at gate, or in advance at the HarbourCats office, 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or by calling 778-265-0327.

Infielder Myles Wall (2) leaps to catch a throw as Austin Wall (4) slides beneath him during a base stealing drill Tuesday (Photos: Christian J. Stewart)

ZACK DOWNEY TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE, LAYRITZ PARK, SAANICH

Thu Sep 9 2:30pm vs Victoria Mariners
Fri Sep 10 2:30 pm vs Saskatchewan Prep
Sat Sep 11 9:30am vs Victoria Eagles
Remaining games depend on placement but likely either 10AM or 12:30 Sunday for semis and then 3PM for Final.

Pitcher Cameron Dunn (44) gets his work in on the mound Tuesday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

GOLDEN TIDE FALL HOME SCHEDULE

SEP. 17, 6PM – TRU WOLFPACK
SEP. 19, 1PM – VAN.ISLE UNIV. (DH*)
SEP. 25, 1PM – FRASER VALLEY (DH)
SEP. 26, 3PM – MID-ISLE PIRATES (DH)
OCT. 2, 6PM – VICTORIA MARINERS
OCT. 16, 1PM – VAN. ISLE PREP (DH)
OCT. 17, 1PM – UBC (DH)
OCT. 23, 1PM – TBA (DH)
OCT. 24, 1PM – PARKSVILLE ROYALS (DH)
OCT. 26-31 INTERSQUAD WORLD SERIES
*DH = Double Header

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Drop Third Game of Kelowna Series

Published

12 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took on the Kelowna Falcons for the third game a row this afternoon, losing the final matchup by a score of 9-2.

The Falcons were the first side to find purchase on the offensive side in a long third inning. Cats starter Daniel Tovar (Northern Kentucky) allowed a couple of baserunners on a walk and an error, and was swapped out for right-hander Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State). Kelowna strung together a few singles together on Tomlinson over the course of the inning, taking a 3-0 lead.

BOX SCORE

The home team followed that up with an uppercut in their next trip to the plate, smashing a three-run homer off of Tomlinson in the fourth to blow the game wide open.

Tate Collins (Arkansas State) took over for the fifth and pitched a clean inning, but was accosted for another scoring trio in the home half of the sixth. A single, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly gave the Falcons a daunting 9-0 lead.

The Cats at last found life in the seventh frame, kicked off by a solo bomb off the bat of Fresno State outfielder Marcus Nolen. Matthew Westley (George Mason) followed that homer up with a fine job of manufacturing a run. The Virginia product drew himself a walk, stole two bases, and advanced all the way home on a wild pitch to continue cutting a chunk out of that mountainous lead.

Carson Ackermann (Tacoma) took to the pitcher’s mound in the seventh and only allowed two baserunners across his two innings of work, but in the end the lead proved insurmountable and the Falcons secured a 9-2 win on home turf.

WCL STANDINGS

The HarbourCats will now travel back to Victoria and look to rebound on Tuesday night in the first matchup of a three-game mid-week series versus the Bend Elks.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

GET YOUR ALL-STAR TICKETS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE! Tickets for the 2026 WCL All-Star Home Run Derby (featuring former Blue Jay Kevin Pillar) and the West Coast League All Star Game on July 14-15 are selling fast. Get yours today! Each event is now on sale separately, or grab the package deal for both and save a few bucks at http://harbourcats.com/tickets! Or call the office at 778-265-0327 to order by phone.

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Two major events announced with Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game

Published

23 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Legendary scout Marti Wolever to speak at luncheon

July 4, 2026

VICTORIA, B.C. — Having the West Coast League all-star festival in Victoria brings tremendous extra opportunities — like hearing from some of the best in the game.

The organizers of the Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game, presented by Canadian Club, are proud to announce two signature pieces of the two-day festival, and they are sponsored by valued partners of the Victoria HarbourCats Baseball Club — The Wilson’s Group of Companies, and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

“Sponsors like Wilson’s and The Chamber make events like this possible — and with the big names and details, will get people fired up to attend,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the Victoria HarbourCats.

Both events are also held at the Studio 919 thanks to partnership with the Strathcona Hotel (919 Douglas Street).

HOT STOVE PANEL, presented by The Wilson’s Group of Companies
Tuesday, July 14 — 9pm-11:30pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Admission — $10
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

A soiree on baseball following the WCL All-Star Home Run Derby, fans are urged to keep the evening going with a social, relaxed, panel-style discussion of baseball and tons of stories — headlined by Kevin Pillar and legendary baseball scout Marti Wolever, and including HarbourCats head coach Todd Haney, himself a five-year MLB player, the dean of pitching coaches, Gorm Heimueller, who is celebrating his 50th year in the game, and legendary local baseball scout Walt Burrows.

Food and refreshments will be available for attendees to purchase.

OFFICIAL ALL-STAR LUNCHEON, presented by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday, July 15, 11:30am-1pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Tickets — $25 (Limited quantities available to the public).
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

All of the all-stars and coaches will be there to hear a welcome from John Wilson, a member of the HarbourCats ownership group and also the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, from WCL commissioner Rob Neyer, and then keynote speaker Marti Wolever, who has been enshrined in the MLB Scouts Hall of Fame, and now is senior amateur scouting advisor for the Miami Marlins.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Narrowly Defeated by Falcons in Game Two

Published

1 day ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took to the field against Kelowna again on Saturday night, dropping the second game of the series by an all-too-familiar score of 3-2.

The Falcons swooped in to take an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, punishing Landon Marchetti (San Jose State) for allowing two walks with a 2-RBI double.

BOX SCORE

That score stood until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Kelowna gained enough ground to add on. A few baserunners and a sacrifice fly ended the outing for Landon Marchetti, who went 3.2 innings with three runs, three hits, and seven strikeouts. The new job opening was filled by Concordia-Nebraska right-hander Trent Schlim, who successfully cleaned up the runners left behind by Marchetti.

Schlim exited the game after loading the bases with nobody out in the fifth, and in came Taylor Franklin (George Fox) for his season debut. Franklin worked quickly to get a popout and a double play, miraculously escaping the jam with no runs across.

Landon Marchetti allowed Kelowna’s only runs in his three-inning start. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria found the beginnings of revenge in the top of the sixth, executing a double-steal perfectly for Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) to swipe home plate and score the Cats’ first run. David Krahn (UBC) came around to score on a single later in the frame, making it a one-run ballgame with three innings to go.

Franklin retired to the dugout after a couple of scoreless innings, replaced by Leif Friedrich (Concordia-Nebraska) for the eighth. Friedrich held strong for a quick one-two-three inning, swiftly getting the Cats back on offence. Victoria kept it close but were unable to break the threshold, taking their second 3-2 loss in a row.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats will attempt to salvage a win in the final game of the series tomorrow night, and will return to Victoria for a three-game set with the Bend Elks starting on Tuesday.

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