Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Tide Sweep Away Thunderbirds in Sunday Doubleheader
Above: Victoria’s Brandon Green is safe at second as the throw escapes UBC second baseman Brett Zazuluk.
Story and Photos by Christian J. Stewart
October 17, 2021, Victoria, BC – The Victoria Golden Tide were not daunted at all by facing the top college baseball program in the country, as they defeated the UBC Thunderbirds in both games of a doubleheader Sunday at Wilson’s Group Stadium in Victoria by identical 9-1 scores.
Tide game one starting pitcher Owen Luchies delivers a pitch during the game with UBC Sunday.
The weatherman cooperated on the day, keeping the rain at bay, and it was Golden Tide pitchers in game one who kept the UBC hitters at bay with Victoria Eagle product Owen Luchies getting the start and giving up a run to UBC in the first, but then settling down to keep them off the board in the second and third.
Victoria’s Brandon Green slides safely into third base ahead of the tag by UBC third baseman Jordan Gamble on this play in game two Sunday.
Cameron Dunn would then take over in relief and shine, giving up just a pair of singles in his four innings of work, with Jacob Popydynec pitching the final two innings, with just a walk, to close out the 9-1 win.
Golden Tide pitchers would get all the offensive support they would need when the Tide put up a four-run third inning, the highlight of which was a Zeke Holt two-run home run over the right field fence.
Zeke Holt had a two-run home run to key a four run third inning in the Tide’s 9-1 win over UBC in game one Sunday.
Also contributing in the 12-hit attack were Dom Biello with a walk, double and run scored, Brendan Morrison with a pair of singles and a run scored and Alex McLauchlan with a pair of runs scored.
Golden Tide third baseman Alex McLauchlan makes a nice play on a ground ball in game two against UBC on Sunday.
In game two, the Thunder would jump into a 1-0 lead thanks to a second inning lead-off home run from Tyler Sharples, but that would be their only run to cross the plate, as once again Golden Tide pitching ruled the day.
UBC’s Tyler Sharples is all smiles after his second inning home run in game two Sunday.
Starter Brady Wilson would follow-up his outstanding three-hit performance last week against Calgary at the CCBC Fall Championship by giving up just one more hit to the Thunderbirds and keeping them off the board the rest of the way in his four full innings of work.
UBC shortstop Daniel Gonzoloz awaits the throw as Tide baserunner Alex McLauchlan slides in safely to second.
Relievers Jackson Belanger (two innings), Haldon Craig (two innings) and Triston Seitz (one inning) would shut the door the rest of the way, with a single against Belanger and one against Seitz in the ninth being the only other UBC hits of the game.
Tide second baseman Myles Wall puts the tag on UBC baserunner Trevor Tong on this play at second during game two Sunday.
Offensively, the Tide once again blew things open in the third inning, this time scoring five runs, with the big blows being a two-RBI triple from Brody Alexandre and an RBI single from Parker Harris.
The Tide would score two more on a two-RBI single from Alex McLauchlan in the fourth and add another two in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Jordan Bond arrives safely at first as the ball skips away from UBC first baseman Sean Coventry.
Other offensive notables in the game included Zeke Holt, with another strong game, notching a pair of double and two walks, and Jaxson Cordle, with a single and a double.
Victoria’s Jaxson Cordle starts on his way to first during action with UBC on Sunday. Cordle would have a base hit in game two.
The Tide now get ready for another pair of double headers next weekend as on Saturday the VI College Prep Mariners come to town and on Sunday, the BCPBL Parksville Royals pay a visit. Both days have first pitch scheduled for 1:00 pm. Tickets are $5.00 and $10.00 and will be available at the gates.
Victoria’s Ryan Deagle beats out the throw to UBC first baseman Sean Coventry on this play in game one Sunday.
TIDAL WAVES: The two wins Sunday mark the first time this fall season that the Tide have swept a doubleheader; The Tide lineup Sunday was supplemented by five members of the Victoria Eagles BCPBL squad that finished second in this year’s provincials, including game one starter Owen Luchies, Ryder Green, Jai Berezowski, Kai Gray, and Dom Biello. Parksville Royals product Ryan Deagle also played in both games today.
May 12, 2026
NANAIMO, BC — Once players have landed in Nanaimo, they definitely want to come back.
Right-hander Blake Hager has signed to return to historic Serauxmen Stadium— celebrating its 50th year — and pitch for a coach in Gorm Heimueller who is now in his 50th year in the game.
Hager is a NCAA Division 1 starting pitcher and brings immediate experience and stability to the pitching staff.
Hager, Parker King of Campbellsville and Damian Pasillas have been signed as pitchers, along with and exciting group of position players by Head Coach Cody Andreychuk:
RHP Damian Pasillas, Azusa Pacific, 6-1/195, San Diego, CA
RHP Blake Hager, Morehead State, 6-3/205, Pikeville, KY
SS Beau Musser, University of Hawaii, 5-9/150, L/R, Los Gatos, CA
C Blake Helsper, Hawaii Pacific, 5-8/175, L/R, Irvine, CA
RHP Parker King, Campbellsville, 5-11/160, Anaheim, CA
OF Diego Escandon, Columbia Basin, 5-10/170, R/R, Edmonds, WA
Hager previously pitched for the NightOwls in the 2025 season, 2-1 with a 7.71 ERA in six appearances, one of them a start. He’s started five games this spring for Morehead State, going 2-0 with a 6.84 ERA.
Pasillas has 45 innings this spring for Azusa Pacific, with two wins.
Musser is a highly-regarded, lefty-swinging shortstop signed to be a freshman at UH in fall. Described as a Brett Gardner type who plays a strong shortstop. Is being groomed to take the role at UH when former NightOwls star and Texas draft pick Elijah Ickes moves to the pro level.
Helsper handled the majority of the catching duties for Div2 Hawaii Pacific this season, especially down the stretch — a tough, scrappy hitter and hard worker behind the plate, he struck out just nine times and walked 12 times, hitting .328, in 112 at bats over 39 games. He started 30 games and had 38 hits, five of them doubles, and stole four of five attempted bases.
King was at Orange Coast in junior college before landing at Campbellsville, where he is 3-0 with a 4.28 ERA this season over 14 appearances. He has a save and 26 punch-out’s with just nine walks in 33.2 innings for a very good NAIA school.
Escandon has identical .291 averages the last two seasons, and has an exciting mix of power and speed — seven home runs and 51 stolen bases combined.
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Vancouver Island Brewing and Victoria HarbourCats unveil the Islander FanZone
By Norm LeBus
Victoria, BC – He works fast and he likes a crowd. That makes third-year pitcher Shea Lake a hit with his teammates – and even former coaches.
In the relative pressure cooker of Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park, there’s an electricity on good summer nights that’s not coming from the overhead lights.
“It’s kind of like that white line fever,” former pitching coach Scott Anderson tells me from Portland. Scott spent three seasons mentoring the ‘Cats mound prospects. “Some of those guys when they come out across the foul lines and they get 3,000 people in the stands it’s a little bit different story.”
But at 6-3, Shea Lake stands tall on the mound.
“First off, when we’re in Victoria it’s a much better crowd than anywhere else,” he says.
“I just think the way that RAP kind of fits – all those people packed in close together, the energy just fills the room, especially playing night games, firework nights, all the stuff like that.”
Lake is one of the rare three-year players with Victoria. And like many of the ‘Cats, he’s had a nomadic path to BC’s capital.
In his case, ‘Cats fans can thank the U.S. Department of State.
After his freshman year at Hawaii Pacific the coaching staff placed Lake with the Swift Current 57s of the Westen Canadian Baseball League. But Lake’s passport did not arrive in time to play summer baseball. Instead, he’s in town for a trifecta: ’24, 25 and now 2026.
And the 2025 campaign was a busy one: Lake appeared in nine games and pitched 34 innings, compiling a 2-2 record and 3.20 ERA. And both fans and teammates appreciated his efficient pace on the hill. Lake works quickly.
“It’s one of the more underlying things in baseball that people don’t really see,” Lake says. “When your D is out there for a while, it kind of wears them out throughout the game. Getting them off the field and staying on their hitting side, it’s always good for the offense and the fans kind of like it — especially when you have an offense like us.”
And how would he describe himself on the hill?
“I’ve never been a big velocity guy,” he says. “It’s kind of just playing with the hitter and keeping them off balance, control the count and generating ground balls. The longer I’m out there the more it becomes like work, so keeping the pitch count low and trying to get the guys off the field as fast as I can.”
“He’s a pitcher that can pitch,” Anderson says. “Shea’s a solid guy that works with a good tempo and he changes speeds really well. He’ll be a good leader to the team. He’s a smart kid.
Lake is a mechanical engineering student at West Texas A &M near Amarillo. When it comes to his baseball future he thinks like an engineer – sound, fundamental concepts built on proven principles. About 10% of NCAA baseball players are drafted, but a much, much smaller percentage make it all the way to Major League Baseball.
“Of course there’s that chance,” he says. “If a big jump happens, that’s great; I think I have the ability, the capabilities to do it, you never know.
“I just keep my head down and work hard and we’ll see what happens. I wouldn’t say nothing’s really changed: I think just being the best version of myself every day and working as hard as I can is all I can really do.
“As long as I do that, I’m happy with myself.”
It’s a winning attitude.
Before he even crosses those white lines.
The HarbourCats season begins May 29th on the road versus the Portland Pickles, before returning to Victoria for the Home Opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks on Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 pm.
Season tickets, single-game tickets, 12 and 32-game flex packs and 2026 All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale at harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 1814 Vancouver Street.
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