VICTORIA 7
BREMERTON 2
The pre-game news on Tuesday turned out pretty good for the Victoria HarbourCats, with 2014 HCats star player Nathan Lukes selected in the seventh round of the 2015 MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians.
The actual game didn鈥檛 turn out too badly for Victoria, either, with a 7-2 West Coast League baseball victory over the Kitsap Blue Jackets (1-3) from Bremerton, Washington, before 1,041 fans at Royal Athletic Park.
鈥淸Lukes] being drafted is a great calling card for our franchise,鈥� said HarbourCats GM Jim Swanson.
鈥淚 thought Nathan was our best overall player last year. He鈥檚 not a one-tool player. Nathan has so many different aspects to his game and our fans really related to him last year and will follow his career. I expect him to be signed by Cleveland in short order.鈥�
On the diamond, meanwhile, about the only thing that didn鈥檛 go right for the HarbourCats (2-2) on Tuesday was mascot Harvey going down hard and coming up hobbled during his race against a kid around the bases. Dominic Topoozian took the win with no runs allowed on six hits, three strikeouts and one walk.
鈥淒ominic came up with a big outing for us,鈥� said HarbourCats head coach Graig Merritt.
鈥淚t was a big game. We didn鈥檛 want to go 1-3 to start the season.鈥�
The Victoria win was keyed by four first-inning runs, all scored with two out. Kevin Collard, a strapping high schooler headed to the University of San Diego, had two hits, two runs and a walk in his three at-bats for Victoria.
鈥淸Collard] could have gone between the fifth and 10th rounds of this year鈥檚 [MLB] draft. He is going to be a great player by his junior year [in the NCAA] when his [next] draft year comes up again,鈥� said Merritt, a scout for the Tampa Rays.
鈥淸Collard] is mature for his age and gives us a great presence in the middle of the line-up.鈥�
Dane Fujinaka added two hits and a walk in three productive trips to the plate for Victoria.
Mitchell Robinson from Cloverdale had two hits for the BlueJackets.
This guy could be the next sa国际传媒 player to watch. The Miami Marlins had the Canadian junior national team third baseman, a graduate of the Langley Blaze program, projected as their seventh-round selection of the 2014 MLB draft. But Mitchell instead opted to play in the U.S. collegiate NCAA for Florida International, where he hit .220 in 31 games as a freshman.
The Marlins still showed their interest by selecting Robinson in the 22nd round last year.
But the six-foot-two, 220-pound can re-enter the draft following his junior season at Florida International.
鈥淚 wish we had Mitchell . . . I tried to get him here,鈥� Victoria dugout boss Merritt said.
鈥淚t was disappointing not to get him because he is a really good player. I wish him all the best this summer with Kitsap.鈥�
The HarbourCats and BlueJackets continue their three-game set at RAP tonight at 6:35 followed by a Thursday matin茅e.
Victoria then embarks on its first road excursion of the season, dipping into Oregon for three games against the Bend Elks from Friday through Sunday, followed by a three-game set beginning next Monday against the Cowlitz Black Bears in Kelso/Longview, Washington.
