They are HarbourCats, which to the best of anyone鈥檚 knowledge, are mythical creatures.
In terms of real animals, Victoria鈥檚 West Coast League baseball team entered the biggest annual showcase weekend of the season like a lion, with a riveting 12-11 comeback victory Thursday night over the Cowlitz Black Bears before 1,003 disbelieving fans.
The HarbourCats came into the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 11-6 and looking to be as done as a well-cooked summer steak. But two-run homers from Kevin Collard and Hunter Vansau were followed by a wild-pitch score from third by Ethan Lopez. It was topped off by a walk-off single by Noah Prewett to give Victoria (13-13) an unlikely victory over the gobsmacked Black Bears (9-13).
鈥淲e just kept grinding. We didn鈥檛 quit,鈥� said Vansau, the Mississippi State slugger, who led Victoria with four hits, two RBIs and three runs scored.
鈥淲e can swing the bat and we don鈥檛 quit.鈥�
In an unusual twist, Claire Eccles earned her first career WCL win. Eccles, the first female pitcher in WCL history, worked the top of the ninth inning for Victoria. The 19-year-old knuckleballer from White Rock put down the first Cowlitz batter she faced and then allowed three consecutive singles and a run scored. She got the final Cowlitz batter to hit into a double play to close out the inning. Nobody at that point could have guessed just how important that play would be.
Even Victoria head coach Brian McRae, who has seen it all in a 10-season MLB career, was left shaking his head.
鈥淚t was a crazy night,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e won a game we had no business to win. But these guys found a way. We have a team where everyone can contribute.鈥�
Victoria hit four homers on the night with Riley Zayicek slamming a three-run dinger in the seventh inning to pull the Cats to within 8-5. It was the N.C.-Wilmington slugger鈥檚 team-leading fourth homer of the season. Jeff Remple added a solo-shot homer for Victoria to make it 10-6 in the eighth inning.
Thursday night鈥檚 on-field fireworks lead to tonight鈥檚 actual Fireworks Night display at Royal Ahletic Park, followed by the sa国际传媒 Day matin茅e Saturday.
The Black Bears, who hail from the towns of Kelso and Longview in southern Washington state, had 21 hits and still lost and were left flabbergasted by the turn of events in the bottom of the ninth.
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