So it鈥檚 hardly surprising the Victoria HarbourCats have a mathematical formula in mind for the remainder of the West Coast League season.
It鈥檚 2/3=40.
The 2011 Wenatchee AppleSox hold the WCL record for victories in a season with 39. The HarbourCats have that standard in their sights in their stated pursuit of 40 or more wins this season.
鈥淚f we win two out of every three games in our remaining series, we would do it,鈥� said Griffin Andreychuk, before the HarbourCats hit the road for six consecutive games.
Jake Stone of the HarbourCats said the players believe they will do it and reach the 40 plateau.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not cockiness . . . it鈥檚 confidence that we have among this group,鈥� said the NCAA outfielder from the Fresno State Bulldogs.
Andreychuk concurred.
鈥淚t [40 or more wins] is easily attainable with the pitching and defence we have,鈥� said the Seattle University NCAA player from Nanaimo.
Not to mention slugging. Andreychuk is among eight Victoria batters hitting above .300 Three of them 鈥� Jarron Silva, Ben Polshuk and Andreychuk 鈥� are headed to the WCL all-star game on Tuesday hosted by the Cowlitz Black Bears in Longview, Washington.
The plate power was much in evidence, but not that vaunted pitching, as Victoria began the road trip with a 9-8 loss late Tuesday night to the GreyWolves in Gresham, Oregon.
In the second game of the set Wednesday, the HarbourCats (26-6) got on track with a 12-4 victory against the GreyWolves (17-18). Victoria can continue that goal of winning two-thirds of every series with a victory today to close out the series in Gresham.
Victoria ace Austin Dondanville (5-0) was on the mound Wednesday and the Cal Poly hurler pitched a fine line, falling behind 2-0 before getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning with a clutch strikeout. Dondanville pitched into the sixth inning.
Back to back doubles by Joe Prior and Cody Snider to open the fourth inning got the Victoria offence rolling. A two-RBI triple pulled Victoria ahead 5-2 later in the fourth inning. Stone led off the fifth inning with a double, scoring on a Snider sacrifice fly, as the HCats offence again found its potency.
As good as Victoria鈥檚 starting pitching has been this season 鈥� Dondanville, Will McAffer and Josh Mitchell have been selected for the WCL all-star game 鈥� there have been cracks appearing in the supporting cast.
鈥淥ur starting rotation and our back-end relief have been strong but our long and middle relief has been hurting us,鈥� said Victoria head coach Graig Merritt, from Gresham.
鈥淲e lost a lot of pitching depth when Dalton Erb [signed by Padres], James Kannenberg [injured] and Casey Costello [summer classes] left. Guys have not stepped up in their absence.鈥�
Then Merritt seemed to catch himself and put it into perspective.
鈥淏ut we鈥檝e only lost six games and clinched the first half of the season in the North Division and a playoff berth, so we鈥檙e not in panic mode,鈥� he said.
Merritt, however, is not dwelling on the 40-win target. That is the secondary goal, he stressed.
鈥淥ur top priority is bringing a championship to the city,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e already taken the first step by making the playoffs.鈥�
