The Victoria HarbourCats finally got to utter that magical baseball 鈥楥鈥� word: Victoria clinched the West Coast League overall regular-season title Monday night in Kitsap.
鈥淚t feels great. Nobody can catch us. This gives us confidence heading into the playoffs,鈥� said HarbourCats coach Graig Merritt.
After two losses Friday and Saturday in Bellingham, the HCats鈥� bats went off in Washington state, recording 9-2 and 7-2 victories over the Bellingham Bells and Kitsap Blue Jackets on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
鈥淲e鈥檙e getting our mojo back,鈥� Merritt said.
Ryan Anderson from UC-Davis had six RBIs, three each Sunday and Monday.
鈥淩yan was down in the dumps and struggling a bit earlier in the season, but really stepped up,鈥� said Merritt.
Austin Dondanville from Cal Poly (6-1 with a 1.72 ERA) took the win for Victoria on Monday, going eight complete innings with six strikeouts and six hits and two earned runs allowed.
It was Dondanville鈥檚 last start of the regular season because he is Victoria鈥檚 scheduled Game 1 starter in the playoffs.
The HarbourCats have five games remaining in the regular campaign.
The HarbourCats, who have clinched a North Division playoff berth, moved to 36-13 overall while the Blue Jackets, long ago eliminated from any sniff of the post-season, fell to 15-37.
Victoria sprayed 11 hits on Sunday, three from Anderson, as they hit well strategically against Bellingham. HarbourCats starter Blake Hannah from UC-Irvine took the win Sunday by going six complete with seven hits and two runs allowed.
Victoria closes out the Kitsap set tonight and Wednesday.
The games are part of the 18 games in 19 days that are closing out the regular season for the HarbourCats.
The idea is to get these NCAA collegiate players used to everyday play and the kind of travel they will face if they make it to pro ball.
