They have come from far and wide across North America, from big cities and small towns, to chase their diamond dreams on the Island.
But none of the Victoria HarbourCats have come from a greater distance than Alex DeGoti of Miami, Fla.
鈥淭his game can be draining in so ways that aren鈥檛 always physical, so you have to be mentally tough,鈥� said 18-year-old shortstop, who has started every HarbourCats game of their young inaugural season in the West Coast League.
鈥淵ou have to stay focused.鈥�
Focus is what the HarbourCats (5-1) displayed Thursday night in falling behind 9-1 before rallying for a 12-11 victory over the stunned Medford Rogues of Oregon (4-5) before 1,015 fans at Royal Athletic Park.
The HarbourCats rallied to make it 9-7 and had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning before a double play got Medford out of that gruesome jam.
But there was another to come. With the bases loaded in the ninth inning with one out and Medford leading 11-8, Victoria-product Ryan Adkins was at the plate representing the winning run for the HarbourCats. Adkins struck out, leaving it to Chris Lewis out of Sacramento State, who singled to bring home two runs to make it 11-10.
Dylan Lavelle, a Detroit Tigers draft pick who arrived in Victoria just hours before the game, doubled to end it dramatically.
If writer Roger Kahn鈥檚 book about the minor-pro leagues was titled Good Enough to Dream, any chronicle about an NCAA collegiate summer league like the WCL could be called Young Enough to Dream.
鈥淥bviously, like everybody here, I want to make it to the top,鈥� said DeGoti, in an interview during the Medford series.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping to get drafted. The MLB is the ultimate goal. 鈥�
But when you look at the ferocious competition 鈥� the WCL is one of numerous collegiate summer leagues across North America 鈥� the odds might seem outrageously steep.
鈥淚鈥檓 taking it one pitch, one game at a time,鈥� said DeGoti.
鈥淚t鈥檚 basically a pro ball environment they present [in this league] 鈥� from playing every day to bus travel to the pre-game routines,鈥� said DeGoti, who had an outstanding career at Belen Jesuit High School in Miami, where he was all-county three years in a row hitting .350 as a sophomore, .340 as a junior and .322 as a senior.
He came to the other U.S. coast this past season for his freshman year in the NCAA 鈥� becoming part of the HarbourCats鈥� pipeline from Long Beach State that also includes pitchers Ty Provencher and Logan Lombana.
Victoria starter Joe Navilhon from Cal State-Fullerton got roughed up pretty good as Medford got to him with eight hits and nine runs over 41脷3 innings despite his six strikeouts.
The HarbourCats will embark on a six-game road trip, beginning Saturday in Kelowna.
