Although mathematically still alive for the final wild-card playoff berth, the Victoria HarbourCats are facing a thankless task heading into the final weekend of the West Coast League baseball season.
The HarbourCats (28-23) need to win out the three games in Bellingham against the West Division-leading and playoff-bound Bells (31-20). Not only that, Victoria also needs the Corvallis Knights (30-21) to lose their final three games of the season against the Medford Rogues, which go tonight and conclude with a doubleheader Sunday in Oregon.
The HarbourCats did their part Friday by beating the Bells 9-2 before 1,506 fans at Joe Martin Field as winner Dominic Topoozian, the Fresno State junior selected as the lone HarbourCat for the WCL all-star game this season, tossed a five-hitter over seven innings.
Soon-to-be NCAA freshman Kevin Collard led the offence with a monster night that included his seventh home run of the season and added a double on a three-hit, two-RBI and four-run night to again show why he is set to be considered a fairly high pick for the 2018 MLB draft.
Griffin Andreychuk, A.J. Alcantara and Boston Red Sox draft pick Micheal Gretler had two hits each for the HarbourCats to add fuel to the offence.
Whatever the outcome this weekend, Victoria is guaranteed for a finish above .500 for the first time in the three years of franchise history.
The HarbourCats and Bells close out their set tonight and Sunday in a league that boasted 209 WCL alumni active in affiliated pro ball in 2015, including 21 in the majors..
Whether the HarbourCats make the playoffs or not, Victoria did successfully defend one championship this year. The 鈥機ats will lead the WCL in attendance (1,910 average per game at Royal Athletic Park in 2015) for the second straight year.
