There is no better example of Victoria HarbourCats coach Todd Haney’s brand of attacking baseball than the fact two of the top-three base stealers in the West Coast League, heading into Saturday night’s games, were Victoria HarbourCats.
Garrett Teunissen tied for the league lead in stolen bases with 14 and NyZaiah Thompson out of NCAA Div. 1 Cal State-Fullerton was third with 13.
“[Former major-leaguer Haney] lets us play freely and be athletes out there. He is a player’s coach and connects with us,” says Thompson.
But the Victoria attack has been blunted of late with the HarbourCats (15-17) losing their fourth consecutive game by dropping an 8-2 decision to the Kelowna Falcons (13-15) on a warm Saturday night at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.
Teunissen was named on the season’s WCL Spotlight list released this weekend. It was the second of three Spotlight lists, which feature a player from each team standing out over the previous few weeks.
“[Teunissen’s] speed has been a real weapon,” was the WCL’s Spotlight analysis, of the fleet infielder, out of Cal State-San Marcos. Teunissen told the sa国际传媒 this season: “My goal is pro ball and hopefully I get seen this summer.”
His prowess on the base paths has him headed at least in the right direction, perhaps to pro ball at some level. It happens in the summer-collegiate WCL.
Thirty-nine WCL alumni have played in MLB games this year. A total of 62 WCL alumni appeared in MLB games last season and more than 300 in minor-pro ball.
Getting the nod on the Spotlight list from the visiting Falcons was pitcher Ethan Coronel from NCAA Div. 1 Sam Houston State, with a downright stingy .083 ERA heading into the weekend set at Royal Athletic Park.
The Falcons and HarbourCats close out their series with a matinee game this afternoon at 1 p.m. at Royal Athletic Park.
Named to the latest Spotlight list from the Nanaimo Night Owls (13-15) was pitcher Aidan Russell. The Owls defeated the visiting Wenatchee AppleSox (21-11) by a 9-6 count on three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday night at Serauxmen Stadium. Nanaimo and the AppleSox close out their series this afternoon at 1 in the Harbour City.
