The wafting smell of hotdogs and sizzling onions, and both the crack of the bat and beer cans opening, returned after three years Tuesday evening to Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.
“Welcome back from the longest cat-nap in history,” said Victoria HarbourCats co-owner and managing partner Jim Swanson on the PA, in re-introducing mascot Harvey the HarbourCat prior to the game.
There was nothing slumberous about Victoria as it defeated the cross-strait rival Port Angeles Lefties 6-2. But the score hardly seemed to matter. The only thing that did, on this night for the players and 2,016 spectators, was the over-arching theme that West Coast League baseball is back on the Island after the 2020 and 2021 seasons were wiped out by the pandemic.
The WCL is a circuit featuring college and university players extending their seasons into summer after their NCAA or NAIA seasons or playoffs have concluded. Fans may glimpse a rising star or two at RAP this summer. A total of 59 WCL alumni appeared in MLB games in 2021 and 305 in affiliated pro ball. MLB opening-day rosters this year featured 33 former WCL players, including former HarbourCats Nick Pivetta with the Red Sox and Andrew Vaughan with the White Sox. Former WCL Corvallis Knights catcher Adley Rutschman was the top overall selection in the 2019 MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles. There were 42 WCL alumni selected in the 2021 MLB draft, including four among the top-65 picks.
Jace Walker, a five-foot-10 righty from Temple College in Texas, got the start on the mound for the HarbourCats in the opener after scheduled-starter Liam Rocha from Cal Baptist could not get to Victoria.
“It’s always an honour to get the start on opening night,” said Walker.
“I like to mix it up and get the curve ball in along with my fastball.”
Although he’s from Texas, Walker said he prefers the cooler Island summer temperature for baseball: “I don’t like pitching in 100 degrees (37 C). I like this weather much better in which to play ball.”
Walker went four complete innings and allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk before giving way to relievers Flynn Ridley, who took the win in two innings of work, and hometown Victoria-product Owen Luchies, who mopped up the final three innings.
Six-foot-two, 215-pound slugger Grady Morgan from the Chico State Wildcats of the NCAA led the way offensively for Victoria with three hits, a walk and two runs scored.
The HarbourCats and Lefties meet again tonight at 6:35 p.m. and Thursday morning at 11 a.m. in the annual school-kids game.
HarbourCats head coach Todd Haney is a former professional infielder who played five seasons in MLB with the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. HCats pitching coach Mark Petkovsek played nine seasons in the MLB while Victoria bench-coach Greg Swindell played 17 years in the majors, giving the HarbourCats a staff with a combined 31 seasons of MLB playing experience.
“They have so much knowledge and we’re blessed to be able to learn from them,” said Walker.
Meanwhile, the Nanaimo NightOwls played their first WCL game in franchise history Tuesday night in Portland and were trailing the host Pickles 3-0 in the seventh inning. The Nanaimo home opener is Friday night at Serauxmen Stadium against the Edmonton Riverhawks.
Joining the HarbourCats this season among five Canadian franchises in the 16-team WCL are the Kelowna Falcons and expansion NightOwls, Riverhawks and Kamloops NorthPaws. There are 11 teams in Oregon and Washington state.
Each team plays 54 games. The 2022 regular season runs through Aug. 7. Eight teams will make the playoffs.
