Victoria and Port Angeles will revive a diamond history tonight that stretches back to the venerable Port Angeles franchise in the old Stuffy McGinnis men鈥檚 softball league at Central Park.
The opener of the 2017 West Coast League baseball season, the only game on the schedule tonight, features the Victoria HarbourCats visiting Port Angeles for the first game in Lefties history.
The Port Angelenos are jacked for the occasion with a capacity crowd of more than 3,000 expected tonight at Civic Field.
鈥淭his is special for us to open against Victoria because of the proximity and natural rivalry,鈥� said Matt Acker, the managing owner of the Lefties.
Acker moved the franchise in the off-season from Kitsap, Washington, where it was known as the BlueJackets but where it struggled for fan support. He doesn鈥檛 seem to lack for that in Port Angeles.
鈥淭his market is primed for this because baseball is all about being outside and this is an outdoors-minded community,鈥� said Acker.
鈥淲e think it鈥檚 a good fit.鈥�
Victoria has given the Lefties something to emulate from across the strait. The HarbourCats have led the WCL in attendance the past four seasons and are the defending North Division champions.
鈥淲e respect them but we also want to beat them,鈥� said Acker.
After tonight鈥檚 game, the Lefties will travel to Kelowna on Friday where they鈥檒l play their first road game against the Falcons.
