Which is to be expected in a season curtain-raiser.
Some on-diamond issues are also to be expected, as the HarbourCats found out in a 2-1 loss to the Sweets.
鈥淲e struck out 13 times and we can鈥檛 do that if we want to win games,鈥� said Victoria head coach Graig Merritt.
鈥淏ut their starter [Easton Lucas] was really good, so a tip of the hat to him.鈥�
The HarbourCats run came in the second inning with two out when Cody Snider singled and stole second. He was driven home by a Hayden Jaco double to make it 1-1. Snider, a five-foot-nine junior outfielder from Chico State, led Victoria with two hits.
Victoria starter James Kannenberg from the University of San Francisco Dons went six innings and gave up four hits, four walks and allowed two earned runs with three strikeouts. Colin Ashworth came on in relief and gave up just one walk with one strikeout.
鈥淜annenberg gave us six really strong innings,鈥� said Merritt.
鈥淎nd then Ashworth came out of the bullpen and also did a very good job.鈥�
It came down of Victoria鈥檚 offence, or lack of it.
Lucas, who made 13 starts this season as a freshman for Pepperdine, took the win for the Sweets by going 42脷3 innings and allowing three hits, one earned run with eight strikeouts. He played last season for the Sweets directly out of high school. He displayed enough control to keep Victoria in check during his start. The Sweets鈥� bullpen did the rest in putting down any HarbourCats鈥� threats.
The Sweets feature Hunter Villanueva, who was named 2015 WCL most valuable player as a member of the Kelowna Falcons.
The series continues today and Sunday in Walla Walla before the HarbourCats get on the bus to head back for their home opener on Tuesday against the Wenatchee AppleSox at Royal Athletic Park.
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