VICTORIA 5
KITSAP 4
Victoria HarbourCats closer Josh Mitchell earned his keep the hard way Tuesday night in Bremerton, Washington.
The HarbourCats, facing potential disaster with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, got the final put out from Mitchell to preserve a 5-4 West Coast League baseball victory over the Kitsap BlueJackets.
Mitchell, from the Pitt Panthers of the NCAA, had a two-run lead given him and he gave up three hits and one run, but struck out two, in his eventful ninth inning of work.
Austin Dondanville, a six-foot right-hander and business major from Cal-Poly, got the start for Victoria. The native of Walnut Creek, California, went 4 2/3 innings, allowing six hits, three runs with four strikeouts and no walks.
Sean O’Toole got the win with just one batter pitched to, and put out, to end the fifth inning.
The offensive hero of the piece for Victoria was veteran shortstop Alex DeGoti from Long Beach State with two hits and a run scored. Kevin Collard, the emerging Grade 12 star headed to the University of San Diego, continued his fine season for the HarbourCats with a hit and two RBIs.
Victoria (7-9) won its second consecutive game while the BlueJackets slipped to 6-7.
Victoria and Kitsap conclude their series with games tonight and Thursday in Bremerton. The HarbourCats hand the ball tonight to their ace Alex Rogers (3-0 with a 0.46 ERA) from Nanaimo and go with Matt Blais (0-0 and 6.75) on Thursday night.
The HarbourCats are looking for only their second three-game set victory — against four 2-1 series losses — to start this season. Victoria’s only previous series win came against Kitsap.
The HarbourCats return to Royal Athletic Park on Friday to begin a three-game set against the Wenatchee AppleSox.