VICTORIA聽 2
COWLITZ聽 1
That was a friendly, cross-border helping hand. Helping bat, more like.
A star-spangled kid from, of all places Crawford, Texas, provided the winning RBI for the Victoria HarbourCats on sa国际传媒鈥檚 150th birthday Saturday afternoon in a 2-1 victory over the Cowlitz Black Bears at Royal Athletic Park.
Hunter Vansau, who grew up as former U.S. president George W. Bush鈥檚 next-door neighbour in Crawford, drove in Nick Moroney with an RBI single in the fifth inning for a run that would hold up as the winner.
It was Vansau鈥檚 second hit of the game. The NCAA Mississippi State player is leaving an impression north of the border with his exceptional play. He is certainly enjoying his 鈥渇oreign summer鈥� in the West Coast League.
鈥淭he fourth of July can be pretty cool back home. But props to Canadians over the vibe here the past couple of days,鈥� Vansau said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 more going on here for sa国际传媒 Day than I can remember back home on the fourth of July. It鈥檚 been so much fun.鈥�
About the question he is most asked: Yes, he has been to W鈥檚 house: 鈥淸Bush] has had everybody on our street over for barbeques. That鈥檚 been so cool. He鈥檚 the nicest guy.鈥�
The HarbourCats (15-13) won for the fifth consecutive game. Few of the 1,749 fans probably knew, but the victory meant more than the previous four. It marked the start of the second half of the HarbourCats鈥� season.
The WCL North Division playoffs will match the winner of the first half of the regular season 鈥� Kelowna, Walla Walla, Bellingham and Wenatchee are still in contention for that crown 鈥� against the winner of the second half of the season.
The HarbourCats swept the three games against Cowlitz at RAP, all by one run, including the 6-5 win Friday before 3,484 fans on Fireworks Night.
鈥淲e have a lot of young players, and winning these close games is a sign that our ball club is maturing,鈥� Vansau said.
HarbourCats head coach Brian McRae is also American, as are most of his players. The 10-year former major-leaguer celebrated his seventh sa国际传媒 Day in sa国际传媒. He has previously been north of the border on July 1 with the Toronto Blue Jays and also while hosting youth camps. 鈥淭his is not so new for me,鈥� he quipped.
McRae liked how his team celebrated sa国际传媒 Day. And the four straight wins before that, too.
鈥淵ou can sense it in ball, where winning breeds winning,鈥� he said.
鈥淓verybody is getting more comfortable in their roles.
鈥淲e gave away some games in the first half of the season that we shouldn鈥檛 have given away. That is not going to happen in the second half.鈥�
Certainly not if home-island starter Adam McKillican keeps pitching the way he has been. The Comox Valley product, from the UBC Thunderbirds, moved to 4-0 by going 6.1 innings Saturday with six hits allowed, one of which was a home run for Cowlitz (9-15) by Devlin Granberg.
Blake Hannah, Indigo Diaz and closer Travis Kuhn provided shutout relief pitching Saturday.
The HarbourCats play the Victoria Mavericks all-stars in an exhibition game at RAP on Monday, with Claire Eccles scheduled to start for the Cats.
