At the end of Sunday鈥檚 3-2 West Coast League matin茅e victory over the Bend Elks at Royal Athletic Park, the owner of the Victoria HarbourCats quipped: 鈥淚 hope people don鈥檛 forget about us.鈥�
The HarbourCats don鈥檛 return to RAP until July 5, but John McLean won鈥檛 have to worry about being out of mind if the H-Cats keep playing the way they have been. Victoria has won each of its five series to date in amassing a 10-4 record in the franchise鈥檚 inaugural season.
The HarbourCats now have five days off, which is highly unusual in the summer collegiate baseball WCL, before starting a six-game road trip Saturday against the Cowlitz Black Bears in Kelso/Longview, Wash.
The Sunday matin茅e attracted 1,246 fans despite overcast conditions that certainly dampened the walk-up. It should be noted the HarbourCats are one of the few teams in any league in any sport who don鈥檛 inflate their attendance numbers and are scrupulous about only counting people actually through the gate.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be more pleased on and off the field,鈥� said McLean, a Vancouver investment banker.
鈥淚t shows it was a well thought-out process in putting this franchise together [on the field and off].鈥�
Sunday鈥檚 hero for Victoria was pitcher Bryan Conant, the lefty who took the win in relief by going four innings and allowing two hits and no runs. Starter Scott Kuzminsky from the University of Hawaii Rainbows allowed five hits and two runs over five innings.
Conant is usually a starter but wasn鈥檛 surprised to get the relief call.
鈥淭here are a lot of good pitchers on this team and the coaches told me there is a possibility of me coming out of the bullpen this year,鈥� said the imposing six-foot-five freshman from Cal State-Fullerton.
With the slim one-run lead, Conant loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with two out but fought out of the jam.
鈥淜eeping composure and getting out of [tough spots] wins ball games,鈥� he said.
A smart-looking Bend team fell to 12-6 despite banging out seven hits to Victoria鈥檚 three.
Chris Lewis from Sacramento State had a hit, run and RBI for the HarbourCats.
鈥淲e found a way to manufacture runs and [Conant] didn鈥檛 lose composure,鈥� said Victoria manager Dennis Rogers.
鈥淎fter 14 games, we鈥檙e getting a tempo going with our club.鈥�
STRIKE FOUR: The HarbourCats have one player represented in the best-of-three 2013 College World Series championship final, which begins Monday in Omaha, Neb., between the UCLA Bruins and Mississippi State. Freshman infielder Brett Urabe of the Bruins will join the HarbourCats after the CWS.
