August 3, 2023

By Christian J. Stewart

Victoria HarbourCats

Victoria, B.C. - The Victoria HarbourCats defeated the Nanaimo NightOwls 4-1 Thursday night in West Coast League (WCL) action at Wilson's Group Stadium in Victoria and in the process, set a new WCL record for home wins with 25.

The team lost only twice all season in the friendly confines of Royal Athletic Park.

The win also keeps the HarbourCats in the hunt for the second-half North Division title. They are a half-game back of Wenatchee.

The HarbourCats now hit the road for their final three games of the season in Edmonton, with the playoff seeding still up in the air.

On Thursday, the HarbourCats stuck to a familiar pattern, falling behind early and then scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth, to break a 1-1 tie, and vault into the lead. Those three runs came thanks to RBI singles from newly named Player of the Year Tyler Davis, Dallas Macias and Russell Young (Surrey, B.C.).

On the mound, Levi Abbott (Lethbridge, Alta.) got the start and he was brilliant, spinning five innings of three-hit baseball, allowing just a run, while striking out eight. Ryan Magdic (Beamsville, Ont.) and Sam Jordan (Victoria, B.C.) each tossed two innings of scoreless relief to close things out.

The HarbourCats are still awaiting a final decision on who their opponent will be in the playoffs and on what day next week, Tuesday or Wednesday, they will host the first playoff game. It will all come down to the final series with Edmonton.