NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 4, 2017

KELOWNA, BC—The Victoria HarbourCats (16-13/2-0) took an early lead on Tuesday night at Elks Stadium and never looked back as they won their sixth consecutive game with a 14-1 victory in the series opener over the Kelowna Falcons (17-11/0-1).

The first meeting of the season between the WCL’s two Canadian clubs came the day after Kelowna clinched the West Coast League’s North Division First Half Pennant.

The HarbourCats entered as the hottest team in the WCL as winners of their previous five games, and proceeded to put on their biggest offensive output of the season with 14 runs on 19 hits.

Victoria scored three runs on four hits in the top of the first, highlighted by an RBI double from first baseman Harrison Bragg (Mississippi State) to give an early lead to Taylor Prokopis (Colorado Mesa) who made his first start of the season for the HarbourCats.

Center fielder Hunter Vansau (Mississippi State) led off the third inning with his second home run of the summer as the HarbourCats scored two runs in the inning to lead 5-0.

Vansau was at it again in the fourth inning, collecting his team leading third hit and RBI of the game, starting the scoring in a four-run frame that widened Victoria’s lead to 9-0.

The Falcons scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the fifth against Prokopis who earned the win (2-2), pitching five innings, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts.

Victoria put the final touches on their offensive outburst, scoring four times in the top of the eighth to bring the score to its 14-1 final. The inning included three consecutive RBI singles from second baseman Tucker Johnson (Baylor), Ethan Lopez (Hawaii) and Andrew Shaps (Chico State).

Brandon Marklund (Bryan College) took the loss (0-1) for Kelowna, allowing eight runs, six earned, over 3.1 innings pitched on eight hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Relievers Noah Prewett (San Diego) and Radd Thomas (UC Santa Barbara) combined to throw four scoreless innings on just one hit.

Johnson was the second HarbourCat with three hits, while four players drove in multiple runs.

Game two of the series will be played Wednesday at 6:35pm at Elks Stadium in Kelowna.

The HarbourCats return home to Victoria for a weekend series against the Bend Elks at Royal Athletic Park.

The series begins with Freedom 55 Financial Game Night and Forces Friday with Galaxy Motors, followed by Yoga Day in Victoria on Saturday. Harvey’s birthday  wraps up the series on Sunday.

Start times on Friday and Saturday are 6:35pm, with a 1:05pm first pitch on Sunday.

Tickets are available online via Ticket Rocket: http://www.ticketrocket.co/search/events?searchText=HarbourCats

Complete ticket information is available at www.harbourcats.com/tickets

2018 SEASON TICKETS 

2018 season tickets will go on sale in July including the highly popular Campbell Real Estate Club. Tentative plans are in the works to expand the new home plate seating section from two to four rows of padded seating.

Waiting lists will be taken for season tickets in the Diamond Club seats.

Visit the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or call (778)-265-0327 to purchase season tickets or for more information. You can also email brittany@harbourcats.com for further details, or go to the team website at harbourcats.com.

OFFICE HOURS

The HarbourCats office (1814 Vancouver Street, 778-265-0327) is open 12:00pm – 5:00pm on Wednesday, July 5 and Thursday, July 6.

The office is open daily the weekend of July 7-9 at 9:00am until the stadium box office and gates open one hour prior to first pitch.