A packed house of just over 5,000 fans, including these students from Spencer Middle School, enjoyed the HarbourCats 11-1 win Saturday (Photo: Don Descoteau)

June 7, 2023, VICTORIA, B.C. — The pitchers are pitching, the hitters are hitting, and the defence is defending.

That pretty much tells the tale of a season-starting hot streak for the Victoria HarbourCats (6-0), who completed a second straight series sweep at home with Wednesday afternoon’s 11-1 victory over the Walla Walla Sweets, at Wilson’s Group Stadium in Victoria.

The game, played in front of 5,008 on School Spirit Day sponsored by Mayfair Optometric Clinic, left onlookers with happy eyes indeed. A bases-clearing triple in the third inning by Jack Johnson (Baylor) started the onslaught of runs, and Victoria never looked back.

Johnson finished the day 2-4 with four runs driven in. Tyler Davis (Fresno State) was 4-5, and schoolmate Marco Pirruccello was 2-5 with two doubles — all part of a 14-hit attack, drawing six walks to spur the scoring.

HarbourCats starter Jack Seward delvers a pitch in front of a packed house Wednesday against Walla Walla (Photo: Don Descoteau)

Another Jack, as in Seward (Central Arizona), held Walla Walla bats silent for four effective innings, giving way to Josh Berenbaum, who was credited with the win. Chase Marshall, Loreto Siniscalchi and Darius Opdam Bak each threw an inning to complete the victory, with Walla Walla’s 10 hits and three walks scattered enough to prevent runs crossing the plate.

FULL BOXSCORE

Landon Webb took the loss with four runs allowed in as many innings.

Most of the fans on this special time-game arrived in school buses, which lined the streets around Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP. Food trucks were wiped clean, and the main concession sold out of hot dogs. There was no ice cream to be had by game’s end in the Sub Zero truck.

The HarbourCats have Thursday off before heading out on a six-game road trip — three games in Wenatchee starting Friday, then moving to Port Angeles for three more. The next home action in Victoria is Friday, June 16, the start of three games (Friday-Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon) against the Yakima Valley Pippins. The Edmonton Riverhawks then visit for a Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday (June 20-22) series at RAP.

STANDINGS

The HarbourCats lead the North Division, while the Sweets (0-6), who were swept last weekend by Nanaimo, will be happy to get off of Vancouver Island and head home to regroup and add players to their roster in advance of their Friday home opener at Borleske Stadium.

Tyrus Hall is all smiles as he scores one of Victoria’s 11 runs Wednesday (Photo: Don Descoteau)

Tickets for all remaining games are available on-line ONLY at our official ticketing partner Select Your Tickets at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.   Tickets are also available at the HarbourCats office at 1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.