NANAIMO, B.C. — Knowing this group, that won’t be close to the lasting memory they will leave with Nanaimo NightOwls fans.
The NightOwls, hours after returning from Wenatchee and a tough series loss to the AppleSox, dropped a 15-4 decision on Monday night to the Edmonton Riverhawks at historic Serauxmen Stadium.
The two teams meet again Tuesday and Wednesday night at Serauxmen, the final regular season and home games for the NightOwls this season — their third in the West Coast League.
Edmonton scored seven runs in the top of the eighth inning, and with the result officially secured a playoff spot for the first time in the Riverhawks’ three-season history — and the NightOwls were fully eliminated from contention. The NightOwls will finish fifth in the North Division and ninth overall, in a league where the top eight teams make the post-season.
The NightOwls dealt with a tough strike zone in striking out 14 times. Drew Rutter was 3-5 with an RBI, and Cole Carmichael had two hits, including a double, part of a nine-hit attack by Nanaimo that included scoring two runs in the seventh inning to make a late comeback possible in front of the 1,620 in attendance on a BC Day holiday Monday.
The two teams close out the regular season Tuesday and Wednesday at Serauxmen Stadium, both 6:35pm starts with the gates opening at 5:30pm. The NightOwls are 25-27 overall and seeking to end the season at the .500 mark with two games to go.
Utilityman Cole ‘Cowboy’ Carmichael, who has pitched and played a variety of positions for the NightOwls this season, will play all nine positions in the game Tuesday — something the ELAC student-athlete is entirely capable of doing.
The results Monday mean the four North Division teams in the playoffs will be the top-seeded Wenatchee AppleSox, and in some order the Bellingham Bells, Edmonton Riverhawks and Victoria HarbourCats. It is likely the AppleSox and HarbourCats will meet in the first round and the first game of that series will be played at Serauxmen Stadium because of a decision by the City of Victoria to turn their home field, Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park, over to the CFL’s B.C. Lions for preparations for a game to be played at the end of the month.
That would leave the Riverhawks and Bells are likely to meet in the other first-round meeting.
