NightOwls storm back to beat HarbourCats in Victoria
Down 3-0 early at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP on Tuesday night, the NightOwls put up three runs in the eighth inning to complete a turnaround and post a 7-4 win over the Victoria HarbourCats, the start of a back-and-forth three game series between the island Rivals — with the Alex Burns ReMax Generation Cup on the line.
This was the first of nine games the two teams will play between now and Canada Day, six of those slated for historic Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo.
Every Nanaimo starter except Hsu He-Chieh had a hit and Aaron Marsh was 2-3 with his first double and a pair of walks. The NightOwls (6-4) won despite striking out 12 times.
Deshon Thomas blasted a home run to left field for his first WCL long ball, a solo shot in the seventh.
The HarbourCats fall to 5-5, Dustin Davidson taking the loss on the mound.
The teams will meet Wednesday night in Nanaimo, then return to Victoria for an 11am day game on Thursday for the annual Mayfair Optometric School Spirit Game.
The NightOwls then host the Redmond Dudes in a non-league series on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon, before then welcoming the HarbourCats back to Nanaimo for games next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
On Tuesday, after MLB icon Manny Ramirez and wife Juliana opened the game with the ceremonial first pitch, Nanaimo starter Nathan Buchan went three innings, giving up six hits and three runs while striking out three. Kai Hanasaki followed with two scoreless innings, with Tahj Orona, Grant Jakobson and Ryan Inouye finishing it off with his first WCL save.
The next home game for the NightOwls is Wednesday, June 12, when the Island-rival Victoria HarbourCats arrive as part of the ReMax Generation Island Cup. On the Victoria roster are two outfielders, Manny Jr. and Lucas Ramirez, who are the sons of famed MLB all-star and World Series champion Manny Ramirez, who played for Cleveland, Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Ramirez family is living in Victoria for the summer to follow the two players, and Manny will be around the team.
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