’Cats win Island Cup but miss first-half playoff berth

The Victoria HarbourCats rounded second base on the season with a double dose of Canada Day fireworks before capacity crowds, Sunday night at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park and Monday night at Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo, and will get to see even more this week when they are in Wenatchee, Washington, for the American Independence Day celebration.

But it hasn’t been fireworks in the standings as the HarbourCats reached the halfway point of the West Coast League season knowing they have some work to do in the second half. Either the Wenatchee AppleSox or Edmonton Riverhawks will take the first-half North Division crown and playoff berth that goes with it. But the HarbourCats know that script well after winning the season second-half division title last year to make the playoffs after Bellingham had taken the firsthalf honours.

The HarbourCats were closing out the 2024 first half on Monday with a double dip in the Harbour City with a 4-3 victory over the NightOwls in the first seven-inning game as Michelle Artzberger out of NCAA Louisiana-Monroe, in just his second game for Victoria, led the offence with two hits including a double.

The result guaranteed the HarbourCats the Island Cup, which goes to the team winning the season series between Victoria and Nanaimo. The second seven-inning game of the doubleheader was in progress at press time but the HarbourCats (14-12) led the series 5-3 and could not be passed or tied by the NightOwls (10-13). The Island rivals will have completed their season series.

But not before Nanaimo at least got to spoil the fireworks party on Sunday night at Royal Athletic Park with a 13-5 blowout win over Victoria.

The HarbourCats begin a three-game set tonight in Wenatchee against the AppleSox (18-9) before returning to engage the Kelowna Falcons (10-14) in a three-game series beginning Friday at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.