The HarbourCats are coming back, and they’re bringing their big bats.
Victoria’s West Coast League baseball team is returning to Nanaimo’s Serauxmen Stadium on Sunday (July 3) to face a Nanaimo Pirates all-star team in exhibition play.
The two teams met a year ago, when the visitors won a home-run-filled 10-9 game.
“I knew they wanted to come, it was just a matter of if we could work out all the logistics,” said Doug Rogers, Pirates manager.
As soon as he confirmed this year’s rematch, he had Pirates alumni calling him wanting to be part the event.
“I’m pretty excited. The Pirates were always a lot of fun and it’s fun to put the jersey back on,” said Jordan Romine, Pirates alumnus, who homered in last year’s game against the HarbourCats.
Rogers pointed out that Victoria’s roster is filled with guys from NCAA Div. 1 programs.
“They played 10 months out of the year and now they go play another two months of intense, everyday baseball and they’re still bouncing around like jackrabbits out there,” he said. “That’s commitment, but that’s also the passion it takes to get to that level.”
The Pirates all-stars will include current premier-league roster players, plus alumni such as Kenton Schroter, Brendan McCarthy, Justin Clarkson, Bryan Dumesnil, Ben Dunbar, Joey Sabo, Alex Rogers, Brady Rogers and others.
“Based on what we saw last year and how much fun everybody had and the quality of the game, everyone walked away from here smiling,” Doug Rogers said.
GAME ON … The Pirates and HarbourCats play at 3 p.m. Gates will open at 1 p.m. for fans wishing to watch batting practice. Tickets for the nine-inning game are $10, or $5 for kids 12 and under, and are available at Kirby’s Source for Sports or at the gate. Kids 12 and under wearing a baseball uniform will be admitted free. The Pirates also have a home game Tuesday (June 28) against the Parksville Royals at 6:30 p.m. at Serauxmen Stadium.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
