She’ll be back: Eccles returns to HarbourCats
Claire Eccles, who became the first woman to play in the West Coast League, will return to the Victoria HarbourCats for a second stint, the baseball club announced Wednesday.
The left-handed knuckleballer from White Rock will return along with switch-hitting, versatile outfielder Ethan Lopez. Both were fan favourites in 2017.
“A lot of people around the world learned about the West Coast League, the Victoria HarbourCats and the level of baseball we play, because of the interest in Claire and what she accomplished in the summer of 2017,” HarbourCats managing partner Jim Swanson said in a statement.
“It was a move that turned many heads and brought in female fans of all ages,” he said. “There were some people who thought we were nuts, too, and Claire proved them wrong.
“She handled things so well both on and off the field, with the support of great teammates, who had her back at every turn — even when coaches and players on other teams would snicker or make remarks,” Swanson said.
Eccles won her first game on June 29, a 12-11 victory in which she pitched one inning, allowing one run on three hits. Her overall earned-run average was 14.04 in seven appearances that included 8 ⁄ innings pitched, two strikeouts, four walks and 16 hits.
Lopez, of Whittier, California, played in 30 games and batted .216, with 11 runs batted in and added four stolen bases. The University of Hawaii junior was one of the team’s leaders.