Lucky No. 13 hits a home run for the HarbourCats
Victoria HarbourCats infielder Jack Smith celebrates his first-inning home run against the Bellingham Bells in West Coast League action at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park on Friday. The ’Cats went on to win 6-5 in the first of a three-game home stand against the North Division-leading Bells. The teams play again at 6:35 p.m. today and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Jason Willow had a 2018 homecoming to remember Friday night for the Victoria HarbourCats in a 6-5 West Coast League baseball victory that snapped an eightgame Bellingham Bells winning streak.
The hometown boy and Baltimore Orioles draft pick, now in the NCAA with the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos, cranked a solo homer in the fifth inning in his first game back from Santa Barbara.
“It was an awesome night and so cool to do that in front of the home crowd,” said Willow, who captained Canada to the bronzemedal game of the 2017 U-18 World Cup.
“And it was nice to get that ovation when I was announced at the plate.”
The wind blowing out of Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park was a factor on the night.
“It’s a small park, and when you get under it [ball], the wind will help you,” said Willow.
HarbourCats teammate Jeddediah Fagg also homered, and banged another ball off the wall for a double on a three-hit, twoRBI and two-runs scored night. Jack Smith, out of the NCAA Pac12 Washington State Cougars, also hit a home run to complete the trey for Victoria.
Fagg’s home run was soaring as it cleared the scoreboard in left field as the slugger out Georgia Southern increased his team lead in home runs to three on the season.
“We are seeing the ball and are being more aggressive at the plate,” said Fagg, of Victoria’s sudden discovery of the long ball after being more of a contact-hitting team. “And the wind was a factor.” The win snapped the Bells’ eight-game victory trek as the North Division leaders went to 13-6. The HarbourCats moved to 9-7 and 2 12 ⁄ games behind Bellingham in the race for the first-half division title and playoff berth that goes with it.
But it got dicey at the end as the Bells scored in the top of the ninth inning to make it 6-5 with none out before bowing out to HarbourCats closer Ping-Chun Ho with runners on second and third.
“This is a big series and that was close at the end,” said Fagg.
The HarbourCats and Bells close out their set with games tonight and Sunday afternoon at Wilson’s Group Stadium.
FOUL TIPS: Following Sunday’s game, the HarbourCats will head right back on the road with games Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Walla Walla against the Sweets.