PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Lefties will visit the rival Victoria HarbourCats to open the 2022 West Coast League summer collegiate wood bat baseball season.
Official WCL schedules were announced Tuesday and herald a return to a slate of games in both the U.S. and Canada’s British Columbia and Alberta this coming summer, the first international league contests since 2019.
“Now it feels real,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer. “After a 2020 without games and a 2021 without our Canadian members, a 2022 with everyone — including three new teams in Canada, plus our fourth Oregon member — certainly figures to become the most exciting, dynamic and international season in League history.”
Opening Day 2022 is set for Tuesday, May 31, with eight of the league’s 16 teams in action; three days later, every team is slated to begin play on the weekend.
The regular season is scheduled to conclude Aug. 7, followed by WCL playoffs.
The full league schedule (minus opening pitch times) is available at https://tinyurl.com/PDN-WCL22.
The 2022 West Coast League campaign will feature four expansion teams, as the Edmonton (Alberta) Riverhawks, Kamloops (British Columbia) NorthPaws, Nanaimo (B.C.) NightOwls and Springfield (Ore.) Drifters will all begin their inaugural WCL seasons.
The Victoria HarbourCats and Kelowna Falcons will return to action after withdrawing from the 2021 season due to pandemic-related border and gathering limitations in Canada.
Highlights of Port Angeles’ summer slate include hosting Kamloops in the team’s opening home series June 3-5; a six-game homestand with Bend and Walla Walla from June 13-19 and another six-game homestand with Bellingham (July 8-10) and Kelowna (July 12-14).
Gear swap slated
PORT ANGELES — The Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club’s gear swap fundraiser will be held outside in the Black Ball Ferry parking lot, 101 E. Railroad Ave., from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20.
The event allows outdoor sports enthusiasts to buy, sell and trade all manner of outdoor equipment including skiing, snowboarding, paddling, surfing, hiking, biking and more.
Outdoor gear such as skis, snowboards, bikes and kayaks can be dropped off at the site between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 17-19 and from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. the day of the sale.
Shopping will run from noon to 2 p.m. and unsold gear can be picked up at 3 p.m.
Admission to the sale is $5 per individual and $8 for a family.
Proceeds will fund winter sports operations at Hurricane Ridge.
Free Veterans Day
PORT ANGELES — Entrance fees will be waived Thursday at national and state parks, federal Forest Service and state Department of Wildlife and Natural Resources recreation sites in observance of Veterans Day.
Organizers hope the fee-free day will encourage veterans, their families and all Americans to visit their parks and national forests and enjoy the many benefits these public lands provide.
The fee waiver includes many picnic areas, boat launches, trailheads and visitor centers.
Fees for camping, cabin rentals or other permits still apply.
Locally, the Hurricane Ridge Road is closed until winter maintenance begins Nov. 26.
Cougs win opener
PULLMAN — Tyrell Roberts hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points, Jefferson Koulibaly added 13 points and Washington State opened the season with an 85-67 win over Alcorn State on Tuesday.
With a noon tipoff, the game started slowly before the Cougars broke away from a 13-13 tie with a 19-6 run. The stretch included three 3-pointers. Washington State led 39-25 at the half and stretched it to 23, 50-27, less than three minutes into the second half.
Washington State finished 11 of 34 from distance while Alcorn State was just 4 of 17.
T.J. Bamba scored 11 points for Washington State and Michael Flowers had nine points, 11 rebounds and six assists. The Cougars had a 44-27 rebounding advantage.
WSU was 24 of 30 from the foul line, and Alcorn State 17 of 21 — with 47 fouls called in the game.
Alcorn State is also playing at Seattle today, Portland and No. 1 Gonzaga in the first seven days of the season. Seattle is at Washington State on Friday.
Peninsula Daily News and The Associated Press
