PORT ANGELES — While the rains hammer home, visualize Civic Field on a warm July evening. That’s possible with the recent release of the West Coast League’s 2018 baseball schedule.
Civic Field’s second summer slate as the home of Port Angeles Lefties collegiate wood-bat baseball will begin in much the same fashion as the inaugural 2017 season — a home game against the Victoria HarbourCats on Thursday, May 31.
That contest will be a non-league game against a West Coast League opponent.
Port Angeles will immediately head south for a three-game road series beginning June 1 against the newest WCL squad, the Portland Pickles, at Walker Stadium in SE Portland’s Lents Park, followed by three games at the Bend Elks.
Port Angeles’ first homestand begins Friday, June 8 with three games against the Bellingham Bells, followed by a three-game series against the Cowlitz Black Bears.
Dates for the West Coast League’s All-Star festivities in Port Angeles also were finalized.
Port Angeles will host the West Coast League Home Run Derby on Monday, July 16, followed by the league’s All-Star game on Tuesday, July 17. Start times for those events will be announced later.
The Lefties also made some start time adjustments for the 2018 slate after hearing requests from fans.
All weekday games in June will start at 6:05 p.m — with the exception of Wednesday contests, which will have first pitch at 3:05 p.m., and an 11 a.m. start on Wednesday, June 13.
The Lefties are hoping the Port Angeles School District allows students to attend the morning game.
Sunday games will have a 1:05 p.m. start time.
All other games will start at 6:35 p.m, with two excecptions. The Independence Day game on Tuesday, July 4, is a 7:35 p.m. start to allow the Lefties and fans to enjoy the Fourth of July Parade in Port Angeles. And the Lefties game against Victoria on Monday, July 23 will begin at 3:05 p.m. in order for the HarbourCats to catch the MV Coho ferry back to Victoria.
Non-League home games will be played May 31, July 10-12 and August 7.
The team is hoping to bring in an international squad for that three-game stretch in July.
Season tickets are for sale at www.leftiesbaseball.com/tickets.
The team said it will offer 10-game ticket packs by Thanksgiving and single game tickets will be available in January.
Established in 2005, the West Coast League showcases top collegiate baseball players from across North America in 11 markets throughout Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.
This year’s 54-game regular-season schedule was extended by three days, and concludes on Wednesday, Aug. 8. With the addition of the Portland Pickles to the WCL South, the Yakima Valley Pippins were moved to the North Division and as a result Walla Walla was moved to the South.
For the full West Coast League schedule, visit tinyurl.com/PDN-WCL18.
Lefties survey
Port Angeles fans also are invited to take a team survey, available at tinyurl.com/PDN-LeftiesSurvey.
The survey gauges fan opinions on a variety of topics, ranging from hat preference to favorite types of music, all in an effort to improve the gameday experience for Lefties’ fans.
