The Nanaimo NightOwls open their third WCL campaign May 31 in Kelowna. The team is also looking for several billet beds for their players for the upcoming season. (Nanaimo NightOwls)

By Dan Marshall

Batter Up

‘Behind us now:’ startup mentality gone as NightOwls look to WCL playoffs

May 31, 2024 | 10:07 AM

NANAIMO — The NightOwls are expecting big things for the 2024 baseball season.

After joining the West Coast League in 2022 and finishing with 26-28 record in 2023 the team is hoping for a breakthrough year and a spot in the post season.

Coach Greg Frady said the NightOwls as an organization are more ready than they’ve ever been but now they have to go earn their results.

“The expectation is to play well and to get our team in to a position to be in the playoffs. My whole goal is for the team to develop, have some fun, bring good entertainment to our crowd here in Nanaimo but also win these games. In the first two years we were trying to get the organization up and going and get the team off the ground and that’s kind of behind us now.”

There are a handful of veterans returning to squad including local standout Aaron Marsh.

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Marsh has been a fixture in the NightOwls lineup for the past two seasons.

“I consider him a leader, a team type captain. He’s a very experienced quality ball player. To have him being from Nanaimo, all the locals know who he is, he brings a star value to the team and we’re thrilled to have him.”

With only a few days between the players arriving and the team’s season opener on Friday, May 31 in Kelowna, Frady will be leaning on those veterans to get the team off to a good start.

Understanding the league, how it operates and how the NightOwls want to play will be critical in the early games.

“I’m looking for those guys to help me lead the team to a championship. In the first series your first priority is to win. But then you try to see what the players can do and get them in and get the ice broken. It gives us an opportunity to get to know each other and settle pretty quickly.”

Pitching will be a key element if the NightOwls are going to be a playoff team in 2024 and many of the arms in the Nanaimo bullpen are coming off impressive seasons playing for their college teams.

“Every year we’ve gained more depth and more options for pitching. We have to be able to pitch effectively and we think we’ve done a good job recruiting. A lot of those kids have gone into their league playoffs so they know how to pitch in really big games.”

After a weekend series in Kelowna May 31 to June 2, Nanaimo will play their first home games June 4 to June 6 versus the Cowlitz Black Bears out of Washington state.

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