The Nanaimo NightOwls regular season has been revealed for its inaugural 2022 campaign. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

lift off

‘We’re ready to go’: NightOwls WCL regular season schedule released

Nov 10, 2021 | 4:14 PM

NANAIMO — Following a season grounded by the pandemic, the Nanaimo NightOwls are projected to finally take flight next June.

The West Coast League (WCL) revealed its 2022 regular season this week, involving a 54 game season for the 16 team league.

The expansion NightOwls first game in franchise history happens on May 31 in Portland against the Pickles for the first of a three game series.

Nanaimo’s home opener in Serauxmen Stadium happens on June 3 versus the Edmonton Riverhawks.

NightOwls managing partner and GM Jim Swanson is ecstatic a full WCL schedule has been announced.

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“It’s an indication that we can get going, it drops the gate and lets us start running on the track towards where we’re going to be in the summer of 2022,” Swanson told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The WCL did not involve its Canadian teams last year due to the pandemic, while the entire 2020 campaign was wiped out.

“There may be an aberration with maybe a nooner (12 p.m.) game we might throw in, we’re looking at some options, but the main time will be a 6:35 game time and then Sunday’s at 1 o’clock,” Swanson said.

Canadian teams did not compete in the WCL this past season due to the pandemic, while the entire 2020 campaign was wiped out.

In addition to Nanaimo, three other WCL expansion teams joined the league during the pandemic (Kamloops NorthPaws, Edmonton Riverhawks and the Oregon based Springfield Drifters.)

Despite challenges continually posed by COVID-19, Swanson is confident the league is strengthening and poised to be around for many years.

“It’s not the wrong question to ask when you go through a pandemic: is this going to hurt your business? Is this going to allow you to keep on going? I think the league has answered that question in a way that not only will we continue but we’re going to grow through this.”

The WCL playoffs immediately follows the regular season.

Collegiate players enrolled in North American post-secondary programs are eligible to play in the free agent wooden bat league.

WCL teams are located in Washington and Oregon states, as well as British Columbia and Alberta.

According to the league, 42 WCL alumnus were drafted by Major League Baseball teams this year.

Nanaimo was awarded a WCL franchise in March 2020, just prior to sweeping pandemic restrictions taking hold in the province.

More information on the Nanaimo NightOwls can be found on the team’s website.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes