The Victoria HarbourCats have a rare off-weekend in the West Coast League. So what do they do? Play baseball, of course.
It shows how all-consuming sport becomes when you reach a certain level. HarbourCats outfielder Nathan Lukes of Antelope, California, who also played soccer while growing up, might have had time today to watch the U.S. play Portugal at the World Cup in Brazil.
Instead, he will be on the diamond at Evans Park in Duncan for a HarbourCats exhibition game against the two-time B.C. senior champion Langley Blaze. As much as Lukes is rooting for the U.S. team in the World Cup, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Baseball is pretty much what I do. It’s on my mind 24/7,” said Lukes, one of the more promising HarbourCats of the early season.
If these guys aren’t playing or practising, they’re thinking about ball.
Lukes hit .347 with 26 RBIs and 54 runs scored in 64 games this season for the WAC-champion Sacramento State Hornets, who qualified for the NCAA tournament.
In 11 games for Victoria, Lukes is batting .277 with nine RBIs, four runs and four doubles. When he connects, it usually counts for something.
“I seek out the fastball,” he said.
“If it curves, I let it go [by].”
Heading into his junior season at Sacramento State means Lukes is entering an MLB draft-eligible year.
“I can’t let the draft get inside my head,” he said.
“I just have to go out and do what I do. Whatever happens will happen.”
Lukes is majoring in criminal justice and is thinking of becoming a parole officer “if baseball doesn’t work out.”
The HarbourCats (5-7) start a three-game set Monday evening at Royal Athletic Park against the Bend Elks (who were 5-9 heading into a game Saturday night in Bellingham against the Bells).
The H-Cats will be looking to halt a four-game WCL losing streak.
“We have to stick to playing the game the right way,” said Lukes, about how to end the spiral.
“But we will kick it into gear.”
Meanwhile, the HarbourCats opened their two-game exhibition set against the Langley Blaze with a 5-0 victory on Saturday night at RAP.
