Baseball: Kelowna Falcons to play doubleheader after Friday night rainout

The boys of summer are back after being off for the past 1,000 days.

Rain washed out what would have been Kelowna’s season-opening game on Friday night and first contest since 2019, with the past two seasons cancelled due to COVID-19.

However, the Falcons adjusted their schedule and will play a doubleheader on Saturday against the visiting Victoria Harbourcats.

The games will take place at 4 p.m., and 6:35 p.m., with both contests shortened to seven innings each. Victoria enters the Okanagan with a 1-2 record.

The provincial rivals will meet again on Sunday at 6:05 p.m., closing out a three-game series at Elks Stadium in downtown Kelowna.

The Falcons made a tough decision to postpone Saturday night’s fireworks show because of this weekend’s stormy weather forecast.

“We don’t want to take the chance and disappoint our fans,” says Falcons general manager Mark Nonis. “Looking at the forecast, postponing the fireworks now gives our fans a chance to make plans accordingly.”

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Kelowna and Victoria used to be the only two B.C. teams in the West Coast League, but the Nanaimo NightOwls and Kamloops NorthPaws are now part of the fold.

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Overall, there are now 16 teams in the WCL, which stretches from Alberta (Edmonton Riverhawks) to southern Oregon.

The fireworks show has been rescheduled for Friday, June 17, when the Falcons host the Northpaws in what will likely be the start of a natural rivalry.

Looking ahead, the Falcons will also be lighting off fireworks on Thursday, June 23, for the team’s annual Firefighters Burn Fund fundraiser.

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The 2020 season was cancelled by the league because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 season went ahead, but without Kelowna and Victoria, because the border was closed. Nanaimo, Kamloops and Edmonton were slated to start playing that season, but had to shelve their plans.

“We are disappointed that Mother Nature isn’t playing nice today as we were all excited to play our first game in over 1,000 days,” Nonis said on Friday.

“I guess good things are worth waiting for.”

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