KELOWNA, B.C. — The bats came alive for the Nanaimo NightOwls in the tune of eight runs on nine hits with two home runs. The complete opposite of last night, where Nanaimo just couldn’t get things going at the plate. Tonight they had 4 extra base hits, and that combined with some great pitching led to the series win.

Starting pitcher Aiden Boice, from Holladay, Utah, had a great night on the mound, pitching five innings, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out four. Catcher Brock Wirthgen and Caden Petrey both went yard in the game for the NightOwls. Andrew Ivy continues to impress, going two for four with a walk and a stolen base. If feels like every game I have to mention him swiping a bag.

The Nanaimo NightOwls jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to some smart base running from Eli Watson. He stole second and was able to score on an error trying to steal third. After the Falcons tied it up with a run in the second, the NightOwls went off with a huge sixth inning, putting a four-spot on the board. After a walk to Andrew Ivy, and an Easton Mould single. Eli Watson would cash one after a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third.

Then walked up Brock Wirthgen, who cracked one out of the park to give the NightOwls the 5-1 lead. The 7th innings saw Easton Mould and Eli Watson driving in back-to-back RBI singles. Not to be outdone, Caden Petrey also got into the party with a home run in the top of the 8th inning to make it 8-1. The Falcons would claw one run back in the 9th, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

Besides starting pitcher Aiden Boice, Dawson Shultz and Dalton Hanson also had great games on the mound. They combined for four innings of 2 hit ball, giving up just 1 run and preserving the win for Boice.

The Starting pitching gave the Nanaimo NightOwls a chance to find their bats. I asked head coach Cody Andreychuk about the performance of Aiden Boice after the game, “Ya, he competed and did a wonderful job for us tonight. Commanded all his pitches for strikes. Got behind some of the hitters but would always get back and get the hitters out. [The] best way to say it is he competed well tonight in a getaway game to win the series on the road.”

Some big innings for the NightOwls and some great pitching saw them take the series against the Kelowna Falcons two games to one on Sunday night. Nanaimo finished the night with eight runs on nine hits and an error. Kelowna had two runs on eight hits and three errors in the loss. The NightOwls move back above .500% with the win at 8-7.

The Nanaimo NightOwls head back to the Island but not home as they will take on the Victoria HarbourCats for a three-game series, June 17th, 18th, and 19th. The team returns home on June 20th for a weekend series against the Port Angeles Lefties. That goes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 20th, 21st, and 22nd at Serauxmen Stadium.

The team is on a 10-game homestand starting on the 20th of June. We have some great promotional days coming up, including Indigenous Peoples Day and Halloween in June. Make sure to get your tickets and follow the team on our website and social media when they are on the road for the latest information and updates!

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Jack Johnson has reached base in every game he’s played this season (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

June 15, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. – More than 2000 fans were packed into Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park on this Father’s Day matinee, where the Bellingham Bells won the rubber match, defeating the Victoria HarbourCats 8-2.

For the seventh game in a row, the Cats scored in the first inning. Today, it was through a Cayden Munster (Fresno State) sacrifice fly, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.

BOX SCORE

Julian Orozco (Cal Baptist) started his second game of the season after an impressive outing last week against Port Angeles, where he threw four shutout innings. This afternoon, he looked just as good through two innings but ran into trouble in the third. A softly hit Brock Sell single tied the game at one before Nico Azpilcueta crushed a double to the gap, scoring two more, giving the visitors a 3-1 lead.

Orozco’s day finished after three innings, giving up three runs on three hits while striking out six.

Julian Orozco leads the HarbourCats with 15 strikeouts this season (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

WCL STANDINGS

Andrew Carter (TCU) was first out of the bullpen for Victoria but could not find the strike zone and the Bells took advantage. Two bases loaded walks surrendered by Carter increased Bellingham’s advantage to 5-1. Carter struck out two in his inning of work and both runs against him were unearned due to an error to start the frame.

Curtis McKay (Niagara) put another run on the board for the Cats with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, cutting the lead to 5-2. Victoria was threatening in the inning by loading the bases, but Tanner Beltowski (Westmont College) grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.

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After another bases-loaded walk scored a run for the Bells in the seventh, Andrew Lamb hit his third home run of the series with a solo shot in the eighth, increasing his team’s lead to 7-2.

Alex Fernandes drove in an eighth Bells run in the ninth with a single to right field.

Logan Shepherd increased his hitting streak to nine games with a single in the first inning (Photo: Justin P. Morash) 

Cade Rusch (IUS) pitched 2-1/3 innings, giving up one run on one hit, walking two and striking out one batter. Dillon Dibrell (Central Oklahoma) gave up one run on one hit over 1-2/3 innings of work. Austin Lindsey (Hill College) finished the game, pitching the ninth inning, giving up a run on a pair of hits.

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The Cats have a day off on Monday, then open a series against the Nanaimo NightOwls on Tuesday, June 17th at 6:35 PM. Game one is $12 Tuesday, where all premium reserved and general admission tickets are on sale for $12. Wednesday, June 18th at 6:35 PM is Winning Wednesday, where all Red Arrow Products are discounted. Thursday, June 19th is the second School Spirit Game of the season with a special start time of 11:00 AM. Don’t miss all the action as the two island rivals face off once again. Buy tickets at harbourcats.com/tickets.

Season Tickets, 10 and 32-Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are now on sale for all 33 home games and four “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats’ new and one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.

Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.

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The Kamloops NorthPaws won the rubber match against the Edmonton Riverhawks 12-6, taking two of three on the weekend at Norbrock Stadium and moving to 9-6 on the season. The Riverhawks led 3-0 after the first, but Kamloops scored seven unanswered runs and hit two home runs, sending the dads home happy on Father’s Day.

NorthPaws righty Lucas Dykstra was on the mound to start and saw his infield turn a nifty 5-4-3 double play. The Riverhawks made him work for the third out, however, as they rattled off four straight hits, making it 3-0. Dykstra settled in and pitched back-to-back scoreless innings before being pulled after three innings.

“He competed today; he didn’t walk anybody and made them earn it. That first inning unravelled a bit for him, but he stayed in the fight,” said Pitching Coach Jack Slominski.

The NorthPaws got on the board in the bottom of the first with an opposite-field home run from shortstop Anthony Setticassi. Right fielder Jared Hall reached base via an error, bringing home Elijah Clayton and making it a one-run ballgame.

“Setti (Setticassi) is a gamer; he plays the game the right way, and it’s cool to see guys like that get their opportunities and succeed,” said Head Coach Reily Jepson.

Setticassi’s next at-bat was in the fourth, where he had the bases loaded and walked, tying the game. Left fielder Matthew MacDonald scored the go-ahead run as he scored on a wild pitch.

MacDonald kept the scoring going for the NorthPaws in the fifth, sending a double to left center field, scoring Connor Clark. Catcher Brendan Burke singled and drove in MacDonald to extend the lead. Kamloops made it 7-3 as Setticassi got his second RBI on a single to left field.

The NorthPaws kept it rolling in the sixth, capitalizing on Riverhawk’s errors. Clark scored via a throwing error from the catcher, and Joey Rico drove in Jared Hall on a sacrifice fly, capping off a four-inning stretch that saw Kamloops score nine unanswered runs.

In the bottom of the eighth, Joey Rico had a pair of runners on base and, got a hold of a pitch, and drilled it to deep right field for his first home run of the season, putting a season-high 12 runs on the board.

The Riverhawks scored three runs in the final two innings, but it was too little too late for them. Despite losing two of three in Kamloops, the Riverhawks outhit the NorthPaws in every game of the series.

After the Riverhawks scored 14 on Saturday night, the team and coaches knew a response was needed, and they provided that in front of their home fans.

“This was a gritty response from the boys. We talked after the game yesterday about how we didn’t like how things ended on Saturday, and we responded,” said Setticassi.

The weekend homestand marked the first time this season the team had played three consecutive games at Norbrock Stadium. Players and coaches have been pleased with the fan’s support and hope to keep the energy high as the summer goes on.

“It’s great to be able to compete in front of the fans and them showing up caring about the game and being loud; that was something we kinda missed last year, so hopefully we keep winning games, and they keep being loud,” said Jepson.

The next home game won’t be until next weekend, as the team starts the week on the road again, this time in Walla Walla for three games against the Sweets, who sit in second place in the South Division. When the team returns home next weekend to play against the Victoria Harbour Cats, it will begin a 12-game stretch, with 11 of those games to be played at Norbrock Stadium.

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