The NorthPaws regular season starts with a visit from the reigning North Division Champion Victoria HarbourCats, who last year finished the year 38-15, before falling in the Championship game to the Corvallis Knights 5-0.
The ‘Paws failed to make the postseason in 2023, fighting to a 12-40 overall record.
Kamloops will have a new, yet familiar man at the helm for 2024 as 10-year MLB veteran Jose Bautista will take over as manager after spending the previous two seasons as the NorthPaws pitching coach.
NorthPaws lined up during anthems
Photo by: Allen Douglas
As the season begins Bautista will have a few familiar faces to look to on the bench including a trio of Kamloops locals in #39 Nolan Austin, #27 Manny Recchi, and #23 Matthew MacDonald. Austin and Recchi both played for the TRU WolfPack this past year with fellow returnee #6 Kolby Luckinchuk who is back for his third season with the ‘Paws, a feat only accomplished by himself and Austin. Another name that fans may remember from last season is infielder Anthony Manuel back for his second stint in Kamloops.
Bautista did note that the roster is still fluid as players arrive from their college teams and there is a possibility for more Kamloops locals to be added to the squad.
The 2024 ‘Paws will also have some international flavour on the roster which is dominated by Canadians and Americians. A trio of players from Japan, and one from the Netherlands are spending their summer in Kamloops. All four are listed as pitchers, #25 Hayato Ikeda from Kanagawa, Hideyoshi Kawahara from Tokyo, and #8 Manato Tateno from Tokyo join #4 Casper Rammeloo hailing from Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands are on the roster.
Casper Rammeloo delivers a pitch during the first inning on Wednesday
Photo by: John Hill
The home opener is sponsored by Dearborn Ford with gates opening at 5:00 p.m. and the local band Rooster entertaining the fans both before and after the game. Game day contests include a chance to win a Ford Maverick through the Dearborn Ford golden ticket promotion. There will be giveaways from Molson Coors, and Tourism Kamloops will be on hand. Kamloops’ own Dance Gallery will be making an appearance as well.
The NorthPaws are also offering fans a 10% discount on all merchandise.
UpcomingNorthPaws Schedule
Friday, May 31, 6:35 first pitch vs Victoria
Saturday, June 1, 6:35 first pitch vs Victoria
Sunday, June 2, 2:05 first pitch vs Victoria
Monday, June 3, Off-day
Tuesday, June 4, 6:35 first pitch vs Bellingham (Stingray Country Night)
Wednesday, June 5, 6:35 first pitch vs Bellingham
Thursday, June 6, *11:30 first pitch vs Bellingham (School Spirit Day) *note the start time*
TGI Friday Pack – reserved seat to all Friday regular season home games and a NorthPaws branded New Era 940SS Hat – $149.99 Weekday Warrior Pack – reserved sear to all Wednesday and Thursday home games – $139.99
Family Pack – $99 – four tickets, four non-alcoholic drinks, four hot dogs
Birthday Bundle- $299 x10 Tickets! x10 Hotdogs OR Burgers! x10 Pops! Also Includes: – Visit and photo with Homer! – Signed picture! – PA announcement during the game!
NANAIMO, B.C. — First baseman and WCL all-star Jacob Hayes (Azusa Pacific) hit his team-record ninth home run Friday to lead the Nanaimo NightOwls to a solid 6-2 victory over the visiting Kamloops NorthPaws in front of a raucous crowd at Serauxmen Stadium.
Hayes blasted a two-run shot to left in the fifth inning giving the NightOwls crucial runs, and moving him past former NightOwls all-star Wylie Waters for the team’s top spot in the key power category.
Nanaimo starter Brennan Kettle needed just 63 pitches to get through five innings, surrendering just four hits and one unearned run. Blake Hager went 2.2 innings with two hits and no runs, and Carter Chard-Hill ended it with 1.1 innings of solid relief.
Hayes and Owen Wessel were both 2-4 and Ryder Florence continued his impressive second half with three runs scored.
The NightOwls are playing their final regular season home games this long weekend, with Kamloops at Serauxmen for games Saturday (6:35pm) and Sunday (1pm). Tickets are available online, at the gate, or General Admission vouchers through Save On Foods.
The NightOwls complete their fourth WCL regular season with a road series in Bellingham, August 4-5-6.
PORT ANGELES, WA – The Port Angeles Lefties snapped the Victoria HarbourCats’ four-game winning streak with a 5-1 win Friday night.
Shea Lake (West Texas A&M) started for the Cats and has been dominant in recent weeks, but struggled tonight. A double, a single, and a walk loaded the bases for Ty Thomas, who drove home the first run of the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the first.
The Lefties added two more runs in the second, including a Garrett Patterson RBI double to make it 3-0 early.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Jeremy Giesegh drove home a run on a single, extending the lead to 5-1.
That fourth inning Nahaku home run was the only hit of the game for the HarbourCats, as Lefties’ starter Takuma Sato threw a complete game one-hitter, striking out 12 batters and only walking one.
Dillon Dibrell (Rogers State) and Jacob Thompson (Minot State) both pitched two innings of relief for Victoria, striking out three batters each.
The Cats will be hoping for a better performance tomorrow night as the two teams are back in action at 6:35 PM. You can watch the game HERE.
The Victoria HarbourCats only have three remaining home dates this season, including a doubleheader followed by FIREWORKS on Monday, August 4, with game one starting at 4:05 PM. Tuesday is Jersey off our Backs night, and Wednesday is Fan Appreciation night! Buy tickets at harbourcats.com/tickets, and if you have any remaining vouchers, don’t forget to redeem them. You can do so at harbourcats.com/tickets, and if you have any questions or need help exchanging your vouchers, call the HarbourCats office at (778) 265 0327.
Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.
For more updates, be sure to follow @HarbourCats on all social channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).
EDMONTON, Alta. — The comeback kids came up a bit short.
Two runs by the Edmonton Riverhawks in the bottom of the 10th inning broke the hearts of the Nanaimo NightOwls on Thursday night at Remax Field, with a stellar crowd of 6,132 looking on for an eventual 8-7 win for the home club.
The NightOwls scored two runs in the ninth to take a lead and had the Riverhawks down to their last strike in the bottom of that inning.
The Owls then went ahead 7-6 in the top of the 10th, and nearly held on — Edmonton found a clutch two-out hit to right field to provide the winning run.
The NightOwls, who outhit the Riverhawks 10-9, scored four times in the fifth inning, the key hit being a two-run double from outfielder Owen Wessel (Hawaii Pacific). Wessel was one of four NightOwls to record two hits — Ryder Florence, Raoul Fabian Jr. and Trevor Goldenetz being the others.
Vinny Bruno and Jaedeyn Edwards put up impressive relief appearances, Bruno throwing 1.2 innings with just one hit and no runs, and Edwards going three innings after Bruno exited, with one hit, two strikeouts, and no runs. Jayden Gabrillo threw well in his 1.2 innings recorded, striking out two.
The NightOwls fly back from Edmonton on Friday morning.
There are just three more regular season home games for the NightOwls in 2025, a weekend series against Kamloops that starts Friday (August 1-2-3), with the Friday and Saturday games at 6:35pm and the Sunday capper at 1pm. The NightOwls complete their fourth WCL regular season with a road series in Bellingham, August 4-5-6.
Those home games are the only chance to use remaining vouchers purchased at Save On Foods, or as part of 10packs.
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