KAMLOOPS — After claiming an exhibition game victory on Thursday versus rival Kelowna, the Kamloops NorthPaws dropped three straight to the visiting Nanaimo NightOwls over a hot and smokey weekend in the Tournament Capital.
The trio of losses moves the Paws to 5-8 in the second half of the WCL Season, 3GB of the North Division leading Wenatchee AppleSox, who the NorthPaws are set to see for three games starting on Tuesday south of the border.
GAME 1
A low-scoring pitchers duel took place on Friday night as the Nanaimo NightOwls squeaked out a 2-1 victory.
TRU’s Kolby Lukinchuk toed the rubber for Kamloops, taking a hard luck loss after tossing 7.0IP 5H 2ER. Lucas Smith followed with 2.0IP 2H 0R.
Kamloops did strike first in the third inning on an Anthony Setticasi double that scored Anthony Manuel from second.
The NightOwls responded with a single run in both the fifth and sixth innings to take the lead. Joshua Torres, RBI double, and Mitchell Middlemiss RBI single.
Jacob Fleury got the win for the NightOwls after silencing the bats of Kamloops over 6.0IP, 1H, 1ER, 2BB.
The Paws would get the tying and winning run into scoring position in the ninth as TJ Wachter missed a two-run walkoff by a matter of inches off the left field wall before a ground out secured the win for the visitors.
Ryan Inouye was credited with the save.
GAME 2
One bad inning spelled disaster for the NorthPaws on Saturday night, as once again the offense scuffled in a 6-4 Nanaimo victory.
Just like in game one, it was an early lead for Kamloops, as TJ Wachter singled home Joey Rico to make it 1-0.
Cade Johnson got the start for Kamloops pitching in and out of danger through 5.0IP, 7H, 1ER.
After Nanaimo leveled the score at 1-1 in the third, the NorthPaws would take a 4-1 lead in the sixth. Matthew Olivares doubled home Rico, followed by a pair of 2-out RBI singles from Jerry Nix, and Jacob Schlesselman.
From there the NightOwls would score 5 unanswered to secure the series win. Trailing by one in the eighth, Nanaimo scored three unearned runs against Paws’ closer Rico, as a ground ball slipped under the glove of Madden Ocko.
Ocko would single in the ninth to give the NorthPaws a shot, but he would be stranded.
GAME 3
The final game of the three game set was entirely one-sided, with the Nanaimo NightOwls completing the sweep in dominant fashion 12-2.
Keith Manby from the TRU WolfPack got the start for Kamloops in the contest and struggled to get outs, allowing 6ER, 7H 1K in 3.1IP. David Betancourt, Manato Tateno, Nolan Austin and Manny Recchi would also toe the rubber on Sunday evening, allowing six more runs to cross the plate in a crushing defeat.
The Paws managed just four hits in the ballgame, three of which came from Kamloops’ own Matt MacDonald who went 3-4 at the plate with an RBI.
Aidan Boice recorded the win for Nanaimo, allowing just two MacDonald hits over 6.0IP, with 7K.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE Monday, July 22 – Off-Day Tuesday, July 23 at Wenatchee, 6:35 first pitch Wednesday, July 24 at Wenatchee, 6:35 first pitch Thursday, July 25 at Wenatchee, 6:35 first pitch Friday, July 26 at Victoria, 6:30 first pitch Saturday, July 27 at Victoria, 6:30 first pitch Sunday, July 28 at Victoria, 1:00 first pitch Monday, July 29 – Off-Day Tuesday, July 30 vs Bellingham, 6:35 first pitch Wednesday, July 31 vs Bellingham, 6:35 first pitch Thursday, August 1, vs Bellingham, 6:35 first pitch
FOR MEDIA REQUESTS Jenna Forter General Manager Kamloops NorthPaws 250-200-1415 www.northpawsbaseball.ca
Owen Clyne was back in the lineup Wednesday night, going one for five (Photo: Justin P Morash)
June 18, 2025
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats take game two in dramatic fashion, coming back to walk-off the Nanaimo NightOwls and winning 4-3.
Robert Sanford (Paris JC) made his fourth appearance and third start of the season for the Cats and started brightly with a one-two-three first inning. However, Nanaimo struck first in the second inning when Talan Zenk hit into an RBI fielder’s choice after a pair of singles put runners on the corners. Zenk then stole second and came around on a Brady Morse single to give the visitors an early 2-0 lead.
Jacob Hayes made it 3-0 in the top of the third with a deep sacrifice fly to the warning track in left. Sanford threw a season-high 53 pitches over three innings of work, giving up three runs on four hits, walking two and striking out one.
Ben Hewitt (Ottawa) was the first Cat out of the bullpen, making his third appearance of the campaign, and first since picking up the win on June 11. The big right-hander pitched two shutout innings while striking out one batter. Hewitt has not allowed a hit in five innings of work this season.
Saanichton native and captain of the New York Sirens of the PWHL, Micah Zandee-Hart, threw out the ceremonial first pitch (Photo: Justin P. Morash)
Victoria loaded the bases in the fourth inning and got a run on a Connor Ross (Cal Baptist) RBI groundout, cutting the Owls’ lead down to 3-1. Lino Zepeda got Jacob Doyle (Nevada) to fly out to end the threat. Zepeda started the game and threw five innings, giving up one run on four hits while striking out one batter.
Shea Lake (West Texas A&M) threw three shutout innings of relief to keep the Cats within touching distance, striking out four and giving up just one hit.
In the bottom of the seventh, the HarbourCats had the bases loaded with no one out but could not score, with Owls right-hander Jaedeyn Edwards pitching his way out of the jam.
Doyle cut the deficit to one with a two-out RBI single to left field, making it 3-2 Owls. Dalton Hanson then surrendered back-to-back walks to Xander McAfee (Texas Arlington) and Curtis McKay (Niagara), with the latter scoring the tying run.
Garrett Villa (Angelo State), who is no stranger to pitching in high-leverage situations, came in to pitch the top of the ninth and kept the game tied at 3-3 with a scoreless inning.
Jacob Silva (TCU) was hit by a pitch and Cayden Munster (Fresno State) was walked which was followed by a pickoff attempt error to put the winning run on third base. Ross then smacked a single up the middle to walk it off and complete the comeback for the HarbourCats.
Victoria look for the sweep tomorrow at 11:00 AM. It is the second School Spirit Game of the season, presented by Kidsport. Be part of the one-of-a-kind atmosphere and 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.
VICTORIA, B.C. — On a beautiful Tuesday night from Royal Athletic Park, the Nanaimo NightOwls couldn’t get anything going and dropped game one of the series 9-0 against their Island rival, Victoria HarbourCats. Victoria jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning before putting 6 on the board in the fourth. Nanaimo was hitting the ball hard all night, but it was at an opposing player every time.
Royal Athletic Park, Victoria, B.C.
The NightOwls had no runs on 5 hits and two errors, while the HarbourCats had nine runs on seven hits with zero errors. Nanaimo had a hard time finding the strike zone on the evening, but they look to rebound on Wednesday in game two. Check out the complete box score below.
There were some bright spots on the night as Jacob Hayes added another hit and brought his hit streak up to 11 games. He also leads the team with 14 RBI.
Tyler Arnold and Jacob Hayes
Centerfielder Andrew Ivy had a solid day at the plate, going two for four, beating out a ground ball for an infield hit in the first inning and doubling in the fifth. Caden Petrey and Spencer Sullivan also added a hit each.
Reliever Jakin Rohne, from Courtney, B.C., pitched very well to end the game for the Nanaimo NightOwls. The University of Victoria product threw three scoreless innings, giving up no hits and striking out one batter.
The Nanaimo NightOwls continue their three-game series with the Victoria HarbourCats June 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 Serauxemen 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!
The Kamloops NorthPaws defeated the Walla Walla Sweets in Washington 6-1 as the Sweets lost their first series opener at home this season. The NorthPaws have won back-to-back games and moved into sole possession of third place in the North Division, winning their 10th game of the season.
Righty Mason Chien was on the mound to start the week for the NorthPaws and pitched a gem, going seven innings, giving up one earned run on five hits, striking out eight batters. Chien’s lone troublesome inning was in the third when he gave up a walk and a single with one out. The second out was a fielder’s choice, leaving runners on the corners. Chien gave up a base hit, bringing home the only run of the game for the Sweets. That was the only inning Chien where gave up multiple hits.
At the plate, for the NorthPaws, the middle of the order was once again getting it done, with Drew Schmidt, Joey Rico and Jared Hall combining eight of the NorthPaws thirteenth hits. At the bottom of the order, the NorthPaws newest player, a second baseman from UT Tyler Tanner Hornback, had a pair of hits, including an RBI. Center fielder Ethan Kodama also had a pair of hits and scored twice as well.
In the second inning, the game would no longer be scoreless as Tanner Hornback, in his first at-bat as a NorthPaw, drove in Hall with a single. This would start a stretch of three consecutive innings, with Kamloops scoring a run. In the fourth, Joey Rico singled and brought home Kodama to make it 2-0. Kamloops made it three nothing with Kodama singling, scoring Hornback.
From there, it was all about Mason Chien. After the run scored in the third, he would only give up one more hit, and three of his final four innings were 1-2-3 innings, including striking out the side in order in the sixth. The Sweets had no answer, prompting Walla Walla Play-by-play broadcaster Drew Albaugh to say, “The NorthPaws are up by two right now, but it feels like way more the way Chein has pitched tonight.”
In the top of the eighth, Jared Hall singled, scoring Schmidt to give the NorthPaws some breathing room. The lead would be extended in the ninth courtesy of Schmidt, whose fourth hit of the night scored a pair, making it 6-1.
Lefty Kaden Douglas-Pluff came on in the eighth and cruised through the final two innings, securing the 10th win of the season for Kamloops. The NorthPaws and Sweets will be back at it tomorrow night at 6:35 as the NorthPaws look for their second road series victory of the season and third win in a row. You can find all the action on West Coast League TV.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login