Summer Collegiate

Sweets leave a sour taste taking the series finalie in Walla Walla

Published

12 months ago

June 20, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

The Kamloops NorthPaws dropped game three in Walla Walla, losing the series as the Sweets scored 15 runs on 13 hits. Walla Walla scored five in the first inning and would hold the lead for the entire game, scoring six runs between the third and fifth innings as well as four more in the eighth. The NorthPaws kept the game close with three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth, but the eighth inning proved to be too much.

The NorthPaws got the lead in the top of the first as two wild pitches brought center fielder Connor Clark home. Righty Joey Rico was on the mound making his first start. Rico was also in the lineup as the designated hitter. The Sweets jumped all over him, however. Three singles, a double and a home run put five on the board for the Sweets, all without Rico recording an out.

In the second, left-fielder Matthew MacDonald and second-baseman Tanner Hornback walked and singled. Both would advance on a wild pitch, setting up third baseman Drew Abercrombie, who doubled down the third base line, scoring both runners and making it a 5-3 game.

The Sweets wouldn’t take long to respond as they scored two runs in the third and fourth, making it 9-3 heading into the top of the fifth. The NorthPaws stayed tough with right fielder Jared Hall and Clark reaching base. The centerfielder would later score off a Rico single. Catcher Brendan Burke then sent a single of his own through the right side, scoring Hall. Finally, after a pitching change, MacDonald singled off the first pitch he saw, scoring Rico once again, putting the NorthPaws within three.

Walla Walla came back in the bottom half with their third straight inning with two runs on the board, erasing any NorthPaw momentum for the time being. With one out, the Sweets had the bases loaded and sent a grounder toward first base. The throw was about to be made home for the force out, but a throwing error saw the ball hit the backstop, scoring runs 10 and 11.

Kamloops refused to go away just yet as shortstop Elijah Clayton doubled. Clark followed that up a few pitches later with a double of his own, scoring Clayton. Clark would later score off a balk from the Sweets pitcher, putting Kamloops within striking distance. The Sweets went down scoreless in both the sixth and seventh innings, but the NorthPaw bats went silent.

Despite the 10 hits given up by Walla Walla pitcher, they only walked four batters the entire game and held the NorthPaws off the board in the final third of the ballgame. Everything unravelled in the eighth inning, with the Sweets scoring four runs and putting any hope of a NorthPaw come back to bed.

Kamloops drops to 10-8 on the season, but the good news for them is that 11 of the team’s last 12 games to close out the first half will be played at NorBrock Stadium. The gurgling road stretch is over, and the only road game they will play is next Wednesday in Kelowna. The Victoria HarbourCats come to town fresh off a sweep of their Island rivals, the Nanaimo Night Owls.

Victoria and Kamloops are tied for third in the division, making this weekend’s series that much more important. Friday and Saturday’s games will be at 6:35, and Sunday’s first pitch is at 12:05. Come out and support the NorthPaws in person or follow all the action on West Coast League TV.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Close Out Series with 6-3 Loss

Published

17 hours ago

June 7, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

The Cats mustered just five runs over the three game series. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats offence came up short in this afternoon’s ballgame, as Victoria was defeated 6-3 to finish off the weekend.

The Falcons took an early lead this afternoon on a sacrifice fly to centre, but it was smooth sailing otherwise for starting pitcher Jeremiah Arnett (Rice). The righty gave up four hits over four innings, the only run being that sac fly, with a trio of strikeouts and no free passes.

BOX SCORE

Austin Lindsey (Hill College) was tagged in for the top of the fifth and nailed his first inning of work, setting the Falcons down in order. The sixth was a different story, as Lindsey allowed a solo homer to push Kelowna’s lead to 2-0.

San Jose State reliever Landon Marchetti took over on the mound for the seventh, letting a couple of runners on but managing to escape the inning without a run scoring.

Flynn Warren (Hawaii Pacific) emerged from the bullpen in the top of the eighth to a precarious situation: bases loaded, no outs. The New Zealander walked one batter, hit two more, and gave up a sacrifice fly to allow four runs before the end of the frame.

Jeremiah Arnett (Rice) pitched four innings with three strikeouts. (Photo by JPM Photography)

The bottom of the eighth saw the HarbourCats offence finally gain some ground. A double from Kade Davis (UTSA) made room for Koa Won (Hawaii) to score, followed up by a single from Hewitt to bring in another run. Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) drove in one more before the inning came to a close with a score of 6-3 in favour of the Falcons.

The Cats would be unable to add on any more runs in the bottom of the ninth, dropping the final game of the series 6-3.

WCL STANDINGS

Victoria will now head on the road for a midweek matchup with the Edmonton Riverhawks, returning home on Friday to take on the Springfield Drifters.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Offence Stunted Versus Kelowna

Published

1 day ago

June 7, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats were defeated 8-1 by the Kelowna Falcons in the second game of the series.

The Falcons drew first blood in this one, launching a three-run dinger to left field in the top of the fourth to snag an early lead. Victoria’s starting pitcher Schuyler Fairchild (Wenatchee Valley) had cruised through the first three frames without much trouble up to that point, but his contributions this evening came to a close after the long ball in the fourth. Fairchild allowed three runs on four hits, striking out one batter and issuing a walk.

BOX SCORE

Inning number five required the services of Auburn, Washington’s Caden Shoul (Wenatchee Valley). The right-hander pitched 1.2 innings, calling it a night after giving up two runs in the top of the sixth to push Kelowna’s lead to 5-0.

Tyler Bono (North Central Texas) came into the game with the bases loaded and put on a sub-par performance, hitting two batters and walking one to allow three more runs. Marcus Janovsky (UBC) was summoned from the bullpen to finally get out of the inning.

Garen Geoghegan (Whitman) and Pierce Stone (Regis) combined for two scoreless innings in the final stages of the game, but Victoria’s offence continued to sputter.

Centre fielder Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) led off the bottom of the ninth with a double, and was welcomed home by another double hammered by Carter Eberhard (Cal Baptist) to score the Cats’ first and only run of the game.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats close out the series on Sunday, June 7 at 1:05 pm before departing to Alberta for a midweek matchup with the Edmonton Riverhawks.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Fall 4-1 to Falcons

Published

2 days ago

June 6, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Missed opportunities with runners in scoring position led to a disappointing outcome for the Cats. (Photo by Victoria Spotlight Photography)

Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats were defeated 4-1 by the Kelowna Falcons on Friday night in the first game of the series.

Both sides’ bats stayed quiet until the third inning this evening, when the Falcons drove a pair of base hits up the middle, jumping out in front to a 2-0 lead.

BOX SCORE

Easton Reimers (North Dakota State) entered the game in the top of the fourth to relieve Cats starter Bryson Toner (Hawaii). Toner allowed two runs on five hits through his three innings on the bump this evening, throwing in a walk and a strikeout as well.

Reimers was excellent throughout his first two innings until a leadoff homer in the sixth broke his hitless streak. A second run scored on a passed ball before Reimers was able to get out of the inning and pass the baton to Jack Clark (CSU San Marcos).

The Cats offence woke up in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases and scoring a run on a ball that dropped just fair in left field from Rohne Klein (San Jose State). That was the only run they got on this crucial opportunity, as the Falcons picked up a big strikeout to escape the jam and maintain a 4-1 lead.

Tate Collins (Arkansas State) claimed control of the mound for the Cats in the top of the eighth inning. Despite a leadoff walk, the Little Rock, Arizona native tossed a zero on the board to bring about the bottom of the eighth for the Victoria offence.

The Cats were unable to pull off a comeback after loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, leaving the runners stranded and losing the ballgame 4-1

WCL STANDINGS

Victoria and Kelowna will be back in action Saturday, June 6 at 6:35 pm for game two of the weekend series.

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