The Kamloops NorthPaws defeated the Kelowna Falcons 16-0 on Tuesday night at Norbrock Stadium, winning their 13th game of the season. Righty Mason Chien had another great outing, following his eight-strikeout performance last week in Walla Walla Chien pitched six scoreless innings, giving up just five hits and striking out seven batters. At the plate, the NorthPaws had a season-high in both runs and hits, scoring 16 on 17 hits, including five from second baseman Tanner Hornback.

“It was tough against Victoria; we scrapped it out for a couple of wins, but this is what our offence is capable of,” said Head Coach Riley Jepson.

The NorthPaws got on the board first outfielders Ethan Kodama and Connor Clark reached base. Kodama was on third, and Clark was on first before attempting to steal second. The Falcons catcher tried to catch Clark stealing but was unsuccessful. Kodama meanwhile was anticipating the throw and scored while the focus was on Clark. The right fielder later scored the second run of the game courtesy of a sacrifice grounder from Matt MacDonald.

Designated hitter Joey Rico led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk and advanced to third a few pitches later as Hornback singled. Third baseman Elijah Clayton stepped up to the plate and delivered with a double to the gap in left-center field, making it 4-0. The next three Kamloops hitters would reach base, loading the bases for Clark, who made it 5-0 with a sacrifice fly. MacDonald collected another RBI this time with a base hit.

In the bottom of the fifth, an error by the Falcons gave shortstop Drew Schmidt the green light to score from second base as Clayton and Hornback both were on base. By now, it was 7-0, and Chien marched out for his final inning of work, giving up a leadoff single but striking out two of his final three batters to cap off an excellent night.

“Walla Walla was a turning point for me; I felt like I wasn’t trying to be too perfect and was pitching to the big part of the plate and getting ahead of hitters,” said Chien.

Although catcher Matt MacDonald had three RBIs, his work behind the plate won’t go unnoticed as he and Chien have been battery mates for three of Chien’s four starts this season and are starting to build chemistry at the right time.

“He knows what I want to throw in certain counts,” said Chien. “I’ve rarely ever shaken him off; It’s great to build chemistry like that because it builds confidence both ways,”

After Chien exited the game, Kamloops would blow the game wide open with seven runs on six hits. The Falcons found themselves in a deep hole after committing two crucial errors to extend the inning. Hornback had two at-bats during that offensive explosion and hit two of his five singles, notching a pair of RBIs. Hornback came into the contest hitless since last Thursday in Walla Walla.

“You go through phases as a hitter where you don’t get the results you want, then eventuality you’re up there, and you feel like you can’t miss a pitch; he’s a good hitter who’s been trusting his process,” said Jepson.

After a tough weekend at the plate, the offence showed up in a big way while the pitching stayed strong, throwing their second shutout of the season and holding the Falcons to just five hits. The NorthPaws will look to keep it rolling as they travel to Kelowna on Wednesday night before returning to Norbrock Stadium for the series finale on Thursday.

The NorthPaws sit just one game back of first place in the north division. Wednesday’s first pitch is set for 6:35; you can watch the action on West Coast League TV or listen on the NorthPaws Mixlr.

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NANAIMO, B.C. — It was an impressive win by the NightOwls on Tuesday night at Serauxmen Stadium against the Redmond Dudes. It was a pitching masterclass, and the NightOwls exploded for 12 runs on 12 hits with zero errors. Nanaimo was only a double and a walk away from a perfect game. The pitching staff faced just 29 batters to get the required 27 outs.

The team has exploded on offence in the past two games, scoring a combined 23 runs. It’s the perfect time for the team to find its groove before they resume regular season play on Friday against the Edmonton RiverHawks. Tuesday night, it was a six-run 3rd inning, and they just continued to score. Brock Wirthgen had a big night at the plate with two RBI, but it was everyone getting in on the scoring.

https://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=629558

Newcomer Zach Horwith, from Castlerock, Colorado, made the start for the Nanaimo NightOwls and pitched two perfect innings and striking out two. He arrived from the airport last week when the team was down in Victoria. Jakin Rohne got the win for the NightOwls, pitching two innings and giving up the only hit on the night for the dudes.

Not to be outdone, the rest of the pitching staff didn’t allow a hit for the remainder of the game. Vinny Bruno is looking sharp in his return from injury. He faced a minimum of six batters and struck out three of them in his two innings of work. Brady Morse, Carter Chard-Hill, and Cody Carmichael all threw scoreless innings to close things out for the Nanaimo NightOwls.

I mentioned him earlier, but Brock Wirthgen, with his parents in town, went two for four on the night with two doubles and two RBI and set the tone for the NightOwls. I spoke with Brock after the game, and he had this to say about the team, “I think this team is something special, the bond that we have has been nothing but family-like. I believe we are a good team, a post-season team if you will.”

He would continue, ” We just hit a rough patch which all great teams do. But, I will say that I don’t think we’ve played out best ball yet this summer and when we start playing it, it will be a fun team to watch.”

Outfielder Alessandro Volpe also went two for four with two RBI’s. Brady Morse along with his one shutout inning, also went two for three with two RBI. Jaisen Abner, Hunter Stencil, Easton Mould, and Carter Cathers all chipped in with RBI’s for the Nanaimo NightOwls against the Redmond Dudes.

That’s one of two exhibition games out of the way with the Redmond Dudes, a huge win for the NightOwls and we get right back at it Wednesday June 25th at 6:35 pm. It is Valentines Day in June so bring your sweetheart for a hot dog and some amazing baseball. I might even give you a flower as you walk in, I’ll give it to you to give it to them!

The regular season gets back in action with a weekend series starting this Friday against the Edmonton RiverHawks. Friday and Saturday June, 27th and 28th are 6:35 pm first pitches while we go Nanaimo Bars Family Fun Sunday at 1:00 pm on the 29th. Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms and tag us in your photos and videos from the game using the hashtag #IlluminateTheDark! See you at the ball park!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 22, 2025

Kamloops, BC – The Kamloops NorthPaws pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to overcome a 5-4 deficit and hand the Victoria HarbourCats a 6-5 loss Sunday afternoon at Norbrock Stadium in Kamloops.

The win gave the NorthPaws the series win after the teams split a double header on Saturday with identical 1-0 scores and overshadowed a grand slam by the HarbourCats Jai Berezowski in the second inning that gave Victoria an early 5-2 lead.

BOX SCORE 

HarbourCats pitchers deserved a better fate on the day.  Starter Julian Orozco gave up just one hit on the day in his almost three innings of work, but gave up four walks and a hit batter, with four of those “free passes” coming in to score, the first two on a throwing error by Berezowski in the first and the other two on that lone hit, a third inning, two-RBI triple by Jared Hall cutting the lead to 5-4.

Dustin Davidson then came in for relief and he was solid over his three and one-third innings, allowing just a hit and keeping the ‘Paws off the board. Cade Rusch would then come in and pitch himself into and then out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh, but that would catch up with him again in the eighth, when an error and a single, would lead to the tying and game-winning runs scoring on a double by Cade Palkowski.

To their credit, Kamloops bullpen did their best to hold down the HarbourCats, who could muster only one more hit, a JC Allen double, after Berezowski’s grand slam in the second.

The HarbourCats will now lick their wounds and get ready to come back home for a crucial first-half series with the Edmonton Riverhawks, beginning on Tuesday night, a $12 Tuesday at the park.  The ‘Cats will have revenge on their minds as the Riverhawks swept Victoria in the first week of the season in Edmonton.

They will then head to Wenatchee next weekend for their first look this season at the AppleSox, before returning home on Monday June 30th for a game against the Redmond Dudes, and their annual Canada Day Fireworks celebration.

Tickets for the games against Edmonton, as well as the Canada Day fireworks game against Redmond, can be purchased on-line at http://harbourcats.com/tickets or in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.  Tickets are also available at the Wilson’s Group Stadium box office starting one hour before game time.

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