Summer Collegiate
NorthPaws Add Pair of UBC Freshman Pitchers
The Kamloops NorthPaws have strengthened their inaugural rotation with two freshman pitchers from the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.
Vic Domingo and Sean Heppner are following very parallel paths through their baseball development.
They both grew up playing in the BC Premier Baseball League, they simultaneously attended the 2019 Tournament 12 showcase hosted by the Blue Jays Baseball Academy, they are dorm mates for their freshman season with the Thunderbirds, and they will both look to solidify the NorthPaws pitching staff this summer.
The NorthPaws have six Thunderbirds players signed for the 2021 season.
“UBC is a tremendous program that has set the standard for player development at the collegiate level in Canada,” said head coach Cole Armstrong. “Having the opportunity to showcase Thunderbird players against players attending NCAA schools is something we’re very excited about.”
Vic Domingo
Domingo is the first player to play for the Thunderbirds after developing for the UBC Thunder youth program. Even though he received attention from other schools, he wanted to stay at home to play baseball and study.
Photo Credit: Rich Lam/UBC Thunderbirds
“I love the culture, I love everything about UBC,” Domingo said. “I’ve been playing here since I was 15 years old. This is my home, this is where I want to be so I don’t see why I would go anywhere else.”
The Vancouverite has had the opportunity to represent Canada on two occasions.
His South Vancouver represented Canada at the Little League World Series when he was 11 years old, and he made the Junior National Team in 2020, which was unfortunately cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic after spring training in Florida.
Listed at 5’10”, Domingo is the shortest pitcher on the NorthPaws roster, but his demeanour and ever-improving three-pitch repertoire – fastball, changeup and slurve – gives his coaches the confidence he will succeed in the West Coast League.
“He comes after you, he challenges you on the mound. He might be shorter in stature than some of these other guys, but he doesn’t lack anything from the confidence piece and the presence on the mound,” said Sammie Starr, assistant coach for both the Thunderbirds and the NorthPaws. “He’s gritty, he’s not scared of anybody and his stuff is good. He’s got the stuff to back it up. When we put him out there, I would feel comfortable with him on the mound against almost anybody at this point.”
Sean Heppner
Heppner is the most Canadian American on the NorthPaws roster. Though his identification indicates he is a resident of the United States, his resume would suggest he’s from the Great White North.
Photo Credit: Rich Lam/UBC Thunderbirds
Heppner grew up in Point Roberts, Wash., located on the southernmost point of the Tsawwassen Peninsula. A town where the only land access through to the rest of Washington is to drive through B.C.
“Because Point Roberts is isolated from the rest of Washington, I’ve basically done everything in Canada my whole life with school, baseball, all sports and all my friends are in Canada too,” Heppner said. “It’s definitely one of the most unique places in North America because it’s basically Canada, but it’s not.”
He was the ace on the 2019 version of the North Delta Blue Jays, helping win a Baseball BC provincial title and earn a berth at nationals.
He throws what he calls a very traditional mix of pitches with a fastball, changeup and slider.
“Sean’s a bit more of a later bloomer. He had a really successful senior year in the PBL and has made huge strides in the past eight months,” Starr said. “This fall he just dominated our guys throughout our fall camp.”
The next step for Heppner will be to test himself against West Coast League talent.
“When I heard about Kamloops and how it’s part of the West Coast League, how it’s such a competitive league and also that it’s starting up as a new organization, I was really excited and really want to be a part of that first season with the team,” he said.
The Kamloops NorthPaws are an expansion West Coast League franchise bringing the highest calibre baseball Canada’s Tournament Capital has ever seen. The West Coast League, founded in 2005, has 15 teams across Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta featuring some of the top collegiate players during a 54-game summer season. Find the NorthPaws online at www.northpawsbaseball.ca, @northpawsbaseball on Instagram and Facebook, or @northpawsbb on Twitter.
Garrett Brooks reached base three times tonight (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
July 25, 2025
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats returned to West Coast League action Friday night, beating the Wenatchee AppleSox 10-4.
Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii) got the home team on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to make it 1-0.
Adam Haight tied things up with a solo home run in the top of the third inning to level things at one.
Jack Johnson (Baylor) restored Victoria’s advantage in the bottom of the fourth with a great piece of situational hitting, driving in the run with a sacrifice fly to centre. Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s) drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-1 before Nahaku cleared the bases with a grand slam to left field to blow the game wide open, extending the lead to 7-1. It was the left fielder’s first long ball of the campaign after he hit four for the Cats last season.
Shea Lake has recorded the win in back-to-back starts (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
Shea Lake (West Texas A&M) started for the HarbourCats and has been lights out in recent weeks, producing five shutout innings in back-to-back games. He came close to matching that tonight but was still dominant, going five innings, giving up just one run, and striking out three.
Ryne Palmer (Cal Baptist) pitched two innings of relief, with the only mark against him being a two-out RBI single by Theo Kim in the sixth inning.
Nahaku drove in his sixth run of the game with a double in the sixth, which gave his team an 8-2 lead.
Garrett Brooks (St. Mary’s) hit his second home run of the season in the seventh inning to push the lead to 10-2.
WATCH GAMES HERE
The Sox were able to score two runs late against Carson Burks (Hill College), who pitched the final two innings for the HarbourCats, but it was too little too late as the lefty closed it out for the 10-4 win.
Jack Johnson has reached base in all but one game this season (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
This win keeps the HarbourCats top of the North Division second-half standings and puts the AppleSox four games back in fourth place.
VOUCHER REMINDER: The Victoria HarbourCats only have 9 home games remaining this season so don’t forget to redeem your vouchers. 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.
10 Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are on sale for all home games and “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats’ one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.
BUY TICKETS HERE
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).
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