Summer Collegiate

Arrived as a Golden Bear, leaves as a Fighting Camel: How Elijah Clayton navigated the transfer portal amid a busy season

Published

11 months ago

July 7, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

In April of 2024, the NCAA changed a long-standing rule regarding transfer portal eligibility. Previously, athletes had to sit out a season if they transferred, resulting in very few transfers and players often staying in one spot for longer. The new rules allow instant eligibility for athletes, meaning players no longer have to sit out a season after transferring to a new school.

It’s all part of a new era in the NCAA, along with NIL deals that allow athletes to earn money from their name, image, and likeness. In college athletics today, it’s very common for underclassmen to transfer out of their program to find a spot where they can get more playing time sooner.

For NorthPaws utility man Elijah Clayton, he found himself coming to Kamloops with the portal being a possibility. Clayton just finished his freshman season at CAL, which saw him make just three starts with two hits in 12 at-bats. The purpose of Clayton coming to Kamloops was to gain additional playing time and develop ahead of the fall.

Collegiate summer baseball is the ideal setting for underclassmen development, with leagues across North America offering a condensed, pro-style schedule that allows players to log additional playing time. For Clayton, the goal shifted when decisions were made at CAL, and it became in his best interest to find a new home and enter the portal.

“I definitely thought it could be a possibility, but I wasn’t 100% set on anything,” said Clayton.

When the goal shifted from developing to showcasing skills for schools in the portal, being an everyday player for the NorthPaws helped his case. Clayton has made 25 starts for the team this season and has played at five different positions in the field. Clayton has been a mainstay at the top of the batting order, hitting .287. Clayton is also the West Coast League stolen base leader and is in a tie for first with three triples this season.

“It’s definitely nice to be in the lineup almost every day because I’m able to show coaches that I can play anywhere in the infield as well as the outfield and showcase my skills night after night,” said Clayton.

The West Coast league schedule certainly isn’t an easy one, and being an everyday player can be tough. When you add the element of now needing to find a new school to play at, it can get overwhelming, but Clayton credits the NorthPaws staff with helping him through the process.

“It was hectic at times trying to find a place to play for next year while also trying to focus on coming out every day and performing, but I had some good teammates and coaches helping me out with everything,” said Clayton.

Ultimately, Clayton chose to transfer to Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. The Fighting Cammels play in the Coastal Athletic Association. Clayton couldn’t be happier and is eager to get started.

“I just felt like I’m a perfect fit for them, I’m going to work hard and get developed, and that’s a place I think can make me better,” said Clayton.

Heading into the second half of the season, Clayton’s goal has changed once again: he will prepare to impress the coaches during the fall and try to earn an everyday spot on the roster.

Clayton and so many others have similar stories, and it’s yet another example of how beneficial Collegiate League Baseball can be for young players in the new era of NCAA sports.

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Summer Collegiate

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

Published

16 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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