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Big steps for new NightOwls in Year Two — but just missed playoffs

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The Nanaimo NightOwls have landed, and the second year of WCL baseball in the Harbour City was full proof.

The big crowds in July, bursting with energy that rivals any other city in collegiate summer baseball for noise and entertainment, saw the NightOwls battle for a playoff spot until the season’s final days, elbowed out of post-season contention with just four days remaining in the 2023 schedule.

After a 22-32 mark in the debut season in 2022, the NightOwls improved to within a game of the .500 mark at 26-28, ending with two solid road wins in Kamloops. Under Head Coach Greg Frady, Pitching Coach Gorm Heimueller, and Assistant Coach Sean FitzGerald, Nanaimo saw improvements in offence, pitching and defence over the inaugural season.

We are happy with the strides the team made, on and off the field,” said Jim Swanson, GM of the NightOwls. “Of course, we all want to see what a playoff game is like at Serauxmen Stadium — the games this season had an electricity that was fun for everyone, and was certainly noted by visiting teams. Our guys fed off that excitement, no question.”
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The fan entertainment factor also went up in the second year, more action in the stands and on the field between innings.
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“That was a major focus this year, improvements in our press box and in the crowd,” said Swanson. “(Assistant GM Tina Cornett) and I worked very hard on changes to that area, and we have a base crew now we think will only bring more added entertainment in 2024 and beyond. Bringing on Darcy “Details” McBride and Geoff Linn, and improvements to the scoring and data side, with Ben Carter handling broadcasts and Keygan Hankins with baseball operations needs, moved us forward.
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“The new PA system and additional stands on the third base side were great additions, and going to a NightOwls game has become an event for Nanaimo and area residents. There are more improvements to come for 2024 and beyond, too.”

The team itself had notable performances, including the first-ever NightOwl to be drafted when infielder Elijah Ickes, who will head to the University of Hawaii in his home state this fall, was taken in the 19th round by the Texas Rangers. Ickes would have gone earlier in the draft but was unlikely to sign pro with a great scholarship package — and that’s how it played out as he declined the pro enticement and will be a collegiate player and re-enter the draft after his junior season.
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Ickes and Nanaimo-bred infielder Aaron Marsh, his double-play partner many nights, were named co-winners of the Player of the Year award — Marsh hit .287 with 24 runs driven in, and Ickes was the slickest with the glove, making so many spectacular plays at short while batting .277 with a team-high 49 hits and 11 stolen bases.
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Strong offensive seasons from catchers Mike Easter and Ethan Rivera (near league leaders in home runs with four), infielders Brandon Nicoll and Wylie Waters, and outfielders Riley Paulino and Brandon Hupe spurred the offense, which struggled due to some injury issues but still finished just above the middle of the pack in the league in average (.254) and home runs (18). Nicoll led the team with 12 doubles.

Co-pitchers of the year — one a starter, one a reliever — were two guys who came to the NightOwls from NAIA Arizona Christian, lefty Bear Pinedo and righty Payton Robertson. Pinedo was untouchable and should be a first-team WCL all-star, with a 0.96 ERA and just six hits allowed in 19.2 innings, while fanning 30 and notching a league-leading seven saves. Robertson, who made eight starts and posted a team-high 41.2 innings, was 4-3 with a 3.67 ERA, walking only 11 batters. Seth Gurr, Nathan Buchan (3-3, nine starts), Jacob Fleury (who was 5-0 as a reliever, with a save), Lucas Hines, Connor Gleissner and Cooper Littledike led a deep pitching staff that had Pinedo and Blake MacMillan ready to close things off. No pitcher was ever over-used due to strong numbers on that side of the diamond.
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Fleury was named the winner of the citizenship award, while Ickes, in a no-brainer, won the top prospect honours.

“We worked hard at getting a roster of committed, dedicated players, and so many proved that out over the pro-style season that is what the WCL offers,” said Swanson. “The warriors who battled to the end had this team on the cusp of a playoff spot, and fans noticed a notable improvement overall — this group battled, and took on a real Nanaimo-type lunchbucket mentality that was easy to cheer for.”

The work now starts to get the NightIOwls ready for the third season, starting in late May in 2024 at Serauxmen Stadium. Recruiting and season ticket renewals are already underway at the same time as plans are made to take down the 460 Realty Bathtub Bar fencing, other signage, and move the Owls Nest DoubleDecker Bus to storage for eight months.

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NorthPaws take two of three from Kelowna with another one run victory

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The Kamloops NorthPaws held on to win game tree by a score of 3-2, winning the series against the Kelowna Falcons at Norbrock Stadium on Thursday night. Righty Sawyer Jensen went five strong innings, giving up just two earned runs. The NorthPaws had a scrappy sixth inning, taking the lead while the bullpen locked it down, giving up just two hits in the final four innings.

The Falcons were pressing early in the bottom of the second as they mounted a two-out rally. Jensen hit two batters and walked a third to load the bases. Jensen struck out Devin Porch to end the inning, keeping the game scoreless.

“I told him when he was warming up to not worry about how good your stuff is and just compete. He did that tonight,” said Pitching Coach Jack Slominski.

After the Falcons left the bases loaded, the NorthPaws went to work in the bottom of the second. Catcher Matthew MacDonald walked to lead off the inning. A throwing error by the Kelowna pitcher on a pickoff attempt allowed MacDonald to reach second base. Center fielder Connor Clark singled, putting runners on the corners. Clark tried to steal second while MacDonald anticipated the catcher’s throw to second and broke for home. He would score, putting the NorthPaws up 1-0.

In the fifth, Jensen ran into some trouble on the mound. A single walk past the ball put runners on first and second. The Falcons would get a line drive to stay fair down the right field line, scoring a pair of runners and taking a 2-1 lead. Jensen would eventually get out of the inning and finish with five innings pitched, giving up two earned on four hits with three strikeouts.

With the bottom of the order coming back up to the plate in the sixth, MacDonald led off with his second walk of the game and would later steal second. A balk advanced the catcher to third base while first baseman Keegan Drinkle got hit by a pitch, putting runners on the corners. MacDonald scored the tying run on a past ball from Kelowna’s pitcher.

In a full count, third baseman Elijah Clayton got a hold of a ball and drilled it to left center field. The Falcons left fielder appeared to make the catch, but the ball went off his glove and hit him in the face. As he went down in left center, Drinkle hustled around the bases and scored the go-ahead and eventual winning run.

Lefty Tyler Starily was the first call out of the bullpen for Kamloops and went two scoreless innings, giving up just two hits while striking out two as well. In the top of the seventh, a single and two walks loaded the bases, but Clayton made an incredible play to record the force-out at second base, getting his team out of the inning.

Righty Julio Garcia came on in the eighth and would record a six-out save, dominating the Falcons, striking out three hitters, throwing 17 strikes and just four balls to record his third save of the season.

“He’s a great pitcher,” said Slominski. “We have confidence in him, knowing that when we give him the ball in the eighth or ninth, it’s likely over.”

The NorthPaws have won their fourth consecutive series on home soil, but it won’t be any easier as they play six in a row at Norbrock against the Bellingham Bells and the Wenatchee Applesox.

“It’s going to be tougher now; I want these guys to get used to winning games and expect to win and put out an effort where they can win games,” said Head Coach Riley Jepson.

The series against the Bells kicks off Friday night at 6:35 from NorBrock Stadium.

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Less that 24 hours after a 16 run outburst Northpaws register just two hits in loss to Falcons

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The Kamloops NorthPaws dropped the second game of the home-and-home series to the Kelowna Falcons 6-1 at Elks Stadium on Wednesday night. The NorthPaws got on the board first, but Falcons righty Gio De Graauw retired the next 26 Kamloops hitters, throwing a complete game. It’s the second complete game of the West Coast League season, both of which were thrown by Kelowna.

The NorthPaws got off to a quick start in the first as left fielder Elijah Clayton tripled to the gap in left-center. Designated hitter Drew Schmidt was up next and sent an RBI single to left field. Schmidt took his lead at first base but got erased off the base path after getting picked off. No one realized it in the moment, but that was the last time in the game Kamloops would have a runner on base.

Righty JM Harduvel got the start on the mound for Kamloops and had his longest outing of the season, going two and two-thirds, giving up three earned on two hits. Harduvel got into some trouble in the third as the Falcons loaded the bases with just one out. A sacrifice fly tied the game at one as UC Berkley pitcher was pulled from the game.

Righty Jayson Tamayo came on in relief to try and end the inning with two outs. Tamayo was about to throw his second pitch when he was called for a balk, allowing the Falcons to take the lead. A few pitches later, a single would make it 3-1 for Kelowna.

In the bottom of the fourth, a pair of walks and a stolen base put runners on second and third with two outs. Tamayo would then get called for his second balk of the game, making it 4-1. The Falcons added two more in the bottom of the seventh on two hits and two errors in the field by the NorthPaws.

At this point, all the attention was on De Graauw as the Dutchman continued to cruise through innings. After efficient innings in the seventh and eighth, throwing just 21 pitches, Falcons Head Couch Doug Noce decided to keep his starter in the game with a chance to finish the game.

De Graauw needed 15 pitches and recorded two more strikeouts to secure the complete game on 101 pitches. The righty had seven strikeouts and didn’t walk a batter, retiring 26 straight hitters. In Collegiate Summer Baseball, it’s rare for a guy to pitch seven innings, let alone a complete game. For a team to have two complete games through the first twenty contests is downright absurd. Back on June 14th, Joel Hogan threw a complete game in a 2-1 victory over the Nanaimo Night Owls.

The good news for the NorthPaws is that they won’t have much time to dwell on the loss as the two teams finish the series on Thursday night at Norbrock Stadium. The first pitch is set for 6:35.

 

 

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Nanaimo NightOwls Take Both Games Against The Redmond Dudes

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NANAIMO, B.C. — Nanaimo NightOwls defeated the Redmond Dudes 5-1 on Wednesday night in the second game of their exhibition series. Nanaimo sweeps the mini series, scoring 17 runs and only giving up 1 in the two games.

The Redmond Dudes jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, and it looked like it was going to be a pitchers’ duel. The score stayed 1-0 until the NightOwls were able to tie it up with one run in the sixth inning when Caden Petrey singled in Talan Zenk. Extra innings were on the horizon before a big bottom of the eighth. Nanaimo scored four runs to take the lead and the fans at Serauxmen Stadium all went home happy.

https://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=629559

Starting pitcher Nathan Ames was very good on the day, giving up just one run on five hits in his four innings. Dawson Shultz threw one scoreless inning with a strikeout. With this being an exhibition game, the Nanaimo NightOwls had a pair of local Victoria Golden Tide players join the team. Peter Cunningham pitched two scoreless innings before Nate Major got in and showed off.

He ended up getting the win for the Nanaimo NightOwls, pitching two scoreless innings and not giving up a hit. He walked just one and struck out two, and you could argue he deserved the save after Nanaimo went up in the eighth inning.

At the plate for the Nanaimo NightOwls Talan Zenk had a fantastic night. The second baseman who attends Everett Community College went two for three with a double, a single, two RBI, two runs, and a walk. Drew Giannini also had a multi-hit game for the Nanaimo NightOwls. He went two for three with a double, an RBI, and a run.

As mentioned earlier, Caden Petrey got the first RBI of the game and went one for three with a strikeout. The other NightOwls run came from pinch hitter Tyler Arnold, who replaced Petrey as designated hitter for the 8th-inning rally.

It was a nice series for the Nanaimo NightOwls with two strong wins over the Redmond Dudes. The pitching was strong and the bats came alive. Now a well deserved day off for the players. I also noticed some of the fans going home with roses so we hope you enjoyed Valentines in June. Friday is “Stand Up Against Cancer” Night at the ballpark and this is something that effects so many peoples lives.

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.

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