West Coast League

Dearing Deepens NorthPaws Canadian Talent Pool

Published

5 years ago

February 25, 2021

Dugout Wire Service

The Kamloops NorthPaws newest pitcher adds to the depth of Canadian talent on the 2021 roster.

Tate Dearing, a 6’2” right-hander from Surrey, will bring his deceptive mix of pitches to the mound at Norbrock Stadium.

Dearing throws five pitches: a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, 12-6 curve, slider and circle changeup.

“I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to come in, light up the radar gun and blow it by you at 95 or 96 so I have to take a step back and get crafty,” he said. “I utilize a lot of off-speed pitches and keep pitchers relatively off balance.”

Dearing began his collegiate career at Polk State College but returned home after his first season for personal reasons. He joined Douglas College for the 2020 season, starting one game before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the season to a halt. He had committed to Georgia Gwinnett College for this season, but with the uncertainties of international travel opted instead to stay in B.C.

Photo Credit: Polk State College

“Tate is a guy who figures into our starting rotation. He’s a great competitor and is able to get guys out in multiple ways,” said head coach Cole Armstrong, who first coached Dearing on a little league travel team about a decade ago. “He’s been on the big stage with the Junior National Team and at a powerhouse Junior College program. He’s battle tested and hungry for an opportunity like this one.”

Staying close to home was one of two key reasons for Dearing to want to join the NorthPaws.

“The second part that was the icing on the cake was my grandpa lives in Kamloops. I haven’t seen him for a couple years so it will be nice that he can come out and watch me play every game,” Dearing said.

Growing up playing baseball, hockey and soccer, Dearing said it felt they he was in Kamloops every other weekend for a tournament.

One visit when he was in grade 11 stands out in particular because his phone rang, and Team Canada was calling.

“I remember the morning I got my phone call, we were at Best of the West. I pitched at Norbrock at a night game and I woke up the next morning to a phone call from [head coach Greg Hamilton] saying I’m on the team,” he said.

His stint with the Junior National Team took him to Florida, Panama, Dominican Republic and across Canada.

“It’s surreal being able to wear that Canada across your chest and do it consistently and create bonds with guys across the country. The first time I wore the jersey and went out and pitched I don’t think I was able to stand still. I was so shaky and so nervous,” Dearing recalled. “Obviously you’re there for a reason, but that doesn’t matter in the moment. I was shaking out of my pants, so hopefully nobody noticed.”

Dearing comes to the NorthPaws as one of the few players on the roster with past experience in the West Coast League. He posted a 1.42 ERA across five appearances for the Bellingham Bells in 2019.

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.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Drop Third Game of Kelowna Series

Published

1 hour ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took on the Kelowna Falcons for the third game a row this afternoon, losing the final matchup by a score of 9-2.

The Falcons were the first side to find purchase on the offensive side in a long third inning. Cats starter Daniel Tovar (Northern Kentucky) allowed a couple of baserunners on a walk and an error, and was swapped out for right-hander Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State). Kelowna strung together a few singles together on Tomlinson over the course of the inning, taking a 3-0 lead.

BOX SCORE

The home team followed that up with an uppercut in their next trip to the plate, smashing a three-run homer off of Tomlinson in the fourth to blow the game wide open.

Tate Collins (Arkansas State) took over for the fifth and pitched a clean inning, but was accosted for another scoring trio in the home half of the sixth. A single, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly gave the Falcons a daunting 9-0 lead.

The Cats at last found life in the seventh frame, kicked off by a solo bomb off the bat of Fresno State outfielder Marcus Nolen. Matthew Westley (George Mason) followed that homer up with a fine job of manufacturing a run. The Virginia product drew himself a walk, stole two bases, and advanced all the way home on a wild pitch to continue cutting a chunk out of that mountainous lead.

Carson Ackermann (Tacoma) took to the pitcher’s mound in the seventh and only allowed two baserunners across his two innings of work, but in the end the lead proved insurmountable and the Falcons secured a 9-2 win on home turf.

WCL STANDINGS

The HarbourCats will now travel back to Victoria and look to rebound on Tuesday night in the first matchup of a three-game mid-week series versus the Bend Elks.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games 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.

GET YOUR ALL-STAR TICKETS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE! Tickets for the 2026 WCL All-Star Home Run Derby (featuring former Blue Jay Kevin Pillar) and the West Coast League All Star Game on July 14-15 are selling fast. Get yours today! Each event is now on sale separately, or grab the package deal for both and save a few bucks at http://harbourcats.com/tickets! Or call the office at 778-265-0327 to order by phone.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Two major events announced with Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game

Published

12 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Legendary scout Marti Wolever to speak at luncheon

July 4, 2026

VICTORIA, B.C. — Having the West Coast League all-star festival in Victoria brings tremendous extra opportunities — like hearing from some of the best in the game.

The organizers of the Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game, presented by Canadian Club, are proud to announce two signature pieces of the two-day festival, and they are sponsored by valued partners of the Victoria HarbourCats Baseball Club — The Wilson’s Group of Companies, and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

“Sponsors like Wilson’s and The Chamber make events like this possible — and with the big names and details, will get people fired up to attend,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the Victoria HarbourCats.

Both events are also held at the Studio 919 thanks to partnership with the Strathcona Hotel (919 Douglas Street).

HOT STOVE PANEL, presented by The Wilson’s Group of Companies
Tuesday, July 14 — 9pm-11:30pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Admission — $10
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

A soiree on baseball following the WCL All-Star Home Run Derby, fans are urged to keep the evening going with a social, relaxed, panel-style discussion of baseball and tons of stories — headlined by Kevin Pillar and legendary baseball scout Marti Wolever, and including HarbourCats head coach Todd Haney, himself a five-year MLB player, the dean of pitching coaches, Gorm Heimueller, who is celebrating his 50th year in the game, and legendary local baseball scout Walt Burrows.

Food and refreshments will be available for attendees to purchase.

OFFICIAL ALL-STAR LUNCHEON, presented by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday, July 15, 11:30am-1pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Tickets — $25 (Limited quantities available to the public).
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

All of the all-stars and coaches will be there to hear a welcome from John Wilson, a member of the HarbourCats ownership group and also the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, from WCL commissioner Rob Neyer, and then keynote speaker Marti Wolever, who has been enshrined in the MLB Scouts Hall of Fame, and now is senior amateur scouting advisor for the Miami Marlins.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Narrowly Defeated by Falcons in Game Two

Published

14 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took to the field against Kelowna again on Saturday night, dropping the second game of the series by an all-too-familiar score of 3-2.

The Falcons swooped in to take an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, punishing Landon Marchetti (San Jose State) for allowing two walks with a 2-RBI double.

BOX SCORE

That score stood until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Kelowna gained enough ground to add on. A few baserunners and a sacrifice fly ended the outing for Landon Marchetti, who went 3.2 innings with three runs, three hits, and seven strikeouts. The new job opening was filled by Concordia-Nebraska right-hander Trent Schlim, who successfully cleaned up the runners left behind by Marchetti.

Schlim exited the game after loading the bases with nobody out in the fifth, and in came Taylor Franklin (George Fox) for his season debut. Franklin worked quickly to get a popout and a double play, miraculously escaping the jam with no runs across.

Landon Marchetti allowed Kelowna’s only runs in his three-inning start. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria found the beginnings of revenge in the top of the sixth, executing a double-steal perfectly for Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) to swipe home plate and score the Cats’ first run. David Krahn (UBC) came around to score on a single later in the frame, making it a one-run ballgame with three innings to go.

Franklin retired to the dugout after a couple of scoreless innings, replaced by Leif Friedrich (Concordia-Nebraska) for the eighth. Friedrich held strong for a quick one-two-three inning, swiftly getting the Cats back on offence. Victoria kept it close but were unable to break the threshold, taking their second 3-2 loss in a row.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats will attempt to salvage a win in the final game of the series tomorrow night, and will return to Victoria for a three-game set with the Bend Elks starting on Tuesday.

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