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Summer Collegiate

Falcons Sweep NorthPaws, take season series

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Author: Larry Read

KELOWNA, BC—The Kelowna Falcons brought out the offence as they took advantage of a depleted Kamloops NorthPaws pitching staff in a pair of West Coast League games at Elks Stadium.

The Falcons racked up 30 hits over two games and scored 21 times as they swept the NorthPaws.  The scores were 10-0 on Tuesday night (Aug 2) and 11-5 on Wednesday (Aug 3).   As a result, Kelowna won the regular season series against Kamloops.  They won four of six games.

Kelowna is now 29-22 on the season while Kamloops falls to 11-38.

The Paws will close out the 2023 West Coast League regular season in Kamloops (August 4-6). Their opponents will be the Nanaimo Night Owls. 

The Falcons will do battle with the Wenatchee AppleSox at Elks Stadium in their final regular season series. That begins tomorrow (August 4).

All West Coast League games are available via their website: https://wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv/

SERIES RECAP:

Wednesday, August 2, 2023:Falcons 10 NorthPaws 0

The Falcons took the lead in the season series with this victory as they won their third in five starts.  The big offensive innings for Kelowna were the sixth and eighth when they scored three runs a piece.  They had 10 runs on 13 hits.    Kamloops managed only five hits in the ball game.

Jonas Silk (Fairfax, CA) was the Falcons biggest offensive weapon going 4-5 with two RBI and one run scored. Griffin Palfrey (West Vancouver, BC) and Garet Crenshaw (Fullerton, CA) were both 2-4 with a run scored and two RBI while Sam Flores (Lufkin, TX) was 1-5 with two RBI.

The Paws offensive was led by Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau, QC). He was 2-4 while Drew Giannini (Tracy. CA) was 1-4.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598574

Thursday, August 3, 2023:Falcons 11 NorthPaws 1

Things looked positive for Kamloops early on as Villeneuve blasted a solo homer in the top of the first inning. It was his second round tripper of the 2023 campaign.

 After the Falcons tied it up with a run of their own in the second, The Paws scored three times in the third inning: Ray Jesse (Oak Lawn, IL) singled to lead of the inning and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1.  Giannini hit into a fielder’s choice allowing Cooper Neville (Glendale, AZ) , who had previously singled to give Kamloops a two-run lead (3-1).

The big inning for Kelowna was the sixth where they scored four times. They added three more in the eighth when Jared Sucro (Kamloops, BC), who hadn’t pitched all season was forced into action as head coach Keith Francis tried to save what’s left of his pitching staff for another day.  Sucro had caught, played infield and outfield this season went one inning on the mound giving up three runs on three hits, walking two and striking out one.   He was the fourth pitcher of the night for Kamloops following starter Kolby Lukinchuk (Prince George, BC)—who is normally a reliever, Adam Filmon (Winnipeg, MB)—the NorthPaws assistant general manager, and Lucas Maricle (Trail, BC)—who is usually a catcher for the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference Thompson Rivers University WolfPack.   Filmon was the losing pitcher of record, playing in only his second game of the year. He gave up four runs on three hits.

Villeneuve was 1-4 with two RBI and a run scored.  Jesse was 1-4 with a run scored. Giannini was 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

Raphael Smeenk (Amsterdam, NL) was 4-5 with three RBI and a run scored to lead the Falcons offence. Cameron Mercurio (Modesto, CA) was 4-4 with three runs scored and two RBI.  Flores was 2-4 with two runs batted in.

Cory Lawson of Okanagan College of the CCBC was the starting pitcher for Kelowna going seven innings. He gave up six hits, four runs, walked three and struck out two.   Teagan Ribbink, who is also from Okanagan College came on in relief and went four innings striking out five giving up one hit and walking three. He moved to 2-1 on the season appearing in his seventh game.

Link to Scoresheet:  http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598575

NEXT UP FOR THE NORTHPAWS:

The Paws  will conclude the regular season at Dearborn Ford field at Norbrock Stadium against Nanaimo starting tomorrow (Aug 4).   Saturday’s (August 5) contest against the Night Owls will be Fan Appreciation night followed the final game of the regular campaign on Sunday (August 6) which has been deemed “Family Day”.

If you can’t make the home games, they are all webcast on  https://wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv/ .   Some home games will also be shown on Shaw TV in Kamloops (Cable 10 or 105 with Blue Curve).

TAILGATE PARTY:

The Molson’s Tailgate Party runs before every NorthPaws home game.   It runs Tuesday through Saturday 5-630 PM.  The Party runs Sundays noon-1 PM.  Hotdogs and a Pilsner are sold for $ 12.00 plus tax.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Nail Down 5-3 Win in Nanaimo

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Marcus Nolen’s homer in the second inning gave an early advantage to the HarbourCats. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Nanaimo, B.C. – Victoria kicked off the Island Rivalry series the right way on Tuesday night, claiming a 5-3 win over the Nanaimo NightOwls

The Cats made it a loud second inning in this one, slamming two monster moonshots to get on the board first. Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) shelled the parking lot for his second of the season, followed up by a blast to right field from Max Bernal (Fresno Pacific) to make it a three-run inning for the Cats.

BOX SCORE

That run support backed up a scoreless start from Landon Marchetti (San Jose State), who pitched three innings, gave up zero hits, and struck out four batters. Davis Lee (Calgary) was summoned for the bottom of the fourth, surrendering the first Nanaimo run of the evening before stranding two runners to end the inning. Victoria responded with another run in their next turn at the plate, bringing in a run on a sacrifice fly to restore a three-run lead.

Davis Lee took a seat after a strong two innings of work, giving way to Asher Clark (Northern Colorado) in the sixth. The right-hander loaded the bases but buckled down, generated some weak contact, and stranded the runners to keep the HarbourCats’ lead intact.

David Krahn is tied for the second-most hits in the West Coast League, adding three more in tonight’s ballgame. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Clark ran the bases full once again with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, inducing a change of personnel for the HarbourCats. Marcus Janovsky (UBC) took to the field, hitting a batter but stranding three runners to escape the inning clutching a 4-3 lead.

Victoria answered back in the next frame, beginning with a well-earned walk from Kade Davis (UTSA), who later came around to score on a base hit by Dryden Fuoco (Hill College). 5-3 Cats after eight innings..

It was Carson Ackermann’s turn to get in on the action in the bottom of the eighth. The Tacoma College hurler locked down the frame with two strikeouts to keep the score frozen. Pierce Stone (Regis) appeared on the bump to close it out and didn’t disappoint, filling up the zone and securing a quick three outs to seal the deal.

WCL STANDINGS

The series continues tomorrow, with the HarbourCats hosting the NightOwls in Victoria for an Island Rivalry game at 6:35 pm!

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 – Offence Erupts Early in 15-5 Win

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David Krahn’s two-homer ballgame led the way for an offensive clinic. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Port Angeles, WA – The HarbourCats closed out the Port Angeles series in style on a sunny Sunday afternoon, racking up 17 hits in a 15-5 victory.

David Krahn (UBC) took it upon himself to spark the offence early in this one, blasting a leadoff rocket to make it 1-0 Cats in the top of the first.

BOX SCORE

The Lefties responded quickly, dropping a perfectly placed line drive into left field to bring in the tying run in the bottom of the first. Port Angeles threatened with more runners in scoring position, but an unassisted double play by David Krahn kept the game even at one.

Cats outfielder Max Bernal (Fresno Pacific) knocked a double into the gap in the next inning to push Dryden Fuoco (Hill College) up to third base. David Krahn came in clutch once again in his second trip to the plate, driving in Fuoco to snatch the lead back for Victoria. The second-inning offence wouldn’t end there for the Cats, as Matt Westley (George Mason) and Brady Hewitt (Fresno State) both singled to widen the lead to 5-1 by the end of the frame.

Matt Westley was 2/4 this afternoon with a double and 3 RBI. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria didn’t let up after gaining the lead, putting some ducks on the pond in the top of the third inning for, you guessed it, David Krahn. The Langley, B.C. product pulverized his second homer of the game to further extend the lead to 8-1. The hits just kept coming in the third frame, and suddenly Victoria was up 12-1.

A bruised Lefties lineup managed to throw a counter-punch in the bottom of the third, uncorking two leadoff home runs to dead centre. A valiant effort, but the home side had a lot of work to do if they were to erase a 12-3 deficit.

The Cats kept their foot on the gas, loading the bases in the top of the fifth and bringing home a pair of runs on hits by Matt Westley and Brady Hewitt. Austin Lindsey (Hill College) came in to pitch for the bottom of the fifth, relieving Jeremiah Arnett (Rice) who allowed three runs on four hits over four innings.

Spencer Kratt (San Jose State) took over on the heels of two spotless no-hit innings from Lindsey, before Anson Stuckly (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) closed it out in the ninth with two strikeouts.

Port Angeles managed to scrape together a comeback attempt in the later innings, but Victoria’s mountainous lead stayed intact for a 15-5 win.

WCL STANDINGS

With the road trip complete, the Cats will come back to Victoria to take on the Nanaimo NightOwls at 6:30 pm on Tuesday night.

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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Victoria HarbourCats – Lefties Take Game Two in Extra Innings

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Port Angeles, WA – The Port Angeles Lefties eked out a win in an extra innings nail-biter, walking it off for an 8-7 victory,

It didn’t take long for the HarbourCats to follow up on last night’s win. Jacob Silva (UTSA) stepped into the box and crushed an RBI double to take an early lead in the top of the first.

BOX SCORE

The Lefties responded in a big way in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of hard contact and a HarbourCats error to set the stage for a three-run homer. This ended a short start for Bryson Toner (Hawaii), giving way to Daniel Tovar (Northern Kentucky) to finish the second inning down 5-1.

Lightning struck twice in the fourth inning for the HarbourCats. Brady Hewitt (Fresno State) crushed his team-leading third homer of the year, followed up by Renton, Washington’s Rohne Klein (San Jose State) sending one well over the fence as well. With two home runs in just one inning, the Cats were suddenly right back in this game.

Brady Hewitt let one fly tonight for his third homer of the season. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Momentum continued for the Cats in their next trip to the plate. David Krahn (UBC) found a gap and hustled his way to a leadoff double before returning home on a Matt Westley (George Mason) base hit later in the inning. Kade Davis (UTSA) would eventually be the man to take back the lead for Victoria, as he came through with a 2-RBI double down the right field line to push the score to 6-5 in favour of the HarbourCats.

The home team was determined not to let this outburst slide, solving Daniel Tovar for the first time and tying the game at six. Tovar exited the game after a strong outing on the bump, going 3.1 innings with two hits, one run, and three strikeouts.

Jack Clark (CSU San Marcos) was rock-solid in a four-inning relief appearance in which he gave up only one hit. The score remained deadlocked all the way until extra innings, when Rohne Klein earned a sacrifice fly to take a narrow 7-6 lead in the top of the tenth frame. The Lefties struck back once again in the bottom of the inning, laying a bunt down to move the runners over and walking it off to force a rubber match on Sunday.

WCL STANDINGS

The third and final match of the series takes place on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 pm, after which the Cats will return to Victoria to face the Nanaimo NightOwls at 6:30 pm on Tuesday night.

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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