KAMLOOPS — After claiming an exhibition game victory on Thursday versus rival Kelowna, the Kamloops NorthPaws dropped three straight to the visiting Nanaimo NightOwls over a hot and smokey weekend in the Tournament Capital.
The trio of losses moves the Paws to 5-8 in the second half of the WCL Season, 3GB of the North Division leading Wenatchee AppleSox, who the NorthPaws are set to see for three games starting on Tuesday south of the border.
GAME 1
A low-scoring pitchers duel took place on Friday night as the Nanaimo NightOwls squeaked out a 2-1 victory.
TRU’s Kolby Lukinchuk toed the rubber for Kamloops, taking a hard luck loss after tossing 7.0IP 5H 2ER. Lucas Smith followed with 2.0IP 2H 0R.
Kamloops did strike first in the third inning on an Anthony Setticasi double that scored Anthony Manuel from second.
The NightOwls responded with a single run in both the fifth and sixth innings to take the lead. Joshua Torres, RBI double, and Mitchell Middlemiss RBI single.
Jacob Fleury got the win for the NightOwls after silencing the bats of Kamloops over 6.0IP, 1H, 1ER, 2BB.
The Paws would get the tying and winning run into scoring position in the ninth as TJ Wachter missed a two-run walkoff by a matter of inches off the left field wall before a ground out secured the win for the visitors.
Ryan Inouye was credited with the save.
GAME 2
One bad inning spelled disaster for the NorthPaws on Saturday night, as once again the offense scuffled in a 6-4 Nanaimo victory.
Just like in game one, it was an early lead for Kamloops, as TJ Wachter singled home Joey Rico to make it 1-0.
Cade Johnson got the start for Kamloops pitching in and out of danger through 5.0IP, 7H, 1ER.
After Nanaimo leveled the score at 1-1 in the third, the NorthPaws would take a 4-1 lead in the sixth. Matthew Olivares doubled home Rico, followed by a pair of 2-out RBI singles from Jerry Nix, and Jacob Schlesselman.
From there the NightOwls would score 5 unanswered to secure the series win. Trailing by one in the eighth, Nanaimo scored three unearned runs against Paws’ closer Rico, as a ground ball slipped under the glove of Madden Ocko.
Ocko would single in the ninth to give the NorthPaws a shot, but he would be stranded.
GAME 3
The final game of the three game set was entirely one-sided, with the Nanaimo NightOwls completing the sweep in dominant fashion 12-2.
Keith Manby from the TRU WolfPack got the start for Kamloops in the contest and struggled to get outs, allowing 6ER, 7H 1K in 3.1IP. David Betancourt, Manato Tateno, Nolan Austin and Manny Recchi would also toe the rubber on Sunday evening, allowing six more runs to cross the plate in a crushing defeat.
The Paws managed just four hits in the ballgame, three of which came from Kamloops’ own Matt MacDonald who went 3-4 at the plate with an RBI.
Aidan Boice recorded the win for Nanaimo, allowing just two MacDonald hits over 6.0IP, with 7K.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE Monday, July 22 – Off-Day Tuesday, July 23 at Wenatchee, 6:35 first pitch Wednesday, July 24 at Wenatchee, 6:35 first pitch Thursday, July 25 at Wenatchee, 6:35 first pitch Friday, July 26 at Victoria, 6:30 first pitch Saturday, July 27 at Victoria, 6:30 first pitch Sunday, July 28 at Victoria, 1:00 first pitch Monday, July 29 – Off-Day Tuesday, July 30 vs Bellingham, 6:35 first pitch Wednesday, July 31 vs Bellingham, 6:35 first pitch Thursday, August 1, vs Bellingham, 6:35 first pitch
FOR MEDIA REQUESTS Jenna Forter General Manager Kamloops NorthPaws 250-200-1415 www.northpawsbaseball.ca
NANAIMO, B.C. — It’s hard to boil down the 2027 Nanaimo NightOwls schedule to a few highlights — it’s a strong schedule for fans and partners, and for the players and coaches.
The sixth season of NightOwls baseball at historic Serauxmen Stadium, in the impressive West Coast League, includes ample weekend dates in both June and July, with a game on Sunday, June 20 the perfect fit for Father’s Day celebrations.
It also includes the first-ever Nanaimo visit by the South Division’s Springfield Drifters, who have not faced the Serauxmen challenge prior to this 2027 schedule — and the Drifters are the OPENING SERIES foe for the NightOwls (June 4-5-6).
“We really like what this schedule will mean for our fans and our sponsors,” said GM Tina Cornett. “There are a lot of ways we can be creative with the dates, and the travel for our players and coaches is more than workable, with just one South Division trip (to Yakima).
“We can’t wait to get seats set up for everyone, and to start lining up all the group outings that are so popular at Serauxmen Stadium. There are no long homestands, one spot in late June where we have six games in seven days, and in August we have Edmonton and Kelowna in consecutive home series.”
Season tickets, packages and group bookings are available now (email tina@nanaimonightowls.com for more information), and single-game tickets will be on sale soon.
The NightOwls open with a three-game series in Victoria, June 1-2-3, and also end on the road Aug 9-10-11 in Kamloops.
The NightOwls are planning to add another fireworks date to the offering — the ultra-popular July 1/Canada Day date (vs. the island rival Victoria HarbourCats) remains in place, but a season-opening fireworks show in the second home game of the season, Saturday, June 5, is in the works.
The NightOwls host the home opener on Friday, June 4, vs. the Springfield Drifters, starting a three-game series that ends with a Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. at Serauxmen.
The NightOwls will face the Kelowna Falcons and Edmonton Riverhawks nine times this season. Nanaimo and Victoria will also meet nine times in the 54 games, six of those in the capital city. Victoria will host the West Coast League all-star game for the second year in a row, two days of activities there July 13-14 at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.
HOME DATES, 2027 Nanaimo NightOwls, at Serauxmen Stadium Mon-Sat games, 6:35 pm — Sunday games, 1pm
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 4-5-6 — vs. Springfield Drifters (including planned fireworks game, Saturday, June 5) Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 11-12-13 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 18-19-20 — vs. Wenatchee AppleSox (including Father’s Day, June 20) Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, June 22-23-24 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks Tuesday, June 29 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats Thursday, July 1 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats (Canada Day fireworks) Wednesday, July 7 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 9-10-11 — vs. Bellingham Bells Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 16-17-18 — vs. Coquitlam Angels Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24-25 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, August 3-4-5 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks Friday-Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7-8 — vs. Kelowna Falcons
ROAD DATES, 2027 Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 1-2-3 — at Victoria Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 8-9-10 — at Bellingham Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 15-16-17 — at Edmonton Fri-Sat-Sun, June 25-26-27 — at Kelowna Wednesday, June 30 — at Victoria Fri-Sat-Sun, July 2-3-4 — at Wenatchee Tuesday, July 6 — at Victoria Thursday, July 8 — at Victoria Tues-Wed-Thurs, July 20-21-22 — at Yakima Valley Fri-Sat-Sun, July 30-31/Aug1 — at Kelowna Mon-Tues-Wed, August 9-10-11 — at Kamloops
PLAYOFF DATES Division semifinal — August 13-14-15 Division final — August 17 WCL final — August 19
The Victoria HarbourCats and the Edwards Family Training Centre (EFTC) are now taking individual bookings for our Fall 2026 indoor training sessions for baseball.
The “Offseason Academy“, presented by The EFTC, is designed to keep athletes sharp, confident, and improving long after the final game of summer. Built for youth players who want to stay ahead of the competition, our Academy focuses not only on technical skill development but also on the physical conditioning that keeps athletes strong and game-ready.
With a lineup of specialized camps in areas such as hitting, analytics, and general skills, athletes can train with experienced coaches, benefit from professional-level technology like HitTrax, and build the habits that matter most during the offseason.
All sessions take place in the same professional training facility used by the HarbourCats and Victoria Collegiate Cats, giving players access to a proven environment for growth and performance.
Running for eight weeks, athletes will receive 32 hours of training designed to keep their skills sharp through the winter.
2026 Fall Sessions Include:
Baseball, Foundations and Futures, $300, Saturdays, 9:00am- 12noon, October 31 thru December 19. Ages 8-11 Foundations & Futures” is a high-energy baseball camp for players aged 8–11. This camp delivers professional-grade instruction in a dynamic, fun environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and carry your skills into next season. REGISTER HERE
Baseball, High Performance Prep, $300, Saturdays, 12:30-3:30pm, October 31 thru December 19. Ages 12-16. High Performance Prep is designed for players aged 12–16 who are ready to refine their skills and maintain peak form after summer. This camp delivers advanced instruction in a focused, competitive environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and prepare for the season ahead. REGISTER HERE
There are limited spaces in each camp so don’t delay. Register NOW!
VICTORIA, B.C. – After a successful debut season in the West Coast League, Zach Swanson will be back as Pitching Coach for the Victoria HarbourCats.
Head Coach Todd Haney is pleased to be putting together the key pieces of his staff already for the 2027 season, and that includes Swanson, the Victoria product and former college pitcher, after setting notable records in 2026. Swanson is a Lambrick Park graduate who played for the Victoria Eagles and Mariners, and pitched collegiately at San Diego Christian and Park University-Gilbert, earning an MBA in the process.
The records and notables of the 2026 HarbourCats:
Most team strikeouts (536) in team history in a season, two short of a WCL record (and notably, the HarbourCats would have played two more games, but they were cancelled due to smoky conditions in Washington State)
Highest K/9 rate in WCL history (10.48)
Second in batting average against (.235)
Fourth in league ERA (4.48)
Right-handers Jeremiah Arnett (66) and Erik Rico (64) now sit first and second in HarbourCats history in strikeouts in a season, and both were named all-stars – on top of it, Arnett was named the WCL Pitcher of the Year
HarbourCats reliever Nathan Mueller was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers and pitcher Will Zielinski was a 20th round pick of the Detroit Tigers
Swanson is the Pitching Coach at Hawaii Pacific University (NCAA Division 2) in Honolulu, entering his second year – in his first season, Swanson had three all-conference pitchers and the team ERA improved by more than a run per game.
“I’m incredibly excited to welcome Zach back as our pitching coach for the 2027 season. He built tremendous trust with our pitchers and has a great understanding of what it takes to develop players,” said Haney, who earlier this week added former MLB infielder Jeff Frye to the coaching staff for 2027.
“Our pitching staff responded to Zach’s leadership every single day, and we saw real growth both on and off the mound. Zach brings an exceptional work ethic, passion and competitive edge to our staff. Our pitchers are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with him now, as it’s only a matter of time before Zach is an MLB pitching coach.”
Swanson is excited to return to a team he knows well, holding many roles – batboy, to player, to play-by-play voice in 2022. Swanson was Victoria’s starting pitcher for Game 1 of the WCL final in 2019 against the Corvallis Knights in a game played at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.
“It’s a joy and a privilege to be returning to Victoria in 2027,” said Swanson, son of Managing Partner Jim Swanson.
“After a 2026 season full of development, my wife Madeline and I are looking forward to coming back to this great city. I can’t wait to help write another chapter – both in the lives of these athletes and in the history books of this organization.”
The HarbourCats have started the recruiting process for 2027 already, and Season Ticket Memberships are now available for purchase or renewal. New members may order their seats on-line if desired at harbourcats.com/tickets (click the Membership tab), or by calling the office at 778-265-0327.
Renew or purchase your seats by September 30th to be eligible to win a round trip airfare on Harbour Air to Vancouver.
The HarbourCats 2027 schedule is expected to be announced in late October 2026, with single-game tickets expected to be available by December 1, 2026.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login