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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.

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Photo Credits – Allen Douglas Photography

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

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Summer Collegiate

NightOwls bring back all-star starter Mattix

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One of the best pitchers in the West Coast League is returning to The Nest.

All-star Adison Mattix will be back for a third season with the Nanaimo NightOwls. The right-hander from Everett CC made a team-high 10 starts in 2024 and was the only player from the NWAC college baseball conference to be named to the WCL all-star game, where he helped the North Division to victory.

 

The happiest person with this news is legendary NightOwls pitching coach Gorm Heimueller — and Heimueller’s presence on the staff of new head coach Cody Andreychuk is a major reason Mattix will be spending a third summer with the program in Nanaimo.

Mattix, a power right-hander at 6-4/200, was 1-2 with a 3.04 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 41.1 innings in 2024. He gave up just 30 hits and two doubles. He was a reliever, making nine appearances, in 2023, striking out 15 batters in 16 innings.

 

The highlight start in 2024 was an 11-strikeout effort over six innings in a 8-1 home win vs. Kamloops on June 25, that made him the league leader in strikeouts at that point. He gave up three hits and no walks or runs.

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Local players and returning talent set for 2025 NightOwls duty

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Five names, all familiar to local baseball fans.

Head Coach Cody Andreychuk, a local product entering his first year at the helm of the Nanaimo NightOwls, is pleased to announce the signing of five players for the 2025 duty. Three are returnees from the 2024 squad, two are Mid-Island Pirates graduates.

 

All five players are at the junior college level, with previous announcements featuring mostly NCAA D1 scholarship athletes.

Nonomiya, from Japan but whose mom is Pakistani, recently was the starting pitcher and hit a home run for Pakistan to win the final of the Arabic region tournament. In the summer of 2024, he made seven appearances as a pitcher — three of those as the starter.

 

Florence, as a graduating high school player, saw action in 25 games last summer and drove in seven runs, playing strong defence. Known for his big arm from the left side of the infield, and an instinctual baserunner, he was an offensive catalyst in high school and has carried that to Scottsdale.

 

Carmichael, a Swiss Army Knife for the NightOwls in 2024, is being used primarily as a right-handed reliever at ELAC this season, but can still play nearly every position and run the bases, providing a hard-throwing bullpen option for pitching coach Gorm Heimueller, and giving Andreychuk the ability to make moves in the last half of the game. Carmichael has the nickname ‘Cowboy’ because he has competed in junior NFR events — and is a real glue guy with teammates. Carmichael made five pitching appearances in 2024, and batted .195 with a couple of doubles and three stolen bases in limited action.

 

Cathers spent time with the Canadian national junior team and the power hitting outfielder has made a good first impression at Cloud County.

 

Laukkanen, whose brother Josh was on the inaugural NightOwls team in 2022, was with the NightOwls for a few days in 2024 prior to setting foot on a college campus. Lucas left the team to stay at a lower level with less competition for playing time. Lucas has plans on being starting shortstop this spring at Cloud County.

 

Both Cathers and Laukkanen played in the Futures Showcase put on by the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

 

Season tickets and 10pks are available now by emailing GM Tina Cornett, tina@nanaimonightowls.com, and tickets and merchandise make great Christmas gifts — nanaimonightowls.com to find the Team Shop.

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Victoria HarbourCats – VISL, HarbourCats, NightOwls enter strategic partnership

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 21, 2024

VICTORIA, B.C. — Different sports, but the same community ideals.

The Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls, of baseball’s West Coast League, and the Vancouver Island Soccer League (VISL), have entered into a strategic partnership intended to assist the entities in growing grassroots sports and improving facilities on Vancouver Island.

The VISL provides programming and championships on the Island and leads leagues which give the best soccer players an avenue to play the sport for life. Championships such as the Jackson Cup, with many finals played at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, serve as the crown jewel of the VISL.

More than 6,000 participants are involved with the VISL — sports fans, who will keep track of the Island’s top baseball programs, the HarbourCats and NightOwls, who combined to draw more than 100,000 spectators in 2024.

The baseball teams and VISL will jointly promote each others’ schedules, and provide opportunities for youth participation.

“The atmosphere at HarbourCats and NightOwls games showcase the top fan engagement on the Island, a true gathering point in our communities,” said VISL Executive Director Vince Greco.

“Baseball fans are soccer fans, and soccer fans are baseball fans — it’s about supporting quality programs on the island and furthering awareness. Adding youth opportunities between the two will be the cherry on top.”

Watch for VISL events to recognize the work of the HarbourCats and NightOwls, and feature baseball games to celebrate the success of the VISL.

For more information on the VISL and their programs and offerings, please visit their website HERE.

The HarbourCats 2025 schedule has now been announced!  DETAILS HERE

Single-game tickets and 10-game flex pack voucher renewals are NOT YET AVAILABLE, but will be once the ticketing system is set up for the 2025 season.  We will announce this when ready!

Season tickets and 10- game flex packs ARE available for sale by dropping in to the office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or calling 778-265-0327.

Existing Season Ticket holders are encouraged, if they have not already done so, to renew their seats as soon as possible so as to lock in their seats for what is going to be another great season of HarbourCats Baseball.

 

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