Author: Larry Read
WENATCHEE, WA—The second half of the 2023 West Coast League season started in the same fashion as the first half for the Kamloops North Paws. The Paws were swept on the road. This time, Kamloops dropped three straight to the AppleSox in Wenatchee.
The scores were 7-6 in 12 innings on Friday (July 7), 5-1 on Saturday (July 8) and 11-6 on Sunday (July 9). Wenatchee won all six regular season games with the NorthPaws.
The AppleSox move to 22-8 overall and 3-0 in the second half. Kamloops falls to 7-26 overall and 0-3 in the second half.
By the way, Bellingham won the 2023 North Division First Half Title while the Ridgefield Raptors took the crown in the South Division: https://westcoastleague.com/bells-secure-postseason-bid-second-half-race-starts/
Kamloops will have a day off to travel home on Monday (July 10). They will open up a three-game series at home against the Edmonton RiverHawks on Tuesday (July 11).
The AppleSox will begin a six-game road trip on Tuesday (July 11) when they meet the Night Owls in Nanaimo.
SERIES RECAP:
Friday, July 7, 2023: AppleSox 7 NorthPaws 6 (12 innings)
The NorthPaws battled back from a 5-0 deficit to score five in a row to tie the game in the top of the ninth inning. Kamloops then took the lead in the 12th inning when Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau< QC) doubled and scored Casey Wayne who led off the inning with a single.
Wenatchee though scored two in their half of the 12th. Sebastian David (Medina, WA) led off and was hit by a Kolby Lukinchuk (Prince George, BC) pitch. He scored on a fielder’s choice which resulted in Reeve Boyd (Seattle, WA) getting to first. He scored the winning run on a single from Brandham Ponce (Federal Way WA).
Ponce was 2-6 for Wenatchee. Austin Ohland (Maple Valley, WA) led them offensively going 2-6 with 3 RBI.
Cooper Neville (Glendale, AZ) was 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored to lead Kamloops. Joey Baran (Austin, TX) was 2-5 with a run scored.
Lukinchuk was tagged with the loss. He is 0-1 in 11 appearances this season. He pitched 1 2/3 innings giving up three hits, two runs and walked one. Bryce Johnson (Sammanish, WA) was the third of three AppleSox pitchers and garnered the win. He went four innings giving up two runs, four hits, struck out eight and walked four. He is 2-1 on the year.
Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598639
Saturday, July 8, 2023: Applesox 5 NorthPaws 1
Kamloops broke open a scoreless tie with a run in the fifth inning. Wenatchee evened it up sixth with a run of their own and added another in the seventh and three more in the eighth. They had 13 hits to the NorthPaws’ six.
Trent Liolios (Newport Beach, CA) led the way for Wenatchee with a two run homer in that eighth inning. It was his first homer of the year. He was 2-5 with two runs scored. Ponse was 2-3 with a run scored as well for the AppleSox.
Kamloops ‘ Rei Kimura (Osaka, Japan) was 2-4. Villeneuve was 2-3 while Mestas was 2-5.
Griffin Allen (San Jose, CA), the third of four Wenatchee pitchers was the winner. He went 3 2/3 innings striking out two, giving up two hits and walking one. He moved to 1-0 on what was his first appearance of the year for the AppleSox. Collin Hysell (Payette, Idaho) the third of three NorthPaws pitchers was the loser. He went two innings giving up five hits and three runs including the homer to Liolios. He is 0-1 in is fourth outing of the season.
Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598641
Sunday, July 9, 2023:AppleSox 11 NorthPaws 6
Kamloops was playing catchup from the beginning. They gave up four runs in the first and one in the second before getting on the scoresheet. Villeneuve singled to center field brining in Tyler Glowacki (San Diego, CA) who had walked earlier.
Wenatchee scored two in the bottom half of the third to go up 7-1 and then added two runs in the sixth and the seventh innings.
The Paws cut the deficit to to 9-4 with two runs in the top half of the seventh and added singles in the eighth and ninth. Neville led the way for Kamloops going 2-4 with two runs scored. Villeneuve was 1-5 with a run scored. Glowacki scored two runs.
The AppleSox offense was led by Easton Admundson (Nampa, ID) who was 2-3 with two runs scored and three runs batted in. Liolios was 2-5 with a run scored and three runs batted in. Frankie Carney (San Diego, CA) was 2-2 with two runs scored.
Andrew Monson (Liberty Lake, WA) went three innings of relief for his first win his second start with Wenatchee. He gave up a run, a hit, a walk and struck out six. New Zealander MacLain Roberts was the first of six NorthPaws pitchers. He suffered his fifth loss in six decisions going two innings. He gave up five runs on two hits with six walks and one strikeout.
Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=602296
HEAD COACH KEITH FRANCIS:
On Roadtrip:
“We performed well in most disciplines, but we continue to struggle at the plate. Two nights ago, we left 18 men on base. We just can’t hit. Today (Sunday), we came out flat and our pitching put us behind the eight ball early. We are playing hard. We just can’t connect at the plate. We have tried different things including having the players do BP (Batting Practice) in the cage and by themselves. Tuesday (July 11), we will try something different. Everyone wants to turn this (lack of hitting) around. We just need to slow down and concentrate on hitting the ball.”
NEXT UP FOR THE NORTHPAWS:
Their next home series will be Tuesday July 11th when the Edmonton RiverHawks come to town. Opening pitch that night along with Wednesday and Thursday July 12-13th will be 6:35 PM. Kamloops then has a four day break.
July 12th is SPCA Night. Guess the object inside the Big Steel Box at the game and be entered to win a Yeti Cooler and More. The Clue will be unveiled at the game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH ON THE RIVERHAWKS:
KJ Ward – RHP – Park University Gilbert
Jonny McGill – OF – University of British Columbia
Jack Wheatley – MIF – Liberty University
Kelly Corl – MIF – Niagara University.
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).
NEW FAN PROMOTION:
The NorthPaws are looking for their newest fans. The team is running a promotion right now which sees you capture a $15 ticket for any home game for the remainder of the season. There are only 100 of these tickets available. Visit tickets.northpawsbaseball.ca and click “Find tickets” on the game you would like to attend. Enter ‘NEWESTFAN’ into the promo code box and the tickets are unlocked!
TAILGATE PARTY:
The Molson’s Tailgate Party is hoppin’ 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.
Source
Catcher Dillon Lopez (18), here celebrating after a walk-off hit in 2025, will return behind the dish for the 2026 season (Photo: Justin Morash).
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