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Summer Collegiate

– Kamloops NorthPaws

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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 Divisionhttps://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.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – West Coast League meetings to be held in Victoria

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October 6, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — The capital city of British Columbia will become the centre of the West Coast League (WCL) for two days in October.

The 2025 WCL Fall Meetings, featuring a gathering of team owners/directors, will be held in Victoria, October 20-21. This marks the first time the meetings, often staged near a major U.S. airport (Seattle or Portland) for travel and logistics reasons, have been held in Canada since the formation of the collegiate elite baseball league that evolved from a gathering in Kelowna in 2003, with the Kelowna Falcons as one of the founding members — and the lone Canadian entry until the HarbourCats were founded.

Five of the league’s 17 teams now are located in Canada — in Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops and Edmonton. Kamloops, Nanaimo and Edmonton all started play in 2022.

The HarbourCats, who joined the WCL for the 2013 season and have watched as eight former players have advanced to the MLB level, will also welcome the league to Victoria in July of 2026 and 2027 when the organization plays host to the WCL All-Star Game festival for consecutive seasons, showcasing Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park. The all-star game was held in Bellingham the last two summers.

“The inner harbour in fall will be a fantastic setting for these meetings, just as it will be for events around the WCL All-Star Game next July,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the group that operates both the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls.

Topics expected to be discussed are the finalization of the league’s 2026 schedule, WCL marketing initiatives, and ways to improve best practices around player, coach and umpire development — the keystone goal of the WCL.

“I’m incredibly excited to visit Victoria for our fall meetings,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer. “The city’s rich baseball history and beautiful scenery will provide the perfect backdrop for our teams to discuss the future of the League in one of my favorite WCL markets.”

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Lock in your season tickets today to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria.

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

 

 

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All-Stars Hayes and Zenk returning to Owls in 2026

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NANAIMO, B.C. — They put on a show for fans at historic Serauxmen Stadium, and they got better as the summer went on.

Talan Zenk (Everett CC) and Jacob Hayes (Azusa Pacific), two West Coast League all-stars in 2025, are returning to the Nanaimo NightOwls next summer — the priority first signings by Head Coach Cody Andreychuk and GM Tina Cornett.

“These two players really enjoyed performing in front of WCL fans, and especially our great fans in Nanaimo,” said Andreychuk, the local product who will enter his second season as the NightOwls’ head coach. “They developed, and they got a chance to be leaders. We are proud of how they represented us at the all-star game and we are very happy they are eager to be in Nanaimo again. These are great young men who represent their schools and families so well.”

Zenk, who was the ultimate utility player by serving in both the infield and outfield, was a spark plug at the top of the order — he hit .289 with 10 stolen bases, four home runs, seven doubles and two triples. The 19-year-old from Brier, WA, had a .853 OPS.

Hayes is without a question the best power hitter the NightOwls have ever had in blue and gold, following up a 19-bomb spring at college by hitting 10 home runs (team record) in 49 WCL games, batting .250 with 44 hits, 30 walks and 39 runs driven in, all while playing nearly every game at first base. The 20-year-old from Anacortes, WA is entering his sophomore season at Azusa Pacific. He was the NightOwls player of the year in 2025.

SEASON TICKETS — The best seats can be secured now! Email tina@nanaimonightowls.com to lock in your 2026 NightOwls season tickets, with versatile fan-friendly flex options to see the best baseball on Vancouver Island. The NightOwls enter their fifth season in the WCL and have had a player selected in the MLB draft each of the last three seasons.

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats Fall Indoor Youth Training Sessions Now Available!

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Sessions begin September 30th (softball) and October 4th (baseball). Register NOW!

The Victoria HarbourCats and the Edwards Family Training Centre (EFTC) are now taking individual bookings for our Fall 2025 indoor training sessions for both baseball and softball.

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 fastball 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 Golden Tide, giving players access to a proven environment for growth and performance.

2025 Fall Sessions Include:

Baseball, Advance Hitting Analytics, $159, Saturdays, 1:15-3:15, October 4 thru November 22. Ages 12-17
The Advanced HitTrax Analytics Hitting Camp is built for serious baseball athletes aged 12–17 who want to take a deeper dive into the analytics behind their swing. Led by Dexter Stoiber from the Victoria Golden Tide collegiate roster, this camp goes beyond basic mechanics to show players how to interpret advanced hitting data, identify areas for improvement, and make the small tweaks that translate into real results on the field. REGISTER HERE

Baseball, Foundations and Futures, $299, Saturdays, 9:00am- 1:00pm, October 4 thru November 22. 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, $225, Saturdays, 3:30-6:30pm, October 4 thru November 22. Ages 12-15.
High Performance Prep” is designed for players aged 12–15 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

Fastball / Softball, Offseason Advantage, $199, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 5-7pm, September 30 thru October 29. Ages 12-17
The Softball / Fastball Skills Camp is built for athletes aged 12–17 who want to strengthen every part of their game during the offseason. With trusted instruction from Maddie Kumala, one of the most respected coaches and players in the fastball community, this camp provides parents with the peace of mind that their athlete is learning in a structured, professional, and supportive environment. REGISTER HERE

There are limited spaces in each camp so don’t delay. Register NOW!

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