KAMLOOPS — Thompson Rivers University WolfPack pitcher Kolby Lukinchuk is officially the all-time leader in innings pitched for the Kamloops NorthPaws, and the righty showcased his skills on Thursday night, pitching 8.1IP in a come from behind victory for Kamloops as they took the series off the Bellingham Bells.
“I know hitting is a hard game and I know that if I just throw strikes the guys behind me will make the plays and bail me out,” said Lukinchuk. “I had to do some begging in between innings (to get the 9th), he let me start it but we had to play a matchup and I fully understand that, And I totally respect (Jose Bautista) for it.”
“I always believe in (Kolby Lukinchuk), the first two years I was just teaching him how to pitch, he picked it up really well,” said Manager Jose Bautista. “He can pitch backwards, throw strikes and get people out.”
Lukinchuk, with ice on his throwing elbow, joked he’s willing to pitch every game of the last six. He’ll likely get one more start on the road next week in Yakima.
A newcomer helped lead the offense in the rubber match of the series and ensure Lukinchuk got the win, as Keegan Drinkle went 3-5 2-2B, 2RBI.
“It means everything, I wasn’t doing anything they asked me to come out and get some reps. Glad to help the team out,” said Drinkle. “We battle, battle hard, compete to the end.”
As the WCL season wraps up next week a number of Paws have left the team and returned to their college rosters including Tuesday’s star TJ Wachter and a number of pitchers.
“I don’t have any (players left). You see today we had to pitch Matt (MacDonald) in the 9th inning to work through it,” added Bautista. “Going to be tough, because right now we don’t have too much (in terms of pitchers available).”
The NorthPaws have two home games remaining in 2024, both this weekend on Friday and Sunday against the Interior rival Kelowna Falcons.
“Very excited. See how it goes, see the rivalry, never really be part of a rivalry before,” said Drinkle.
GAME 1
TJ Wachter put on a show in his final game with the NorthPaws in 2024. The Kamloops first-baseman led the offense in a dominant 13-4 victory in game one versus the Bells going 4-5 with 6 RBI at the dish and finishing a triple shy of the cycle.
Wachter got the game rolling in the first with a 2-out RBI double that brought home Anthony Manuel and the Paws would never look back.
The big inning for the Paws would be the 5th, with Kamloops sending 12 men to the plate as they would score 8 runs, highlighted by a Wachter 3-run homer to left.
Lucas Smith got the start for Kamloops pitching 4.0IP 3H 0ER and earning a no-decision. The win went to newcomer Owen Fernandes 2.0IP, 2H, 0ER.
Wachter would get a chance at the cycle in the seventh, hitting a 2 RBI double to the gap but would be tagged out after putting on the brakes around second.
Kamloops locals Matt MacDonald and Nolan Austin both toed the rubber in the contest with Austin pitching a clean ninth.
GAME 2
The Bells would return serve in the middle game of the set, shutting out the NorthPaws 7-0.
Layton Haywood got the start for Bellingham and pitched six dominant innings of 2 hit, no run baseball before being lifted despite throwing under 60 pitches. Jack Svinth and Nic Peterson would complete the shutout on the mound.
Cade Webber took the loss for Kamloops, giving up all seven runs over 5.0IP.
Nate Kirkpatrick was the offensive hero in the contest going 3-5 at the plate, including a 3-run homer in the first to get the Bells rolling.
GAME 3
The rubber match of the three game set was a perfect example of a game of two halves, with the contest split directly in between the top and bottom of the 5th.
It was the Bells starting out hot, and in the second straight game would smoke a homer to left in the 1st inning as Roman Martin would club a 2-run shot off Kamloops starter Kolby Lukinchuk. Bellingham would add on three more runs in the fifth, including another 2-run homer from Jacob Meija making the score 5-0.
After 13.2 innings of shutout ball, the NorthPaws would rally with two outs in the fifth to show some life, newcomer Keegan Drinkle had the biggest hit of the inning a 2-RBI double. Jerry Nix would add an RBI on an infield single to make the contest 5-3 Bells.
Kamloops would claw one closer in the 7th thanks to a passed ball that allowed Kamloops’ Manny Recchi to score. In the 8th, Anthony Manuel would double home Jacob Schlesselman all the way from first to tie the contest at 5-5. Then with two outs in the inning, Madden Ocko legged out an infield single to bring across Manuel to give Kamloops a 6-5 lead.
After giving up 5ER in 5IP, Lukinchuk would find his groove, pitching 8.1IP before giving way to Matt MacDonald who recorded the final two outs for the save and a series win for Kamloops.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE Friday, August 2, vs Kelowna, 6:35 first pitch (Fan appreciation night) Saturday, August 3 @ Kelowna, 6:35 first pitch Sunday, August 4 vs Kelowna, 2:05 first pitch (FINAL HOME GAME OF THE SEASON) Monday, August 5 – Off-Day Tuesday, August 6 vs Yakima Valley, 6:35 first pitch Wednesday, August 7 vs Yakima Valley, 6:35 first pitch Thursday, August 8 vs Yakima Valley, 7:05 first pitch (FINAL GAME OF THE SEASON)
FOR MEDIA REQUESTS Jenna Forter General Manager Kamloops NorthPaws p. 250-200-1415 www.northpawsbaseball.ca
Five return and Cal Baptist pipeline provides another key player for 2025 (Above L to R: Josh Cunnigan, Connor Ross, Spencer Hatch, Cade Rusch, Garrett Villa, Connor Sims)
Dec. 17, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VICTORIA, B.C. — One thing is sure, collegiate baseball players love playing in Victoria.
The highly-competitive, pro-style environment fostered by the organization, and coaching staff led by veteran Todd Haney, has helped the Victoria HarbourCats bring back returning players year after year, creating a foundation for success. With today’s announcement of six players, the 2025 roster will have four more returning pitchers and a catcher who was with Victoria for much of the 2024 season.
“It helps with building the culture we have in Victoria, that starts at the top, and gives this team the best chance at being a contender every year,” said GM Christian Stewart. “Players want to play for Todd, and our coaching staff. Having guys who have been through the travel and pace of a West Coast League season helps in building the right atmosphere from the start of the season — and our seasons go by fast, it seems, so there’s no time to waste.”
C Josh Cunnigan, Seattle U, 6-0/195, Corona, California (returning player)
3B Connor Ross, Cal Baptist, 6-0/190, Fairfield, California
Villa was a workhorse who took on the end of game role for pitching coach Scott Anderson, pitching in 13 games and giving up just one run in his last 10 appearances, ending with four saves in 19.1 innings of work.
Hatch, a lefty from Vegas, made eight appearances and started four games, finishing 2-2 with 15 strikeouts. He went four innings twice in strong road starts in the middle of the season.
Rusch, the son of former Major League star pitcher Glendon Rusch, will be a workhorse at IUS this spring after working in five games for the HarbourCats last summer. Sims had a short but dominant stint in Victoria, striking out nine hitters and recording one save in 5.2 innings of work, giving up just two hits.
Before getting hurt, Cunnigan played in 12 games at hit .273 and struck out just twice while doing a good job behind the plate.
Ross is the lone non-returning player being announced today. He is a transfer to D-1 Cal Baptist from Solano JC, where he was conference player of the year as a sophomore, and freshman of the year the season prior to that. He can play third or short, and his spring numbers in 2024 are eye-popping — a .433 average, eight home runs, 58 driven in, in 40 games.
Season tickets and 10-Game Flex Packs are now on sale for the 2025 season at the HarbourCats office. Christmas sales are on as well with a wide range of merchandise available! And don’t miss our last minute sale special THIS SATURDAY, December 21st, from 10 am to 5 pm, with 50% off all regular priced merchandise at the store only.
Single game tickets and 10-Game Flex Pack exchanges are NOT YET AVAILABLE for the 2025 season as we are transitioning to a new ticketing system. Both will be available in January of 2025.
Holiday Hours at The Cat Shop
This week Monday to Friday 10am t0 5pm Saturday December 21, 10am to 5 pm (special 50% off sale!) Sunday December 22, 12 noon to 4pm Monday December 23, 10am to 5pm Tuesday December 24, 10am to 2pm CLOSED December 25 and 26th Friday December 27, 10 am to 4pm (Boxing Day 20% off sale!) CLOSED December 28 and 29th Monday December 30 10 am to 4pm (Boxing Day 20% off sale!) CLOSED December 31 to January 6 Office reopens January 7th 10am to 5pm
Returning players are always a plus for fanbases of collegiate summer baseball teams, and the Nanaimo NightOwls are glad to add two more to that list.
With five members of last summer’s roster already lined up to return to historic Serauxmen Stadium for the 2025 season (Ryder Florence, Cole Carmichael, Richtter Castillo, Moosa Nonomiya and all-star starting pitcher Adison Mattix), first-year Head Coach Cody Andreychuk is pleased to have the WCL experience of pitcher David Stewart and outfielder Alessandro Volpe — who also happen to be Canadian.
Righthander Drew Lenehan, from New Brunswick, is the third Canadian in this group of signings, a hard-thrower with experience as a summer baseball starting pitcher with Lethbridge of the Western Canada League.
“We feel like we will have a leadership group that can help us bond faster and be up to the WCL pace of play right from the start, with guys who know the ins and outs of the league,” said Andreychuk, himself a former WCL player. “David’s character is something the organization picked up on right from the start, and more college experience from Alessandro will bring him to a new level in Nanaimo. Drew is excited to take a step forward this coming summer and gives us depth in our plans for a starting rotation.”
Volpe, from Toronto, used his family heritage to represent Italy in a recent international showcase in Florida. He played the final three weeks of the 2024 season in Nanaimo.
The full list of player signings announced by GM Tina Cornett today:
C Nate Davis, Everett CC, 6/185, Beaverton, OR Util Talan Zenk, Everett CC, 5-10/185, Briar, WA RHP Alex Hill, Everett CC, 6-5/240, Seattle, WA OF Alessandro Volpe, Lindewood University, 6-1/195, Toronto (returning player) RHP Drew Lenehan, University of Nebraska-Omaha, 6-5/200, Woodstock, New Brunswick LHP David Stewart, University of Mary, 6-0-/180, Edmonton (returning player)
Switch-hitting catcher Nate Davis of Everett CC was previously with the Ducks at the University of Oregon, a strong defensive catcher with pop in his bat, while teammate Talan Zenk is a spark plug, a physical player who can handle a multitude of positions.
Alex Hill is a huge presence on the mound at 6-5/240, a prototype power arm who projects as another bullpen shutdown option for Pitching Coach Gorm Heimueller.
Lenehan made nine starts in the summer of 2024, striking out more than a batter per inning. Stewart was used as a lefty specialist in 2024 by Heimueller, making 11 appearances and under the pitching coach’s guidance he cut down on walks, not issuing a free pass in his last four outings.
Team signings will continue into January and February as Coach Andreychuk prepares for the fourth season of NightOwls baseball at Serauxmen Stadium.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login