KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops NorthPaws are returning to Dearborn Ford Field at NorBrock Stadium on Tuesday as the West Coast season begins to wrap up ahead of the playoffs.
The Paws are back in Kamloops after a tough road trip which saw the squad drop five of six on the road, concluding with a three game sweep at the hands of the Victoria HarbourCats in the provincial capital. Kamloops sits last in the North Division at 6-13 in the second half, 5.5 games back of the leading Bellingham Bells who arrive in the Tournament Capital on Tuesday for a three game set.
The Bellingham Bells are continuing a Canadian road trip, which saw them win two of three versus the Nanaimo NightOwls on the Island.
GAME 1
A late inning surge from the Victoria HarbourCats propelled the Islander to victory in the opening game of the set 11-6.
Shane Brinham was thrust into action for his first career WCL appearance, pitching a superb five innings of no-hit baseball, walking six but also striking out 5, taking a no-decision.
The NorthPaws would jump out to an early 5-0 lead thanks to two runs in the 2nd and three more in the 3rd, before the HarbourCats racked up 11 runs from the 6th inning onwards.
Shortstop Anthony Setticasi led the way for Kamloops with a 2-4 3RBI evening at the plate. Dylan Dekker, and Madden Ocko both added an RBI in the loss. The game unravelled in the seventh for Kamloops with Victoria pushing across seven runs and taking a lead they would never surrender.
The Cats’ Michael Crossland, and Michelle Artzberger both collected 3RBI in the win for Victoria. Willem Heilker collected the win, pitching two innings of relief allowing 1 unearned run and striking out three.
Chase Taylor was tagged with the loss.
GAME 2
Victoria’s offensive weapons continued to dominate Kamloops’ pitching staff in the second game, defeating the Paws 15-3.
Cade Johnson started for Kamloops and took the loss, after pitching 2.1IP, 9H, 8ER, 2K. Joey Rico was a bright spot for Kamloops in the loss going 2-4 at the plate with 2RBI, both of his hits went for doubles. Jacob Schlesselman had the other RBI.
Michelle Artzberger failed to cool off between games, collecting four more RBI in game two, for seven in the series. In total the Victoria batters collected 18 hits and 8 walks in the victory.
Taylor Franklin earned the win, pitching one inning of clean baseball.
GAME 3
Victoria completed the sweep during a matinee on Sunday 7-3.
Sawyer Jensen got the starting nod for Kamloops and pitched well, allowing just 4ER over 6.0IP with 3K but ended up taking the loss. Cade Webber, and Oliver Mabee also pitched in the contest for the NorthPaws with Mabee allowing the other three runs to Victoria.
Flynn Ridley was the winning pitcher of record, throwing three innings of no-hit ball in relief of starter Trey Langan.
TJ Wachter hit his second homer of the season, a solo-shot in the fourth inning. Catcher Jerry Nix also collected an RBI in the loss on a 1-3 night.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE 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 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
Despite out-hitting the NightOwls, two solo homers in the fourth inning was all Nanaimo needed to overpower the visiting Cats. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Nanaimo, B.C. – The Island Rivalry Series came to an end in Nanaimo on Thursday evening, with the Cats offence held quiet in a 2-1 loss to the NightOwls.
Erik Rico (Fresno State) was dominant in the opening third of the ballgame, keeping Nanaimo scoreless with six strikeouts. The Cats starter wavered in the bottom of the fourth, surrendering a solo homer for the first blemish on his previously spotless ERA this season. The NightOwls took the opportunity to pummel another ball over the wall, taking a 2-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning.
The Cats had their first real offensive opportunity in the top of the seventh, moving Rohne Klein (San Jose State) over to third after a leadoff single. Nanaimo’s defenses held strong, however, and Klein was stranded to end the inning.
Victoria finally broke through in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Kade Davis, but one run was all they could muster. Nanaimo closed it out in the top of the ninth to claim a series victory in the first Island Rivalry Series of the year.
Northern Kentucky reliever Daniel Tovar was introduced to the ballgame in the fifth inning, powering through two scoreless innings before handing the ball over to Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State). Tomlinson worked his way across the seventh and eighth, picking up a strikeout and allowing two hits in two innings.
With the Nanaimo series complete, the Cats will now host the Bellingham Bells in a weekend series at home, beginning Friday night at 6:35 pm.
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.
Victoria, B.C. – The NightOwls rolled into town and squashed the HarbourCats on a warm Wednesday night, tying the series and forcing an 8-3 loss on Victoria.
Nanaimo opened the scoring early in the second game of the series, getting a couple of men on in the first inning and cashing in a run on a single up the middle to take control of the game. The visitors tacked on a couple more in their next trip to the plate, taking advantage of an eastward wind for a two-run homer to make it 3-0 in the second inning. It was the first long ball surrendered all season by Hudson Lance (Coastal Carolina), and the first multi-run effort against the right-hander as well.
Retaliation came off the bat of Max Bernal (Fresno Pacific) in the bottom of the second, who fired a double straight into the gap and scored a runner from first to cut into Nanaimo’s lead. The NightOwls, however, got them right back. A ground ball caromed off two Cats in the bottom of the third inning, giving a Nanaimo baserunner time to find his way home to restore the three-run gap.
Hudson Lance worked his way through 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs on ten hits with four strikeouts. (Photo by JPM Photography)
The NightOwls rocked their second long ball of the game to lead off the top of the fifth, followed by a base hit into centre field to push their lead to 7-1 at the midway point of the ballgame. This would spell the end of Hudson Lance’s start, as the Cats tagged in Easton Reimers (North Dakota State) to finish off the inning.
Reimers locked in for a powerful performance, striking out six NightOwls in just three innings to keep the score from getting any further out of hand. Reimers was swapped out for Flynn Warren (Hawaii Pacific) in the eighth inning, who worked the final two innings for the Cats.
Matt Westley (George Mason) let fly an absolute laser over the fence for a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little too late as Victoria fell short to Nanaimo by a score of 8-3.
The series comes to an end tomorrow night in Nanaimo, following which the HarbourCats will engage with the Bellingham Bells for a weekend series in Victoria.
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.
Marcus Nolen’s homer in the second inning gave an early advantage to the HarbourCats. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Nanaimo, B.C. – Victoria kicked off the Island Rivalry series the right way on Tuesday night, claiming a 5-3 win over the Nanaimo NightOwls
The Cats made it a loud second inning in this one, slamming two monster moonshots to get on the board first. Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) shelled the parking lot for his second of the season, followed up by a blast to right field from Max Bernal (Fresno Pacific) to make it a three-run inning for the Cats.
That run support backed up a scoreless start from Landon Marchetti (San Jose State), who pitched three innings, gave up zero hits, and struck out four batters. Davis Lee (Calgary) was summoned for the bottom of the fourth, surrendering the first Nanaimo run of the evening before stranding two runners to end the inning. Victoria responded with another run in their next turn at the plate, bringing in a run on a sacrifice fly to restore a three-run lead.
Davis Lee took a seat after a strong two innings of work, giving way to Asher Clark (Northern Colorado) in the sixth. The right-hander loaded the bases but buckled down, generated some weak contact, and stranded the runners to keep the HarbourCats’ lead intact.
David Krahn is tied for the second-most hits in the West Coast League, adding three more in tonight’s ballgame. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Clark ran the bases full once again with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, inducing a change of personnel for the HarbourCats. Marcus Janovsky (UBC) took to the field, hitting a batter but stranding three runners to escape the inning clutching a 4-3 lead.
Victoria answered back in the next frame, beginning with a well-earned walk from Kade Davis (UTSA), who later came around to score on a base hit by Dryden Fuoco (Hill College). 5-3 Cats after eight innings..
It was Carson Ackermann’s turn to get in on the action in the bottom of the eighth. The Tacoma College hurler locked down the frame with two strikeouts to keep the score frozen. Pierce Stone (Regis) appeared on the bump to close it out and didn’t disappoint, filling up the zone and securing a quick three outs to seal the deal.
The series continues tomorrow, with the HarbourCats hosting the NightOwls in Victoria for an Island Rivalry game at 6:35 pm!
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.
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