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
David Krahn (UBC) has hit a franchise record nine home runs this season on the way to a well-deserved Player of the Year Award. (Photo by Christian J. Stewart)
Victoria, B.C. – It was all HarbourCats in this Thursday night showdown between Victoria and Port Angeles, with the Cats putting on a pitching clinic for a 5-1 win and a series sweep.
Port Angeles drew first blood in this one, rallying with two outs and scoring on a bloop single to take an early lead in the top of the second. The Cats responded quickly, however, sparked by a leadoff double that Michael Rodda (Palomar) smashed over the head of the centre fielder. A walk and a bunt then loaded the bases, and a free pass taken by Aidan Rice (Portland) brought in the first run for Victoria. Riley Kwak (Bossier Parish) put enough distance on a fly ball to drive in another from third, turning the tables and giving the HarbourCats a 2-1 lead after two innings.
The Lefties loaded the bases in the top of the third in an attempt to regain control, but Taylor Franklin (George Fox) escaped the jam to end his third inning of work without allowing another run. Flynn Warren (Hawaii Pacific) took over for the fourth inning, keeping Port Angeles at bay with another scoreless frame.
Community Involvement Award winner Flynn Warren tossed four shutout innings in tonight’s win. (Photo by Christian J. Stewart)
Victoria made some noise once again in the bottom of the sixth! With two outs and two runners on, Riley Kwak hammered a base knock through the infield to bring home one run, followed by another RBI single from Bryan Bradshaw (UCSD) to widen the lead to 4-1.
Flynn Warren’s night was done after four stellar innings in which he allowed no runs and picked up six strikeouts. Taking his place was Carson Ackermann (Tacoma), who worked his way through a scoreless eighth inning. David Krahn ripped an RBI single into centre field for the cherry on top before Ackermann closed out a decisive 5-1 win to complete the series sweep.
Jeremiah Arnett holds a sparkling 1.74 ERA and 62 strikeouts and was crowned this year’s HarbourCats Pitcher of the Year. (Photo by Christian J. Stewart)
The Cats will now hit the road for a weekend series in Bellingham to continue the fight for a playoff spot.
There is only one home game left in the 2026 season! On August 3rd, we end the season with a bang with our final fireworks show and Fan Appreciation Night! Don’t miss your chance to catch a game in 2026! Get your tickets now at http://Harbourcats.com/tickets.
ATTENTION VOUCHER HOLDERS: Just a reminder that all ticket vouchers must be exchanged for one of our remaining regular season games! They are not eligible for playoffs, nor can they be carried over to 2027.
Jacob Silva was all over the bases in this one, earning three walks and stealing three bases. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats and Lefties faced off for the second of three games this week, with Victoria nailing down a 3-2 win to clinch the series.
Spencer Kratt (San Jose State) got off to a good start in this one with a strikeout to begin the game. Unfortunately, that was all the action the right-hander would get, as a comebacker hit him up high which necessitated his removal from the game. Davis Lee (Calgary) was activated to step in for his fallen comrade and picked up where he left off, striking out two Lefties to finish the first inning.
The HarbourCats got it in gear in the bottom of the second beginning with a leadoff walk earned by Jacob Silva (UTSA). Michael Rodda (Palomar) singled with two outs and took an extra base to move up to second before Cameron Chee-Aloy (Illinois) blooped a ball into right field. Both infielders came around to score and the Cats took a 2-0 lead.
Davis Lee’s excursion came to an end after nearly four full frames of shutout baseball. Lee suffocated the Lefties with six strikeouts in 3.2 innings before bowing out for Tristin Thomas (West Texas A&M) in the top of the fifth. Thomas hit the ground running and picked up two K’s in a quick three-up three-down inning.
Victoria picked up their pitching staff by extending the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a run manufactured by Cameron Chee-Aloy. The speedy centre fielder walked, stole second, stole third base, and came all the way home when the throw went way over the head of the third baseman. Heads-up baserunning from Chee-Aloy, and a 3-0- lead for the home team.
Tristin Thomas struck out five batters in just two innings. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Port Angeles responded in the sixth with a pair of singles to begin the inning, and later drove in their first run on a laser out to left field. Nonetheless, Thomas was able to shrug it off and finish the inning off with three strikeouts. The New Mexico native came back for the seventh, but two walks in a row to start the inning spelled the end of his night. Nathan Mueller (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) took his place with no outs and a couple of runners on and deftly found his way out of the jam with a strikeout and two groundouts.
Mueller mounted another daring escape in the eighth. A plunked batter and a double put runners on second and third with no outs, but Mueller locked in and secured three consecutive strikeouts to put up another scoreless inning. The Lefties had another comeback attempt in the ninth, but Victoria buckled down and clinched the series with a 3-2 victory.
There are only two home games remaining in the 2026 regular season including the finale of our mid-week set against the Port Angeles Lefties on Thursday night! Then on August 3rd, we end the season with a bang! Our final fireworks show and Fan Appreciation Night! Don’t miss your chance to catch a game in 2026! Get your tickets now at http://Harbourcats.com/tickets.
ATTENTION VOUCHER HOLDERS: Just a reminder that all ticket vouchers must be exchanged for one of our remaining regular season games! They are not eligible for playoffs, nor can they be carried over to 2027.
Jeremiah Arnett was integral to getting the win in this tight Tuesday night ballgame. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Victoria, B.C. – The Cats hosted the Port Angeles Lefties for the first of the three game set and held on by the skin of their teeth to take a 6-5 win.
Victoria took an early advantage in this one, scoring in the second inning. After Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s) worked a walk out of a long at-bat to leadoff the frame, the catcher immediately stole second base and came home on a single by Aidan Rice (Portland) that bounced through the middle of the infield. Rice simply would not be contained, as he stole second and third back-to-back before coming in to score from third on a groundout.
Meanwhile, it was another episode of the Jeremiah Arnett show on the defensive side. The Rice University starter and WCL All-Star was unflappable in the first four innings, shutting down the Lefties lineup to keep the top half of the line score clean.
While Arnett was doing his thing, the Cats got back to work on offence in the bottom of the fourth. Rohne Klein (San Jose State) earned himself a leadoff walk and swiped second base, coming around to the plate on a single by Dillon Lopez. Cameron Chee-Aloy (Illinois) and Michael Rodda (Palomar) got in on the fun as well with an RBI single each, and the former crossed the plate on a groundout before the end of the frame to push the lead to six.
The defence held strong for eight scoreless innings behind Jeremiah Arnett’s start. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Jeremiah Arnett continued to rumble along through three more frames, finally taking a seat after seven gleaming innings. Arnett allowed five hits on his watch (all singles) and no runs while adding nine more tallies to his impressive strikeout total this summer. The right-hander handed the ball off to Leif Friedrich (Concordia-Nebraska) for the top of the eighth. Friedrich recovered smoothly from a leadoff single to make three quick outs and move on to the bottom of the inning.
Initial responsibility of the ninth was given to Hunter Daniels (Phoenix), but after he walked the bases loaded with nobody out, Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State) was called from the bullpen to try and finish this one off. Tomlinson would continue to waver, with walks galore bringing Port Angeles all the way back within one. A strikeout finally ended the inning and secured a close 6-5 win for the Cats.
There are only three home games remaining in the 2026 regular season including a mid-week set against the Port Angeles Lefties this week! Then on August 3rd, we end the season with a bang! Our final fireworks show and Fan Appreciation Night! Don’t miss your chance to catch a game in 2026! Get your tickets now at http://Harbourcats.com/tickets.
ATTENTION VOUCHER HOLDERS: Just a reminder that all ticket vouchers must be exchanged for one of our remaining regular season games! They are not eligible for playoffs, nor can they be carried over to 2027.
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