Summer Collegiate

NorthPaws Add Trio of NCAA Division I Players

Published

5 years ago

February 25, 2021

Dugout Wire Service

The Kamloops NorthPaws have deepened their inaugural roster with the addition of three players at the beginning of their NCAA Division I seasons.

Catcher Marshal Luiz, shortstop Zane Skansi and outfielder Hunter Swapp have been signed for the 2021 West Coast League season.

Marshal Luiz

Photo Credit: JSU Athletics

Luiz is a Canadian sophomore catcher at Jackson State University who will bring another left-handed bat to the NorthPaws lineup.

He played in 46 games as a freshman with a .252 batting average and 18 RBIs. He played in nine games in 2020 before the season came to an early close.

“I don’t strike out a lot so I’m a really tough out. My freshman year I only struck out like 12 or 15 times in 40 to 50 games. That’s something I’m proud of that I’m not an easy guy to get out,” Luiz said. “I’ll do anything it takes to get on base. I’ll lay down a bunt every now and then and I definitely want to help the team win. So, if we need a sac bunt or a hit and run, I’m your guy.”

Luiz, who grew up in Surrey, jumped at the opportunity to play summer ball close to home and learn from head coach Cole Armstrong, who played 10 professional seasons behind home plate.

“It’s pretty cool to have a West Coast League team not too far from home and be able to play competitive baseball in such a highly touted summer collegiate league. Being a BC guy, it’s going to be really cool to experience that and be a part of it.”

Jackson State were swept in their three-game series against Mercer University to open the 2021 season. They were ranked to finish second in the Southwest Athletic Conference East Division in preseason rankings.

Zane Skansi

Photo Credit: Utah Utes

Skansi is a freshman middle infielder at the University of Utah.

He is from Gig Harbor, Wash. and was a multi-sport athlete in high school playing baseball and football before choosing the diamond over the gridiron for his collegiate career.

“I’m a power hitter. I like to hit doubles and home runs. I can go gap to gap. I take pride in my defense as well,” Skansi said. “I love making the great plays but making the routine plays consistently is something I pride myself in too.”

Skansi picked up his first collegiate at-bat on Sunday when he pinch hit in a loss to Cal State Fullerton during the season-opening series.

Utah was picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West Conference preseason coaches’ poll.

Hunter Swapp

Photo Credit: BYU Athletics

Swapp is a sophomore at Brigham Young University (BYU).

He is entering his first full collegiate season as he was limited to seven at-bats in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Swapp, from Heber City, Utah, will bring speed to the NorthPaws outfield. His fastest posted time is a 6.30 60-yard dash, the same as Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout. By comparison, the Major League average is 6.90.

“I’m a competitor. I pride myself in having competitive at bats. I can run, so I like to implement that in my game,” Swapp said. “I feel like I can get to anything in the outfield and leg out some extra bases and extra base hits. I can hit for a little bit of power. I think I have some variety in my game.”

BYU will wrap up a four-game, season-opening series against Texas State University on Tuesday. They were picked to finish fourth in the West Coast Conference preseason coaches’ poll.

NorthPaws fans can follow the progress of all the Kamloops-bound players, as all three of the signees continue their 2021 season with multiple games this week.

The Kamloops NorthPaws are an expansion West Coast League franchise bringing the highest calibre baseball Canada’s Tournament Capital has ever seen. The West Coast League, founded in 2005, has 15 teams across Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta featuring some of the top collegiate players during a 54-game summer season. Find the NorthPaws online at www.northpawsbaseball.ca, @northpawsbaseball on Instagram and Facebook, or @northpawsbb on Twitter.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Close Out Series with 6-3 Loss

Published

5 mins ago

June 7, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

The Cats mustered just five runs over the three game series. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats offence came up short in this afternoon’s ballgame, as Victoria was defeated 6-3 to finish off the weekend.

The Falcons took an early lead this afternoon on a sacrifice fly to centre, but it was smooth sailing otherwise for starting pitcher Jeremiah Arnett (Rice). The righty gave up four hits over four innings, the only run being that sac fly, with a trio of strikeouts and no free passes.

BOX SCORE

Austin Lindsey (Hill College) was tagged in for the top of the fifth and nailed his first inning of work, setting the Falcons down in order. The sixth was a different story, as Lindsey allowed a solo homer to push Kelowna’s lead to 2-0.

San Jose State reliever Landon Marchetti took over on the mound for the seventh, letting a couple of runners on but managing to escape the inning without a run scoring.

Flynn Warren (Hawaii Pacific) emerged from the bullpen in the top of the eighth to a precarious situation: bases loaded, no outs. The New Zealander walked one batter, hit two more, and gave up a sacrifice fly to allow four runs before the end of the frame.

Jeremiah Arnett (Rice) pitched four innings with three strikeouts. (Photo by JPM Photography)

The bottom of the eighth saw the HarbourCats offence finally gain some ground. A double from Kade Davis (UTSA) made room for Koa Won (Hawaii) to score, followed up by a single from Hewitt to bring in another run. Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) drove in one more before the inning came to a close with a score of 6-3 in favour of the Falcons.

The Cats would be unable to add on any more runs in the bottom of the ninth, dropping the final game of the series 6-3.

WCL STANDINGS

Victoria will now head on the road for a midweek matchup with the Edmonton Riverhawks, returning home on Friday to take on the Springfield Drifters.

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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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Offence Stunted Versus Kelowna

Published

13 hours ago

June 7, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats were defeated 8-1 by the Kelowna Falcons in the second game of the series.

The Falcons drew first blood in this one, launching a three-run dinger to left field in the top of the fourth to snag an early lead. Victoria’s starting pitcher Schuyler Fairchild (Wenatchee Valley) had cruised through the first three frames without much trouble up to that point, but his contributions this evening came to a close after the long ball in the fourth. Fairchild allowed three runs on four hits, striking out one batter and issuing a walk.

BOX SCORE

Inning number five required the services of Auburn, Washington’s Caden Shoul (Wenatchee Valley). The right-hander pitched 1.2 innings, calling it a night after giving up two runs in the top of the sixth to push Kelowna’s lead to 5-0.

Tyler Bono (North Central Texas) came into the game with the bases loaded and put on a sub-par performance, hitting two batters and walking one to allow three more runs. Marcus Janovsky (UBC) was summoned from the bullpen to finally get out of the inning.

Garen Geoghegan (Whitman) and Pierce Stone (Regis) combined for two scoreless innings in the final stages of the game, but Victoria’s offence continued to sputter.

Centre fielder Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) led off the bottom of the ninth with a double, and was welcomed home by another double hammered by Carter Eberhard (Cal Baptist) to score the Cats’ first and only run of the game.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats close out the series on Sunday, June 7 at 1:05 pm before departing to Alberta for a midweek matchup with the Edmonton Riverhawks.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Fall 4-1 to Falcons

Published

2 days ago

June 6, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Missed opportunities with runners in scoring position led to a disappointing outcome for the Cats. (Photo by Victoria Spotlight Photography)

Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats were defeated 4-1 by the Kelowna Falcons on Friday night in the first game of the series.

Both sides’ bats stayed quiet until the third inning this evening, when the Falcons drove a pair of base hits up the middle, jumping out in front to a 2-0 lead.

BOX SCORE

Easton Reimers (North Dakota State) entered the game in the top of the fourth to relieve Cats starter Bryson Toner (Hawaii). Toner allowed two runs on five hits through his three innings on the bump this evening, throwing in a walk and a strikeout as well.

Reimers was excellent throughout his first two innings until a leadoff homer in the sixth broke his hitless streak. A second run scored on a passed ball before Reimers was able to get out of the inning and pass the baton to Jack Clark (CSU San Marcos).

The Cats offence woke up in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases and scoring a run on a ball that dropped just fair in left field from Rohne Klein (San Jose State). That was the only run they got on this crucial opportunity, as the Falcons picked up a big strikeout to escape the jam and maintain a 4-1 lead.

Tate Collins (Arkansas State) claimed control of the mound for the Cats in the top of the eighth inning. Despite a leadoff walk, the Little Rock, Arizona native tossed a zero on the board to bring about the bottom of the eighth for the Victoria offence.

The Cats were unable to pull off a comeback after loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, leaving the runners stranded and losing the ballgame 4-1

WCL STANDINGS

Victoria and Kelowna will be back in action Saturday, June 6 at 6:35 pm for game two of the weekend series.

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