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 – Team Effort Leads to Series Win in Kamloops

Published

1 day ago

July 12, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kamloops B.C. – The HarbourCats brought the house down in a 12-run victory over the Kamloops Northpaws, putting up a dozen runs for the second time in a row and taking the series for themselves.

WCL All-Star Erik Rico (Fresno State) was back on the bump for another successful start on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The California native powered through a three-inning stalemate in which both sides were held scoreless, allowing just two hits and picking up six strikeouts.

BOX SCORE

Though held hitless in the first third of the ballgame, the HarbourCats found their stride in the top of the fourth inning. San Jose State slugger Rohne Klein delivered the first blow in the form of an RBI double, before he and teammate Logan Shepherd (Mercer) bounded home on a triple by the speedy Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s).

Victoria took advantage of the Northpaws’ lack of a counterattack with another swift strike in the fifth. Bryan Bradshaw (UCSD) hit his second single of the game to drive in Cameron Chee-Aloy (Illinois), followed by RBI knocks from both Logan Shepherd and Jacob Silva (UTSA).

Bryan Bradshaw has been a strong all-around contributor for the Cats since arriving from UCSD, and notched three hits in today’s win. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Spencer Kratt (San Jose State) took up the torch from Rico in the fourth, holding off Kamloops until the lower half of inning six when a solo homer provided the first run for the Northpaws. Unfazed by this minor blemish in the face of a strong Victoria advantage, Kratt secured three groundouts in a row to end the inning.

The Cats, in retaliation to the home crew’s sting in the sixth, roared back with the power of teamwork. A few patient walks set the stage for a pair of singles from Michael Rodda (Palomar) and Cameron Chee-Aloy, who swiftly turned a 6-1 lead into a 9-1 lead with three frames left to be played.

When the Northpaws conceded another scoreless attempt at the plate, Victoria returned hungry for more. A plethora of baserunners confounded the Kamloops pitching staff, and another three runs crossed the plate before inning’s end. After all, why not make it an even dozen?

Tate Collins (Arkansas State) ran into some trouble in the bottom of the eighth when a walk and a single amplified the ensuing home run into a three-bagger. Nathan Mueller (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) was summoned to finish off the inning, and ended up holding on through the ninth to bring the game to a triumphant close.

WCL STANDINGS

With this series win under their belts, the HarbourCats will return to Vancouver Island to enjoy the Showpass 2026 West Coast League All-Star Festival presented by Canadian Club. You should too!

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games 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.

GET YOUR ALL-STAR TICKETS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE! Tickets for the 2026 WCL All-Star Home Run Derby (featuring former Blue Jay Kevin Pillar) and the West Coast League All Star Game on July 14-15 are selling fast. Get yours today! Each event is now on sale separately, or grab the package deal for both and save a few bucks at http://harbourcats.com/tickets! Or call the office at 778-265-0327 to order by phone.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Shake Down Northpaws for 13 Runs to Tie Series

Published

2 days ago

July 11, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria, B.C. – Victoria bounced back hard to stomp the Kamloops Northpaws 13-3 tonight, knotting the series up at 1-1.

The HarbourCats were off to the races early in this one! Victoria hitters patiently drew three walks in the top of the second, and singles from Riley Kwak (Bossier Parish) and Jacob Silva (UTSA) drove in three runs for the Cats. A quick start, and a much-needed buffer for a visiting team looking to rebound from last night’s loss.

BOX SCORE

Kamloops swung back in the home half of the third with an RBI single, but the HarbourCats brought the hammer back down immediately. Riley Kwak made it to third on a double-steal, creating an opportunity to dash home on a groundout before Logan Shepherd (Mercer) bashed a homer to widen the lead.

Logan Shepherd’s homer in the fourth put the Cats well in front. (Photo by JPM Photography)

The visiting team’s onslaught would proceed throughout the middle innings. Riley Kwak and Logan Shepherd continued their dazzling individual performances with an RBI single each in the fifth frame, and Kwak came back for a monstrous three-run homer in the sixth. A trio of consecutive three-run innings gave the Cats a robust 11-run lead to work with after the first two thirds of the game.

The Northpaws strung some singles together to score twice in the bottom of the sixth, only to suffer through a long seventh frame where Logan Shepherd scored on a wild pitch. The scoring quieted down after that thirteenth run, and the HarbourCats sauntered off the diamond with a 13-3 win in game two of the series.

Riley Kwak (left) had a gem of a game tonight. The Abbotsford, B.C. product went 4/5 with five RBI and four runs scored. (Photo by JPM Photography)

As for the pitching side of things, returning arm Shea Lake (West Texas A&M) tossed a strong three-inning start in which he allowed one run on two hits. Trent Schlim (Concordia-Nebraska) toed the slab for two smooth scoreless innings and handed the ball off to Tate Collins (Arkansas State). Collins allowed two runs on four hits over the span of innings six, seven, and eight. Carter Germain (Allen CC) made his HarbourCats debut in the bottom of the ninth, nailing down a relatively easy inning to close out the win.

WCL STANDINGS

With the series now tied, the HarbourCats and Northpaws will battle for the win in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats Stifled by Northpaws in 4-2 Loss

Published

3 days ago

July 11, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kamloops, B.C. – The series opener didn’t go how the HarbourCats hoped, with the Kamloops Northpaws taking a 4-2 win over the visiting Cats.

The Northpaws got a jolt to their offence early on, rocking a solo homer in the second inning to take the upper hand. Kamloops continued their production in the next frame, capitalizing on two consecutive walks from HarbourCats starting pitcher Landon Marchetti (San Jose State). A couple of stolen bases and a double, and a wild pitch later, and the visiting Cats suddenly find themselves in a four-run deficit.

BOX SCORE

Victoria made up some ground in the second half of the ballgame when infielder Riley Kwak (Bossier Parish) legged out a leadoff triple. A single from the reliable Bryan Bradshaw (UCSD) brought home Kwak for the HarbourCats’ first run.

Rohne Klein (San Jose State) made a rare start at third base tonight and picked up an RBI. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Merchetti’s night was done after the opening third of the game, over which he allowed four runs on three hits and struck out five Kamloops batters. Daniel Tovar (Northern Kentucky) appeared from the bullpen and delivered the best outing you could really ask for from a reliever. His four innings featured just two hits, no walks, and a grand total of zero runs scored.

The HarbourCats mustered another run in the top of the eighth, a sacrifice fly by Rohne Klein (San Jose State). An important step, but still a ways to go if the visiting squad were to catch up. Leif Friedrich (Concordia-Nebraska) sliced through an efficient frame in the bottom of the eight inning, retiring the side on just eight pitches, but Victoria were held off by the Northpaws in a 4-2 loss.

WCL STANDINGS

The HarbourCats will look to rebound and tie the series in Kamloops tomorrow night, before coming back to Victoria for the long-awaited Showpass 2026 West Coast League All-Star Festival presented by Canadian Club!

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