Summer Collegiate
NorthPaws Add Utah Valley Righty
The Kamloops NorthPaws have signed right-handed pitcher Mason Gray from Division I Utah Valley University.
Gray is a COVID-sophomore, a unique term being used to describe players who will not lose a year of college playing eligibility due to the abrupt end to the 2020 season courtesy of the pandemic.
In the shortened 2020 campaign he boasted a 5.30 ERA with 14 strikeouts through four starts. His brief season was highlighted by pitching all but one inning in a 1-0 shutout to earn head coach Eric Madsen’s 300th win.
Photo Credit: UVU Athletics
The righty from Phoenix, Ariz. is the third Utah Valley player to commit to playing in Kamloops next summer, joining catcher Trey Newman and middle infielder Mitch Moralez.
“He’s a guy that wants the ball and hates to come out of games. He really wants to finish what he starts,” Newman said. “He has a really good understanding of how he wants to pitch and goes about hitters that way.
“He’s a great teammate too. He made the transition to college really easy on me. He is also someone that if he isn’t pitching, you hear the whole game from the dugout. He lets people know he’s rooting for his guys.”
Gray and Newman have played together since high school, and also played together during the 2020 summer season in the Arizona Collegiate Wood Bat League under the tutelage NorthPaws’ skipper Cole Armstrong.
When Gray found out both Armstrong and Newman were coming to Kamloops for 2021, it was an easy decision to join them.
“You want to play for a guy like that. He’s a player’s coach,” Gray said. “It’s going to be fun playing for a guy that gets you and gets what you’re about. I’m pretty excited to go up to Kamloops.”
Gray offers a four-pitch repertoire with a fastball, deceptive changeup, curveball and improving slider.
“He brings a presence and intensity that his teammates feed off of when he’s on the mound,” Armstrong said. “Mason has a great understanding of his game and loves the big moment. He’s poised and ready to have a great season at Utah Valley, and we’re excited for fans in Kamloops to see him work in the summer.”
Photo Credit: UVU Athletics
Garrett Brooks reached base three times tonight (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
July 25, 2025
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats returned to West Coast League action Friday night, beating the Wenatchee AppleSox 10-4.
Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii) got the home team on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to make it 1-0.
Adam Haight tied things up with a solo home run in the top of the third inning to level things at one.
Jack Johnson (Baylor) restored Victoria’s advantage in the bottom of the fourth with a great piece of situational hitting, driving in the run with a sacrifice fly to centre. Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s) drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-1 before Nahaku cleared the bases with a grand slam to left field to blow the game wide open, extending the lead to 7-1. It was the left fielder’s first long ball of the campaign after he hit four for the Cats last season.
Shea Lake has recorded the win in back-to-back starts (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
Shea Lake (West Texas A&M) started for the HarbourCats and has been lights out in recent weeks, producing five shutout innings in back-to-back games. He came close to matching that tonight but was still dominant, going five innings, giving up just one run, and striking out three.
Ryne Palmer (Cal Baptist) pitched two innings of relief, with the only mark against him being a two-out RBI single by Theo Kim in the sixth inning.
Nahaku drove in his sixth run of the game with a double in the sixth, which gave his team an 8-2 lead.
Garrett Brooks (St. Mary’s) hit his second home run of the season in the seventh inning to push the lead to 10-2.
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The Sox were able to score two runs late against Carson Burks (Hill College), who pitched the final two innings for the HarbourCats, but it was too little too late as the lefty closed it out for the 10-4 win.
Jack Johnson has reached base in all but one game this season (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
This win keeps the HarbourCats top of the North Division second-half standings and puts the AppleSox four games back in fourth place.
VOUCHER REMINDER: The Victoria HarbourCats only have 9 home games remaining this season so don’t forget to redeem your vouchers. You can do so at harbourcats.com/tickets, and if you have any questions or need help exchanging your vouchers, call the HarbourCats office at (778) 265 0327.
10 Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are on sale for all home games and “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats’ one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.
BUY TICKETS HERE
Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.
For more updates, be sure to follow @HarbourCats on all social channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).
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