Summer Collegiate
NorthPaws back to .500 after taking two of three from the Bellingham Bells
Photo by: Allen Douglas
KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops NorthPaws are back to .500 after taking two of three from the visiting Bellingham Bells.
Game 1 –
The Kamloops NorthPaws took full advantage of the free pass on Tuesday, en-route to a 3-2 series opening win over the Bellingham Bells.
Kamloops got the offense going early, with third baseman Jaden Bitter lining the first pitch of the 1st inning down the third base line for a double. Two batters later, Matthew Olivares would trade places with Bitter with a double of his own to open the scoring.
Derek Murphy got the start on the bump for Kamloops, working three innings of one-hit ball, allowing 1 run. He was replaced by Joey Rico, who would earn the win in relief thanks to 3 innings of 2 hits and 0 runs. Cade Johnson would pitch two innings to earn a hold, and Lucas Smith shut the door in the ninth to earn the save.
The Bells got their first run in unusual fashion, driving one across in the third inning without the benefit of a base hit. Trent Mallonee would score after reaching first on a dropped third strike, followed by a walk, and a fielder’s choice.
Kamloops would take the lead for good in the sixth when Matt Molina walked a trio of batters allowing two to score courtesy of wild pitch and an RBI groundout from Jacob Schlesselman.
Bellingham would make things interesting by closing to within 1 in the 8th. With runners on first and second and one-out, a ball would eat up Anthony Manuel at first allowing the run to score from second. However Kamloops would escape the inning on the same play after getting the back runner caught in a rundown between home and third. Paws catcher Jerry Nix would run him back to third where a gaff from the Bells allowed Nix to tag out both runners.
Game 2 –
The NorthPaws used a stellar start from a TRU WolfPack pitcher, timely offense from the cleanup spot, and a triple play on defense to win the second game of the series 7-1.
Kolby Luckinchuk got his second start of the season and pitched 6 strong innings giving up 1 earned run on 7 hits as he worked himself out of danger in the 2nd, 4th, and 6th innings.
The Bells would strike first in the contest with Jason Shedlock lining an RBI single bringing home Nate Kirkpatrick in the second.
The Paws would get on the scoreboard in the 3rd, with Jacob Schlesselman getting the party started with a one-out single. That would be followed by singles from Ethan VanDelinder and Jaden Bitter to load the bases. Shortstop Madden Ocko would be plunked to bring in the tying run and then Joey Rico, the winning pitcher from Tuesday, ripped a bases clearing double into right field for 3RBI and a lead the Paws would never give up.
Chaos was the theme of the seventh inning. The Bells would load the bases with nobody out thanks to two walks and a hit batter. That brought Chase Taylor into the ballgame in relief of Joey Stover. Facing Jacob Mejia, Taylor got a shallow fly-out to left, as the ball came home to keep the runner stationed at third, Jorge Olivera was caught between first and second. Olivera would be tagged out between the bases by Manuel who fired home to catch Robbins attempting to score for a triple play. The play was scored F9-2-3-2.
The Paws would add on a trio of insurance runs in the eight to make it 7-1. Casper Rammeloo would record the final three outs and secure a series victory for Kamloops.
Game 3 –
The Bellingham Bells would finally strike back during the final game of the series, taking the school spirit day game 11-1.
Ryan Beitel was in cruise control on the mound for the Bells, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning, when Jacob Schlesselman singled to break up the bid for history. Schlesselman was singled home by Nolan Austin for Kamloops’ lone run of the ballgame.
Josh Berenbaum got the start for the ‘Paws and ran into some bad luck giving up 5 runs, only 2 earned through 4.2 innings of work.
Nate Kirkpatrick led the offense for the Bells going 3-5 at the dish, with 4 RBI.
Pitching and defense lead the way for Kamloops
The Kamloops NorthPaws found their fitting in their first cross-border battle of the season against the Bellingham Bells.
Playing a starring role in the series win was newcomer Joey Rico, who earned the win in game 1 before going 2-4 at the dish with 4 RBI in game 2. Rico stepped into the lineup for Kamloops on Tuesday after just arriving to the team.
“I just went out there and tried to do what I normally do, try to command my stuff and just let it work, not try to do too much,” said Rico. “(Being fresh to the team) makes it easier, you’re not so caught up in a gameplan or some idea of what your suppose to do, you just go out there and play. Two-way (player) in college for sure, just trying to do both because i enjoy doing both and want to keep doing it as long as I can. It was pretty awesome to show up for the team and the fans.”
Game two was started by TRU WolfPack product Kobly Luckinchuk who threw six innings, giving up one run.
“I was a lot off-speed, I was spinning the ball really well, come back with a fastball occasionally and it plays a lot better. But just filling up the zone, trusting the team behind you,” said Luckinchuk. “These two teams Victoria and Bellingham are not an easy ride so to come out 500 after playing these two teams, it’s really exciting, we are really happy about it.”
“Coming together quickly (as a team), just real relaxed, chill guys, it has been awesome to be around a good group of young guys,” added Rico.
As the team comes together in the clubhouse, Head Coach Jose Bautista is still working through getting a few more bodies to Kamloops ahead of the first road trip of the season next week to Cowlitz.
“We win the series that is the most important thing to do,” said Bautista. “Couple more players coming in pretty soon. We just started, looking to get more wins and get closer games. I’m pretty happy with what I’m seeing.”
Upcoming Schedule –
Friday, June 7 – Off-day
Saturday, June 8 vs Coquitlam, 6:35 first pitch (non-league)
Sunday, June 9 vs Coquitlam. 2:35 first pitch (non-league)
Monday, June 10 – Off-day
Tuesday, June 11 @ Cowlitz 6:35 first pitch
Wednesday, June 12 @ Cowlitz 6:35 first pitch
Thursday, June 13 @ Cowlitz 6:35 first pitch
For media request:
Jenna Forter
General Manager
Kamloops NorthPaws
Victoria, B.C. – In the biggest event of the 2026 season, Team North and Team South faced off in an epic duel of the WCL’s brightest stars. After taking an early lead in the first two innings, the South Division clung on for the win in a heart-pounding clash of talent.
Team South got it started early in this showdown of All-Stars! A leadoff base hit and a well-executed hit-and-run set up a RISP opportunity for Ridgefield Raptors slugger Zach Wadas, who found the outfield grass to drive in Payton Knowles (Walla Walla) for the first run of the ballgame. Nevertheless, North Division starter and HarbourCats ace Erik Rico picked up two strikeouts to get out of the inning. David Krahn (Victoria) sliced a ball to right field for a single in his first trip to the plate, but was cut down as part of a double play to end a quick bottom half of the first.
The other half of Victoria’s lethal starter duo took the mound for the second frame. Jeremiah Arnett got into a bit of trouble in his allotted inning, allowing another run for the South Division on an infield error. Ethan Porter added on to the lead when he dug in with a man on base and blasted a two-run shot out to the scoreboard.
Nathaniel Kurano (Yakima Valley) came in to pitch for Team South in the bottom of the second and continued to shut down the northern offence, striking out two batters in a quick one-two-three outing. Seth Sumner (Kelowna) took the field for the North Division for the top half of inning number three, holding Team South to their first scoreless inning on offence with an efficient frame of work.
Erik Rico got a chance to show off as an All-Star starter for Team North. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Team North finally strung a few hits together in the home half of the third inning. Kamloops Northpaws outfielder Kade Crawford belted a line drive to right field that sent Carter Enoch (Port Angeles) wheeling around third base to score the home team’s first run of the ballgame. David Krahn was next, and the Cats star pummelled a hard ground ball for an infield hit to bring home another run and make it 4-2 in favour of Team South. Jordan Haver (Ridgefield) was summoned to finish off the inning and did so with haste, striking out Nanaimo’s Ethan Reynolds.
From the bullpen came Joe Thornton (Wenatchee) to oversee the first half of the fourth, cruising through a three-up three-down performance with two strikeouts to keep Team South off the bases. The bottom of inning number four was Morgan Codron’s domain. The Corvallis right-hander struggled a little with command but ultimately got his way out of a scoreless inning after giving up a leadoff walk.
Team South threatened with a man in scoring position in the top of the fifth, but the speedy runner was gunned down trying to steal third by a laser beam from Port Angeles catcher Carter Enoch. The scoreless stretch continued for the back half of the fifth inning as well, with Parker Heintz (Ridgefield) deftly shutting down Team North.
David Krahn stood out in tonight’s game, producing hard contact and making the hot corner look easy to make Victoria proud. (Photo by JPM Photography)
It was Carter Fink’s time to shine come top six. The Edmonton hurler glided through a frame in which he had little trouble, continuing the pitching dominance throughout the middle innings. The South squad sent out Perry Stow (Walla Walla) in response for the bottom of the sixth, who kept the scoreless streak going and maintained a two-run lead. David Sheppard was the next name drawn from the hat to continue this parade of pitchers. Representing the Edmonton Riverhawks, Sheppard secured three quick groundouts and sent the South lineup down quietly.
It was Jake Lyall (Bellingham) who finally broke the stalemate in the bottom of the seventh. Kamloops Northpaws outfielder Evan Dugdale hit a single, stole second, and moved to third on a groundout just in time for Lyall to drive him in on a sacrifice fly. Two innings left to play, and we have ourselves a one-run ballgame with South ahead 4-3.
Clint Beck (Wenatchee) was the man on the mound for the top of the eighth, benefitting from some excellent outfield play by Jaden Jackson. The Bellingham centre fielder was pulled way to his left, and then had to range way to his right on consecutive high flyouts.
The tables turned in the bottom of inning eight. Michael Klein of the Springfield Drifters loaded the bases after his centre fielder lost a sky-high ball in the lights. With the pond full of ducks, Edmonton slugger Easton Andrews patiently drew a six-pitch walk to tie the game in a truly masterful at bat. Jake Lyall’s liner was spoiled by a great play at second base, but the North got that tying run they needed with one inning to go.
The South All-Stars put together a team effort for the win. (Photo by JPM Photography)
A crucial top of the ninth rolled around, and Team South was determined to put the North on their back foot. Walla Walla’s Sam Kane drew a leadoff walk and Yakima Valley’s Daichi Furuhata came up with a two-out single before Troy Sanders (Bend) got his hero moment. Sanders made contact with a Jaxon McDonald (Nanaimo) fastball and dropped a barely-fair RBI double into right field, sending Kane home and making it 5-4 in favour of Team South!
With a narrow one-run lead to work with, Portland Pickles pitcher Rafael Espinoza took over the mound looking to close things out. Disaster struck the South’s middle infield when David Krahn lifted a towering pop up. The shortstop and second baseman failed to reach an accord, letting the dirt catch the baseball instead and allowing Krahn to reach second base! In the end, however, nothing came of that bizarre opportunity. Team South held onto their lead and closed out a nail-biter of a 5-4 win in the Showpass 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game presented by Canadian Club.
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Team HarbourCats Reign Victorious in 2026 WCL Home Run Derby
Victoria, B.C. – In an electrifying back-and-forth competition, Team HarbourCats, a trio of Logan Shepherd, Michael Rodda, and the great Kevin Pillar, claimed a resounding victory in tonight’s home run derby.
Game one of the round robin got things started with a bang! The first matchup featured Team North taking on Team HarbourCats, and the action began right off the bat with Kevin Pillar making a spectacular catch to rob a home run. Superman doing Superman things.
Team North took an early lead, with Sam Kane (Walla Walla), Zach Wadas (Ridgefield), and Martin Serrano (Marion) clubbing the ball with passion. The home team stormed back in their second turn at the plate, however! Michael Rodda kicked things off and, after an absolute surge of homers, tagged in Logan Shepherd with 40 seconds remaining to finish the round. Shepherd and Rodda combined for a huge round to storm back and take a 35-33 lead.
Serrano began the top of the third, switching out halfway for Wadas. The two sluggers put together a strong inning and pushed Team South’s score to 52 points, no doubt a tough challenge for Team HarbourCats to overcome. Shepherd and Rodda gave it their all, but in the end came up just short with a 56-49 loss in game one.
Superman sends one deep to left. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Team HarbourCats took the field once again in game two, this time to face a North Division trio of Noah Cassie (Bellingham), Kade Crawford (Kamloops), and Ethan Reynolds (Nanaimo) – a band of sluggers about as fearsome as can be found in the WCL. The score was tied at 15 each after a first round that featured a tag-team effort from Kevin Pillar and Logan Shepherd.
Crawford and Reynolds squared off against a duo of Michael Rodda and Pillar in the second inning, resulting in the score remaining close at 29-26 in favour of the Cats. Team North’s final push in the top of the third gave them a 45-33 lead, meaning team HarbourCats needed just 13 points to walk it off. Logan Shepherd took that responsibility head on. The Mercer University slugger stepped up and hammered a steady stream of homers, walking off game two and giving the Cats a 1-1 record in the round robin.
The third and final round robin game was decided by a significantly wider margin. The powerhouse trio that is Team South combined raw power with quick defence, jumping out to a 48-38 lead after the first two innings.
Pillar’s mix of powerful offence and sturdy defence was a serious asset for Team HarbourCats. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Inning number three is where this third game really opened up, with Zach Wadas and Sam Kane combining for 24 points. If Team North wanted to salvage this game, they would need to make up a lot of ground. 31 points of ground to be exact.
Noah Cassie stepped in and made it respectable, but Team North suffered their second defeat of the round robin with a final score of 79-56, leaving Team South and Team HarbourCats to face off in the finals.
Before the finals began, a special surprise took the field! Nanaimo NightOwls head coach Cody Andreychuk duked it out in a head-to head derby with Cats assistant skipper Carson Myers. Andreychuk was lucky enough to catch the fearsome Coach Myers on a bad day, taking the Coaches’ Challenge 9-0.
The finals were next up, and it proved to be a legendary matchup indeed. Kevin Pillar kicked it off for Team HarbourCats and had clearly saved his best for the big moment. An early hot streak activation and a hefty handful of homers gave the Cats a solid lead out of the gate.
From then on, Team HarbourCats and Team South battled back in forth in a titanic tug-of-war. Walla Walla’s Sam Kane did his worst with a typhoon of long balls in the South Division’s turn at the dish, followed by a monstrous counterattack from second-year Cat Logan Shepherd to retake the lead.
Cats slugger Logan Shepherd delivered the winning blow. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Team South tried valiantly to make up the ground they needed, but in the end the clock ran out and victory for the home team was sealed. Logan Shepherd, Michael Rodda, and Kevin Pillar would be crowned Home Run Derby champions.
Don’t miss the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game tomorrow night at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic park! Get your tickets at http://harbourcats.com/tickets to secure your seats!
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