Summer Collegiate

NorthPaws end 2023 West Coast League season with back to back losses

Published

2 months ago

August 7, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Author: Larry Read

KAMLOOPS, BC—The Nanaimo NightOwls won back to back games on the weekend to take two of three from the host Kamloops NorthPaws in West Coast League action. In a battle of two teams who missed the WCT post season, Kamloops won the opening night (Fri Aug 4) 7-4 but then lost 4-1 on Saturday (Aug 5) and Sunday afternoon 8-3 to Nanaimo.

The NightOwls finished the season at 26-28 while the NorthPaws were 12-40.

The teams played on the Dearborn Ford Field at Norbrock Stadium.

SERIES RECAP:

Friday, August 4, 2023:NorthPaws 7 NightOwls 4

The NorthPaws snapped a three-game losing streak taking Nanaimo, who trailed 7-0 at one point. Kamloops had a season high two homers in this game. Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau, QC) hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning. Villeneuve was 2-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored in the contest and has three home runs this summer.

The other homer came off the bat of Matthew McDonald (Kamloops, BC). He led off the fifth inning with a solo blast. He was 1-4 with a run scored. Gage Mestas (Durango, CO) was 3-5 with a run scored. Matthew Ward (Mississauga, ON) was 2-4 with a run scored while Drew Giannini (Troy, CA) was 2-5 with a run scored.

Christian Spitz (Overland Park, KS) went six innings for the win. He struck out four, gave up two walks on five hits to improve his record to 2-4. David Jeon (Coppell, TX) pitched the ninth inning for the save. It was his third of the year in 17 appearances. He struck out one.

Night Owls starter Brian Veniard (Jacksonville, Fla) fell to 1-2 on the year. He pitched only three and two thirds’ innings surrendering 10 hits, five runs, striking out seven and walking one.

Caden Casagrande (Earle, ID) led Nanaimo offensively going 1-4 with three RBI. Brandon Hupe (Delta, BC) went 1-3 with two runs scored while Ethan Rivera (Chino Hills, CA) and Liam Bushey (Abbotsford, BC) were both 2-4 with a run scored.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598528

Saturday, August 5 2023:NightOwls 4 NorthPaws1

The NightOwls snapped a five-game losing skid with the victory. They broke open a scoreless tie scoring once in the fifth, added another in the sixth and had a single run in both the eighth and ninth. They had nine hits in the ball game. The NorthPaws scored their only run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Ward hit his second home run of the season. They had six hits and committed one error.

Hupe was 2-5 with a run scored for Nanaimo. Bryce Johnson (Bellingham, WA) was 1-2 with a RBI. Brandon Nicholl (Coombs, BC) was 1-4 with a run scored. Elijah Ickles (Wahiawa, HI) was 1-3 with a run scored.

Nathan Buchan (Mercer Island, WA) started his ninth game of the year and was the winner. He evened his record at 3-3 going seven innings. He pitched a five hitter with a run given up, three strikeouts and one walk. MacCallan Conklin pitched the last inning for his second save in three starts. He struck out two and walked two.

Liam Reynolds (Trumansburg, NY) fell to 0-3. He started and went five innings, giving up a run, four hits, struck out five and walked six.

Villeneuve was 3-3 at the plate for Kamloops. Ward was 1-3 with a run scored and an RBI (thanks to that homer). Anthony Manuel (Antioch, CA) and Ray Jesse (Oak Lawn, IL) were both 1-4.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598529

Sunday, August 6 2023:NightOwls 8 NorthPaws 3

The NightOwls scored one in the first, two more in the second and third innings to chase MacLain Roberts (Auckland, NZ) off the hit for Kamloops. Roberts was 2-8 on the year. In this game, he went two and two thirds innings surrendering six hits, five runs, walking three and striking out one. He started 10 games in his rookie WCL season. He was one of four pitchers utilized by NorthPaws manager Keith Francis in the contest.

Nanaimo was led offensively by Wylie Waters (West Vancouver, BC). He was 4-5 with three runs scored and three RBI. He also hit a home run. Reid Little (Bellingham, WA) also hit a dinger for Nanaimo. He was 1-3 with two RBI and a run scored. His homer game in the second inning.

For Waters and Little: it was the second home runs of the summer.

Elijah Ickles (Wahiawa, HI) was 2-3 with a run scored as well for the NightOwls.

Matt McDonald (Kamloops, BC) was 1-3 with a run scored and a RBI. He knocked one out of the park in the seventh inning with the NorthPaws down 8-2. Gage Mestas (Durango, CO) was 2-4 with a run scored. Anthony Manuel (Antioch, CA) was 1-2 with a run scored.

Jacob Fleury (Burlington, WA) was the winning pitcher. He was the third of three pitchers and went three innings tossing a one hitter over that time. He had two strikeouts and two walks. He was 5-0 on the year and it was his first relief appearance of 2013.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598530

HEAD COACH KEITH FRANCIS:

On the series: “ I am kind of disappointed the way we played today (Sunday). We didn’t get excited about playing today. Everyone was more focused on going home unfortunately. I understand that. I wished we played a little harder. That was the same story yesterday (Saturday). We had enough horses to get it done but we didn’t.

Admits that timely hitting and pitching depth were downfalls this year for Kamloops. He credits those players who stuck it out. “The effort I got from these guys, as bad as its been has been A plus. I know they didn’t give it to me today, but they did it all year long.

Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau, QC).252 batting average, 3 homers, 6 doubles in 32 games

On season: “ It was a pretty tough summer. I came late and it took me a while to get going, but the last few games I started to put it around. It is hard to have a good chemistry when you don’t win but there were a lot of great guys on this team.

Cooper Neville (Glendale, AZ): .273 batting average, 183 at bats in 52 games, 22 RBI

On the year: “ I don’t think we had the best odds of winning. We needed to have more guys coming in and our pitching could have been better. We should have had more pitchers at the end instead of losing them all at the same time. I think our hitters could have done a much better job (me included). I don’t know what happened. We just couldn’t get it all together at the same time.”

Nathan Grey (Queen Creek, AZ) 0-1 record 9 games as a pitcher, four starts, 1.71 ERA/.137 Batting average in 31 games. 95 at bats.

On adjusting to the West Coast League after making the jump from high school : “On the mound, it was an easy transition. I just felt comfortable out there. I know my stuff and I know what I could do. At the plate it was a little different, going from high school pitching to college pitching: it’s a little faster. I am making adjustments to that and should be ready for the fall (going to Puma Community College in Arizona).”

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Two key returnees among three Canadians signed for 2024

Published

5 days ago

September 20, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Green (above), Hall and former Canadian junior team star Chee-Aloy join Cats

September 20, 2023

VICTORIA, B.C. — The reloading of the 2023 North Division champion Victoria HarbourCats has started — not surprisingly, given the team’s history of finding local and Canadian talent — with three players who have maple leaf passports.

Returning infielders Brandon Green of the Victoria Golden Tide and Tyrus Hall of Bossier Parrish JC are joined by prized Illinois recruit Cameron Chee-Aloy of Toronto as the HarbourCats, who have posted just one sub-.500 record since 2014 and have made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons, get ready for the 2024 campaign.

Hall, primarily a shortstop, is a Victoria product who came through the Eagles program, while Green, who can play any infield position, is in his third year with the Golden Tide, hailing from Olds, Alberta. Both played with the HarbourCats in 2023, part of the team that set a WCL record with 25 home wins in 27 home regular season games — 27-2 counting playoffs.

HarbourCats infielder Ty Hall will return to the HarbourCats in 2024 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

“Ty Hall has tremendous potential and a pro-level arm, with blazing speed — and we saw so much improvement with him under WCL coach of the year Todd Haney,” said Jim Swanson of the HarbourCats. “He will get better yet in college and being back with us next summer. And Brandon, he was one of the great stories of our season, unceremoniously dumped before the season by a summer team in another league in Alberta and given a chance to stay in Victoria at the WCL level, and all he did was earn the trust of Todd and the staff. He had the summer of his life, and he’s not done.”

Green became the first product of the third year Golden Tide program to have a notable impact on the WCL club, part of the mandate of the CCBC entry.

In 24 games, Green had two doubles, two home runs and drove in 10 runs, batting .222 and earning stretches of time at second base, with just one error. Hall got into 26 games, his speed of great value off the bench, and hit .250 with 13 stolen bases — caught just once. Hall was a featured part of a league record 150 stolen bases as a team.

Chee-Aloy (pictured right), a product of the Ontario Terriers, is best described as a plus-speed outfielder who plays the game hard, getting the most out of his 6-0/180 pound frame. The right-handed hitter with a right fielder’s arm had two stints with Team Canada, where he was teammates with Hall.

“We are exited to add Cameron to the 2024 team,” said Head Coach Todd Haney. “His speed will be an asset both offensively and defensively.”

The HarbourCats 2024 schedule in anticipated to be released in late October or early November 2023. Stay tuned to our website and social media channels for news on that once it becomes available.

Season tickets are now on sale and can now be renewed for the 2024 season of HarbourCats baseball! Lock in and renew your existing seats, or purchase new seats by October 31, 2023 to guarantee Early Bird Pricing at the 2023 rates:

General Admission – $375 ($385 after October 31)
Premium Reserved (Sections 6-9 and 11-12) – $475 ($495 after October 31)
Grandstand Reserved (Section 10 Rows E and up) – $525 ($550 after October 31)
Campbell Real Estate Club Seats (Section 10 Rows A-D) – $675 ($700 after October 31)
Diamond Club Field Level – $750 (WAIT LIST – CALL FOR AVAILABILITY) ($775 after October 31)

Season tickets offer the best per-game value per seat and come with the following benefits:

Includes all regular season WCL league home games, and all pre-season and exhibition games
Incudes FREE PLAYOFF TICKETS
Season ticket holders get first right of refusal to purchase tickets for other special events (eg. concerts)
Season-ticket holders do not pay additional Fireworks Game pricing
Service fees and all taxes included in above prices

Please call the office at 778-265-0327 or e-mail chris@harbourcats.com to renew, or to purchase new seats.

You can also stop into the office to take care of this at 101-1814 Vancouver Street. We are open in the off-season Tuesday – Friday from 10AM to 5PM.

Cats merchandise is also on sale now at the office at The Cat Shop, or online at https://victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com/

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Summer Collegiate

2023 Fan Experience Survey – Kamloops NorthPaws

Published

7 days ago

September 18, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Photo by: Allen Douglas

The Kamloops NorthPaws wanted to thank our fans for another great season at Norbrock Stadium – THANK YOU ‘PAWS FANS!!!

The organization is looking to fans to share their experiences in order to make improvements for 2024. Fans who choose to include their email will be entered into a draw for a 2024 10-game flex plan, the winner will be contacted on October 6, 2023. All anonymous users will not be entered into the draw. The NorthPaws thank you for your reviews and support of our team, we look forward to improving our operations and welcoming you back to the ballpark in 2024!

You can complete the form below:

https://forms.gle/YBfFHvp6eDyRuoUR6

Source

Summer Collegiate

Top player in 2023 returns for third season as a NightOwl

Published

2 weeks ago

September 12, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Marsh the first NightOwls’ signing for 2024 WCL season

An original NightOwl is coming back for a third season at historic Serauxmen Stadium.

Infielder Aaron Marsh of the UBC Thunderbirds, who shared the 2023 player of the year award with keystone partner Elijah Ickes, will be the key offensive piece that Head Coach Greg Frady will build his lineup around in the summer of 2024.

The Nanaimo product, a former Pirate, has been the picture of consistency for the NightOwls for the team’s first two seasons in the West Coast League. In 2022, Marsh batted .309 and was among team leaders with 38 hits and 20 runs driven in, and followed that up in 2023 with 39 more hits, 24 RBIs, and batting .287 while playing both second and third. He hit two home runs both seasons.

“Aaron is a tough out, gives the team gritty at-bats and is so reliable on defence,” said Jim Swanson, GM of the NightOwls. “He brings so many intangibles to UBC and to the NightOwls, is a leader and you can tell he loves to play the game, and loves to play in front of our great crowds in Nanaimo, in front of people who watched him grow up in our city. He’s the ideal player to have as our first signing for the 2024 season.”

A left-handed hitter with extra-base power, a valuable asset with the exciting fence configuration at Serauxmen Stadium, the 5-10/185 Marsh has played 73 games as a NightOwl, so will be looking to become the first player to play in 100 games for Nanaimo’s young WCL franchise.

“Recruiting is very much underway, between myself and the coaching staff, looking to build a team that can get us to the playoffs and be the first Canadian team to win the WCL title,” said Swanson. “Our 2023 team played everyone hard, one game below .500 — and known for being scrappy and playing the game the right way, with the right approach of effort and sportsmanship. We are building future pro players here, we are also building young men who will be successful in whatever they advance to in life. Aaron is definitely one of those people.”

Season tickets are now on sale for the 2024 campaign — renewals and new fans, the best seats at the park available for as low as $400 for the season (roughly $12.50 per seat per game). Included in season tickets are gratis playoff tickets, with the NightOwls in the hunt for a post-season spot until the final week in both of the team’s initial seasons.

“If you haven’t yet made it to a game — you’re missing out on a great spot and a special energy that only Serauxmen creates,” said Swanson.

For information on season tickets, email tina@nanaimonightowls.com

Team merchandise is also in hot demand, find the shop site at nanaimonightowls.com for a variety of offerings from hats to hoodies to shirts and miscellaneous items.

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