Summer Collegiate

NorthPaws/HarbourCats split and rained out

Published

2 years ago

July 28, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

KAMLOOPS, BC—The Kamloops NorthPaws got back in the win column but unfortunately, they were unable to capture their West Coast League series at Dearborn Ford Field at Norbrock Stadium. On Thursday (July 27), the third game of the series was cancelled with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning because of a rainstorm. The game will be replayed at a later date.

The NorthPaws and the visiting Victoria HarbourCats were battling to see who would win the series after Victoria won 2-0 on Tuesday (July 25) and the Paws won their 10 th game of the season on Wednesday (July 26) with a 6-3 victory.

Victoria leaves Kamloops with a record of 11-6 in the second half and 30-14 overall. Kamloops is 10-33 overall and 3-13 in the second half.

The NorthPaws will hop the ferry and head to Nanaimo for a three game set against the NightOwls. It’s the first time the two teams have played against each other this season.

The HarbourCats hit the road after this game to entertain the Kelowna Falcons. They play tomorrow.

All West Coast League games are available via their website: https://wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv/

SERIES RECAP:

Tuesday, July 25, 2023:HarbourCats 2 NorthPaws 0

The NorthPaws honored their billet parents before the contest. They saw an exciting game and a strong pitching performance from Nathan Gray (Queen Creek, AZ). Gray pitched seven strong innings, giving up two hits, one run, striking out six and walking two. Gray is 0-1 on the year in nine appearances.

The HarbourCats lost Tyler Davis (Fresno, CA) in the fourth inning. He was ejected after arguing with home plate umpire Blaise Leveay. At that point, Davis had struck out twice. He was replaced by Ryan Magdic (Beamsville, ON).

Joey Baran (Austin, TX) got the start at catcher for Kamloops and threw two base runners out in the first five innings.

Victoria opened the scoring in the seventh when Dallas Macias (Parker, Co) walked and scored on a single from Tripp Clark (Waco, TX). Clark was 3-4 in the ball game with that run batted in. Macias was 0-2 with a run scored.

Then in the eighth, Jesse Brown (Seattle, WA) doubled and scored on a wild pitch. The HarbourCats had four hits and one error. Kamloops had three hits in the ball game.

Cody Howard (The Woodlands, TX) was the third of four Victoria pitchers and got the win. He went two innings, striking out four, walking one and giving up a hit. He went to 2-0. Carson Latimer (Delta, BC), pitched the final two innings getting his second save in 11 appearances. He walked two and struck out one.

Offensively for Kamloops, Drew Giannini (Tracy, CA) was 2-4. Anthony Manuel (Antioch, CA) was 1-3.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598692

Wednesday, July 26, 2023: NorthPaws 6 HarbourCats 3

The NorthPaws snap a five-game losing streak with the victory as they pounded out 10 hits without committing an error.

Baran led the way going 2-3 with three runs batted in and a run scored. Two of those runs came in the bottom of the first inning on a double as he drove in Cooper Neville (Glendale, AZ) and Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau, QC). Baran hit a double in the third inning to drive in Neville who led it off with a ground rule double as the ball got stuck in the fence in right field. Matthew Ward (Mississauga, ON) hit a 385 foot shot over the left field fence for his first homer of the summer to account for one of the other Kamloops runs. Ward was 1-3. Manuel was 2-3 with a run batted in.

New Zealand lefty MacLain Roberts improved his record to 2-6 with the win. He went five and two thirds on a five hitter, giving up three runs while walking five and striking out five.

Jed Decooman (Vancouver, BC) was the starter and losing pitcher for Victoria. He lasted three innings giving up five hits on three hits. The HarbourCats offense was led by Magdic who was 2-3 with a run scored. Clark was 1-3 with a run batted in

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598693

Thursday, July 27, 2023: game cancelled due to lightning in fifth inning.

At the time of the cancellation, Victoria held a 2-0 lead with Kamloops batting with one out in the bottom of the fifth. The HarbourCats had scored both their runs in the top of the third inning when Marco Pirrcuello (Rockin, CA) advanced to first base on an error and later scored along with teammate Brandon Green (Olds, AB). Green had singled. Both players came home on an error charged to NorthPaws catcher Ward.

Alexis Gravel (Repentgny, QC) was on the mound for Kamloops at the time.

The game will be replayed before the end of the 2023 West Coast League season. Date, time and venue will be determined later.

NEXT UP FOR THE NORTHPAWS:

The North Paws will play the Night Owls in Nanaimo tomorrow (July 28) through to Sunday (July 30)

They return home to host Kelowna on August 1st before going to Elks Stadium in the “Little Apple” to meet the Falcons for their final two road games of the West Coast League season.

If you can’t make the home games, they are all webcast on https://wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv/ . Some home games will also be shown on Shaw TV in Kamloops (Cable 10 or 105 with Blue Curve).

PLAYERS TO WATCH ON NANIAMO:

1. Jakob Fleury (Burlington, WA) leads Nanaimo with 4-0 record coming out of the bullpen. He has an E.R.A. of 2.32 in 10 appearances.

2. Payton Robertson (Lynden, WA) is 4-1 with an E.R.A. of 3.68. He has started seven of the eight games he has appeared in.

3. Wylie Waters (West Vancouver, BC) is ninth in the West Coast League in batting average (.343) with 18 R.B.I.

4. Aaron Marsh (Nanaimo, BC) is 19th in the West Coast League with a batting average of .313 with 16 R.B.I.

5. Ethan Rivera (Chino Hills, CA) has a team leading four home runs.

TAILGATE PARTY:

The Molson’s Tailgate Party is operating before every NorthPaws home game. It runs Tuesday through Saturday 5-630 PM. The Party runs Sundays noon-1 PM. Hotdogs and a Pilsner are sold for $ 12.00 plus tax.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Four returnees signed by HarbourCats, including all-star Shepherd

Published

5 days ago

October 15, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

2025 All-Star and home-run leader Logan Shepherd (28) will return to the HarbourCats for the 2026 season (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

October 15, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, BC — It’s the norm for players to want to run it back for another summer, and four such returning players have started the foundation for the 2026 Victoria HarbourCats — headlined by a slugging DH/first baseman.

Logan Shepherd, a powerful right-handed hitter from Olympia, WA, will be back with the HarbourCats next summer. A product of Tacoma Community College and now at Mercer, he tied the franchise record for home runs in a season with eight last year, batting .345 and driving in 41 runs while being named to the West Coast League all-star game.

“Logan put up some serious numbers for us and wants to get even more out of the Victoria experience,” said WCL veteran head coach Todd Haney, who will be in his sixth season leading the HarbourCats when May rolls around. “He was a leader, and these players announced today will help us continue with the culture we have established with this program.”

Also signed:

C Dillon Lopez, St. Mary’s, 5-10/200, San Antonio, TX
RHP Austin Lindsey, Hill JC, 6-1/180, Lufkin, TX
RHP Marcus Janovsky, UBC, 6-0/195, Surrey, BC
1B/DH Logan Shepherd, Mercer, 6-2/215, Olympia, WA

Lopez also put up all-star worthy numbers, if he’d been able to join the team earlier in the season — .350 with 18 RBIs in 21 games, hitting three home runs and providing premium defence behind the plate.

Catcher Dillon Lopez (18), here celebrating after a walk-off hit in 2025, will return behind the dish for the 2026 season (Photo: Justin Morash).

Lindsey pitched in 13 games with 27 strikeouts in 24 innings of work, mostly out of the bullpen — a high-leverage, dependable arm for Haney and the coaching staff. Janovsky, playing near his hometown of Surrey at UBC, was 2-1 while giving up 19 hits in 21.1 innings of work, with 19 strikeouts.

Right-hand pitcher Marcus Janovsky (centre), here celebrating after a clutch relief appearance in 2025, will return to the mound for the HarbourCats in 2026 (Photo: Justin Morash)

“We’re proud of the development of these players and can’t wait to welcome them back, with another year of experience under their belt,” said Haney.

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. BE SURE TO LOCK IN YOUR SEASON TICKETS TODAY to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria. These will be going on sale SOON!

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – West Coast League meetings to be held in Victoria

Published

2 weeks ago

October 6, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

October 6, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. — The capital city of British Columbia will become the centre of the West Coast League (WCL) for two days in October.

The 2025 WCL Fall Meetings, featuring a gathering of team owners/directors, will be held in Victoria, October 20-21. This marks the first time the meetings, often staged near a major U.S. airport (Seattle or Portland) for travel and logistics reasons, have been held in Canada since the formation of the collegiate elite baseball league that evolved from a gathering in Kelowna in 2003, with the Kelowna Falcons as one of the founding members — and the lone Canadian entry until the HarbourCats were founded.

Five of the league’s 17 teams now are located in Canada — in Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops and Edmonton. Kamloops, Nanaimo and Edmonton all started play in 2022.

The HarbourCats, who joined the WCL for the 2013 season and have watched as eight former players have advanced to the MLB level, will also welcome the league to Victoria in July of 2026 and 2027 when the organization plays host to the WCL All-Star Game festival for consecutive seasons, showcasing Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park. The all-star game was held in Bellingham the last two summers.

“The inner harbour in fall will be a fantastic setting for these meetings, just as it will be for events around the WCL All-Star Game next July,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the group that operates both the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls.

Topics expected to be discussed are the finalization of the league’s 2026 schedule, WCL marketing initiatives, and ways to improve best practices around player, coach and umpire development — the keystone goal of the WCL.

“I’m incredibly excited to visit Victoria for our fall meetings,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer. “The city’s rich baseball history and beautiful scenery will provide the perfect backdrop for our teams to discuss the future of the League in one of my favorite WCL markets.”

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Lock in your season tickets today to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria.

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

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Summer Collegiate

All-Stars Hayes and Zenk returning to Owls in 2026

Published

3 weeks ago

October 2, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

NANAIMO, B.C. — They put on a show for fans at historic Serauxmen Stadium, and they got better as the summer went on.

Talan Zenk (Everett CC) and Jacob Hayes (Azusa Pacific), two West Coast League all-stars in 2025, are returning to the Nanaimo NightOwls next summer — the priority first signings by Head Coach Cody Andreychuk and GM Tina Cornett.

“These two players really enjoyed performing in front of WCL fans, and especially our great fans in Nanaimo,” said Andreychuk, the local product who will enter his second season as the NightOwls’ head coach. “They developed, and they got a chance to be leaders. We are proud of how they represented us at the all-star game and we are very happy they are eager to be in Nanaimo again. These are great young men who represent their schools and families so well.”

Zenk, who was the ultimate utility player by serving in both the infield and outfield, was a spark plug at the top of the order — he hit .289 with 10 stolen bases, four home runs, seven doubles and two triples. The 19-year-old from Brier, WA, had a .853 OPS.

Hayes is without a question the best power hitter the NightOwls have ever had in blue and gold, following up a 19-bomb spring at college by hitting 10 home runs (team record) in 49 WCL games, batting .250 with 44 hits, 30 walks and 39 runs driven in, all while playing nearly every game at first base. The 20-year-old from Anacortes, WA is entering his sophomore season at Azusa Pacific. He was the NightOwls player of the year in 2025.

SEASON TICKETS — The best seats can be secured now! Email tina@nanaimonightowls.com to lock in your 2026 NightOwls season tickets, with versatile fan-friendly flex options to see the best baseball on Vancouver Island. The NightOwls enter their fifth season in the WCL and have had a player selected in the MLB draft each of the last three seasons.

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