Summer Collegiate

NorthPaws have “Bell” rung in Bellingham

Published

3 years ago

July 7, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Author: Larry Read

BELLINGHAM, WA—The Kamloops NorthPaws might not have earned any points but they did earn some respect as they dropped a three game set to one of the top teams in the West Coast League: the Bellingham Bells.

Capping off the series on Thursday (July 6), the NorthPaws held a 5-0 lead before falling 7-5 to the Bells.

Kamloops falls to 7-23 on the year while Bellingham moves to 20-7.

Other scores in the series had the Bells winning 5-1 on Tuesday (July 4) and 2-0 on Wednesday (July 5).

Bellingham was led in the series by Canadian Yohann Desseureault. The resident of Trois Rivieres, Quebec went four for eleven with four runs scored and four runs batted in.

The win Thursday moved Bellingham atop of the WCL North Division. They are a game ahead of the second place Wenatchee AppleSox. The AppleSox, who are the next opponents for the NorthPaws starting tomorrow (Friday, July 7) fell 3-2 to Port Angeles on Thursday. The AppleSox have lost their last two starts.

The Paws and Wenatchee will be playing the next three games against each other at s Paul Thomas Senior Field . The Bells are also on the road on Friday as they meet the Raptors in Ridgefield.

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

SERIES RECAP:

Tuesday, July 4, 2023: Bellingham 5 Kamloops 1

3,299 people spent Independence Day at Joe Martin Field where they saw their home team win their 18th game of the season. Bellingham took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second and added three more in the bottom of the third and one in the sixth—all off NorthPaws stater Tyrelle Chadwick (Kamloops, BC). Chadwick was playing his last game with the Paws before returning to Illinois State University. He went five and two thirds’ innings striking out three and walking two. Chadwick was 0-4 this summer in five starts.

Daniel Paret (Miami Lakes, FLA) went to 2-0 on the year pitching four innings of two hit ball with nine strike outs.

Offensively, Ty Saunders (Anacortes, WA) was two for three with three runs batted in. Dessureault went two for four with two runs scored and a run batted in. Colton Bower (Poulsbo, WA) was one for three with a run scored.

Kamloops saw Gabe Mestas (Durango, CA) go two for four with a run scored. Cooper Neville (Glendale, AZ) went one for four with a run batted in. Drew Giannini (Tracy CA) was one for four with a run scored.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=596802

Wednesday July 5, 2023:Bellingham 2 Kamloops 0

The NorthPaws stuck with the Bells until the fifth inning when Nate Kirkpatrick (Surrey, BC) led off the inning hitting a single off reliever Liam Reynolds (Trumansburg, NY). Kirkpatrick was the first batter Reynolds faced after replacing starter Griffin Almond (Thornbury, ON).

Kirkpatrick later scored on a single by Anthony Kodama (Mill Creek, WA). Kirkpatrick was 1 for three with a run scored in the game. Kodama was one for two with a run batted in and a run scored. He was brought home by the next batter-Dessureault. He was one for three with a run batted in.

Reynolds was tagged with the loss and is 0-1 in eight appearances this season. He pitched three innings giving up the two runs and striking out two.

For Kamloops: Joey Baran (Austin, TX) was two for four. Nevillle was one for three while Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau, QC) was one for two.

Trevor Moore (Golden, CO), the second of four Bellingham pitchers got the win. He is 1-0 on the year as he pitched three innings giving up one hit, striking out three and walking four

Kamloops outhit Bellingham 6 -5 but left 10 runners on base.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=596803

Thursday, July 6, 2023: Bellingham 7 Kamloops 5

The NorthPaws jumped out to a 5-0 lead scoring all their runs in the top of the third inning. That would account for all their offense as the Bells scored seven consecutive runs. They cut the deficit to 5-2 after four innings and added three in the bottom of the sixth along with single runs in the seventh and eighth.

Bellingham outhit Kamloops 9-4 and committed four errors to the NorthPaws one.

Two Canadian players did the most offensive damage for Bellingham. St Albert, Alberta’s Max Hartman was two for four with a triple and a home run. He had two runs batted in. Dessaurault of Trois Rivieres, Quebec was one for four with a run scored and an RBI. His one hit was a triple.

Coleman Schmidt (Reno, NV) was two for four. He scored twice and had a run batted in.

Kamloops was led offensively by Mestas . He was one for three with two runs batted in and a stolen base. Phoenix Sonmay was one for three with a run scored while Neville was one for four with a run scored.

Treven Hope notched the win for the Bells. The Blaine, Washington resident went three innings giving up two walks and a hit. It as his first win in three starts. Gianluca Shinn (Menlo Park, CA) earned his first save striking out a single batter in one inning of work. He has made five appearances on the mound this year.

Noah Loew (Chelan, WA) suffered his first loss in six appearances. On in relief, he went an inning and a third giving up a run, a hit and a walk. Hayden Walker (Albuquerque, NM) got the start for Kamloops and went five and two thirds innings, giving up five runs on seven hits with a walk and two strike outs.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=596804

NEXT UP FOR THE NORTHPAWS:

As mentioned, the Paws are in Wenatchee against the Apple Sox for three games beginning tomorrow.

Their next home series will be Tuesday July 11th when the Edmonton RiverHawks come to town. Opening pitch that night along with Wednesday and Thursday July 12-13 will be 6:35 PM. Kamloops then has a four day break.

PLAYERS TO WATCH ON THE RIVERHAWKS:

KJ Ward – RHP – Park University Gilbert

Jonny McGill – OF – University of British Columbia

Jack Wheatley – MIF – Liberty University

Kelly Corl – MIF – Niagara University.

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).

TAILGATE PARTY:

The Molson’s Tailgate Party is hoppin’ 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.

Featured Image Credit: Makayla Sparks

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Summer Collegiate

John Wilson Named As New Team President

Published

2 weeks ago

January 27, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Respected island businessman John Wilson has been named President of the company that oversees the successful collegiate baseball teams based in Victoria and Nanaimo.

Wilson, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and whose family owns and operates the Wilson’s Group of Companies, has been part of the core ownership group of the Victoria HarbourCats since 2015, and the Nanaimo NightOwls since inception in 2020 (started play in 2022). The NightOwls, a rival to the HarbourCats on the field, play at historic Serauxmen Stadium.

Wilson takes the position from Ken Swanson, who remains on the board after a solid 10-year run as team president. The group also operates the Victoria Collegiate (CCBC) baseball program and the busy indoor facility on Cook St., the Edwards Family Training Centre.

“Ken has led the corporate structure well, and he’s deserving of a break,” said Wilson. “We have a strong and committed group of owners and staff and a refresh is good for us all, keeping these teams playing great baseball and positively impacting these amazing communities in a stable, creative manner. Ken literally leaves big shoes to fill.”

The HarbourCats, which started play in 2013, will host the WCL All-Star Game in 2026 and 2027, showcasing the island’s immense love of baseball and the team that helped produce eight current MLB players including Nathan Lukes (Blue Jays), Nick Pivetta (Padres), Cade Smith (Guardians), Andrew Vaughn (Brewers) and Chase Meidroth (White Sox). The 2026 all-star festival will take place July 14-15 using Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park and sites around the South Island, with exciting details to come.

Wilson and Swanson lead a nine-member ownership group that includes Rich Harder, Helen Edwards, Mike Macdonell, Sean Finn, Vic Vendetti, John Schnaderbeck and Jim Swanson.

“No one knows the community like John, so we are all looking forward to what will be a flawless transition that will bring some new life to the organization,” said Ken Swanson.

The management structure remains the same — former GM Jim Swanson in the Managing Partner role, overseeing day-to-day operations, assisted by Adrian Somers (Business Operations and Marketing). In Victoria, Christian Stewart (General Manager) and John Pollard (Marketing Director) remain in place, while Tina Cornett continues her strong leadership in Nanaimo as General Manager, with Kent Malpass overseeing the concession.

The teams maintain wholly separate coaching staffs and recruiting processes — veteran Todd Haney, a five-year MLB player, as the sixth-year Head Coach in Victoria, and local product Cody Andreychuk, a collegiate program head coach at University of Pikeville, enters his second season in Nanaimo, assisted by pitching coach Gorman Heimueller, who has three World Series rings from his 50 years in the game.

Tickets are selling fast…get yours today. www.NanaimoNightOwls.com/ticketinfo

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls

Published

2 weeks ago

January 27, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

January 27, 2026

For immediate release

VICTORIA and NANAIMO, BC — Respected island businessman John Wilson has been named President of the company that oversees the successful collegiate baseball teams based in Victoria and Nanaimo, effective immediately.

Wilson, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and whose family owns and operates the Wilson’s Group of Companies, has been part of the core ownership group of the Victoria HarbourCats since 2015, and the Nanaimo NightOwls since inception of the second island WCL team in 2020 (started play in 2022). The NightOwls, a rival to the HarbourCats on the field, play at historic Serauxmen Stadium.

The HarbourCats, which started play in 2013, will host the WCL All-Star Game in 2026 and 2027, showcasing the island’s immense love of baseball and the team that helped produce eight MLB products including current MLB players Nathan Lukes (Blue Jays), Nick Pivetta (Padres), Cade Smith (Guardians), Andrew Vaughn (Brewers) and Chase Meidroth (White Sox). The 2026 all-star festival will take place July 14-15 using Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park and sites around the South Island, with exciting details to come.

Wilson and Swanson lead a nine-member ownership group that includes Rich Harder, Helen Edwards, Mike Macdonell, Sean Finn, Vic Vendetti, John Schnaderbeck and Jim Swanson.

“No one knows the community like John, so we are all looking forward to what will be a flawless transition that will bring some new life to the organization,” said Ken Swanson.

The Victoria HarbourCats will begin their 2026 West Coast League season in late May of 2026, with the home opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 6:35pm.

Plenty of excitement is on board for 2026 including:

Three fireworks nights (June 6, 30 and August 3)
Two 11:00 AM School Spirit Games (June 4 and 18)
Five Family Fun Sunday Matinees (June 7, 14, 28 July 19 and 26)
$12 Tuesdays and Thursdays (June 16, July 2, 7, 9, 28 and 30)
The 2026 WCL All-Star Game and Home Run Derby (July 14-15)

Season ticket memberships, single-game tickets, 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) and 2026 WCL All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.

All ticket types and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-5pm.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer

Published

3 weeks ago

January 21, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

For immediate release

January 20, 2026

VICTORIA, BC — A former HarbourCats outfielder, a member of the record-breaking WCL team in 2016, knew he wanted to send players he now coaches to a great summer baseball factory.

Jarron Silva, then an outfielder from UCLA, really enjoyed his time in Victoria, on a team that won a record 40 games, including 19 in a row at one point.

Now as an assistant coach at San Jose State, he connected with veteran HarbourCats coach Todd Haney to secure development spots for two pitchers and two position players.

“Jarron was a spark plug for that 2016 team, and he remembers the fan support and atmosphere at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP — Victoria is a baseball city,” said Managing Partner Jim Swanson. “We are excited to see the pitchers signed, and to see the power in Rohne Klein and Ethan Nunez — they have the potential to represent Victoria when we host the WCL All-Star Game on July 15.”

Four Spartans and a versatile fielder from George Mason, Matthew Westley, have been signed by Coach Haney:

RHP Landon Marchetti, San Jose State, 5-11/190, Brentwood, CA
RHP Spencer Kratt, San Jose State, 6-0/210, Woodland Hills, CA
IF Rohne Klein, San Jose State, 6-4/230, L/R, Renton, WA
OF Ethan Nunez, San Jose State, 6-4/190, R/R, Chino Hills, CA
IF/OF Matthew Westley, George Mason, 6-1/210, R/R, Manassas, VA

Marchetti, previously at UC San Diego, has nearly 30 games of college experience, including five starts, and used a lower lefty arm slot to register high strikeout numbers in high school. Kratt is a power righty who runs it up to 92, a transfer from LA Valley College.

Landon Marchetti delivers a pitch while playing for the UC San Diego in 2025.

Klein, a transfer to SJSU from Utah, is a developing power bat who also is noted for a strong arm — can play third, outfield or first. He’s an athlete, playing both quarterback and linebacker on his high school team.

Nunez is a transfer from Colorado Mesa, where he was the RMAC freshman of the year — and he will miss the spring as a redshirt to get an injury fully rehabbed, but will be good to go for summer. At Colorado Mesa, he hit .356 with 14 bombs.

The lone non-SJSU addition announced by Coach Haney is utility guy Westley, formerly of Virginia Tech and now at George Mason. He has two summers of experience in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.

The Victoria HarbourCats will begin their 2026 West Coast League season in late May of 2026, with the home opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Plenty of excitement is on board for 2026 including: