Summer Collegiate

NorthPaws ‘pickled’ in home opener against Portland

Published

3 years ago

June 9, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Author: Larry Read

KAMLOOPS BC—The Kamloops NorthPaws are still in search of their first victory of the young West Coast League season.

The NorthPaws hosted the Portland Pickles at Dearborn Ford Field at Norbrock Stadium in a three-game series Tuesday through Thursday (June 6-8). Over 500 fans a night were treated to some entertaining baseball but went home a little disappointed as the Pickles swept Kamloops.

The scores were 11-4 Tuesday (June 6), 6-4 Wednesday and Thursday (June 7,8).

The results leave Portland with a 5-1 record while the NorthPaws dip to 0-6.

The NorthPaws will continue their homestand with the first ever appearance of the six time defending West Coast League champions, the Corvallis Knights to Kamloops. The Pickles will head down Highway 97 for a three-game set in Kelowna against the Falcons. Crovallis has a record of 5-1 after downing Yakima Valley 8-1. Wednesday night.

Portland and Kamloops will tangle once more this season when the NorthPaws visit the Pickles for three games beginning June 27th.

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

SERIES RECAP:

Tuesday, June 6, 2023-Portland Pickles 11 Kamloops NorthPaws 4

Portland broke open a 1-1 tie scoring four runs in the third inning before adding two more in the fifth and three runs in the sixth. Kamloops scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to reduce the deficit to 10-3. New Zealander Maclain Roberts was tagged with the loss as he started the game and went three innings giving up four hits, four runs, had one walk and one strikeout.

Left fielder Andrew Stucky (Tuscon, AZ) and Right fielder Felix Chenier-Rondeau (Blainvile, QC) each had runs batted in.

The Pickles were led by Jackson Waller (San Marcos, CA) who was two for two and three runs batted in. Two of the runs coming in on a single in the sixth. Jack Metcho (Fairfield, CA) was one for two with three runs scored. Starter Aiden Garza (Ventura, CA) was the winning pitcher tossing a no hitter for three innings, giving up two runs, striking out two and walking three.

Portland moved to 3-1 on the year. The NorthPaws dropped their fourth in a row.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598675

Wednesday, June 7, 2023-Portland Pickles 4 Kamloops NorthPaws 4

All the scoring in this game occurred in the first three innings. Portland rallied from a 2-0 first inning deficit to tally three in both the second and third.

The NorthPaws were led offensively by first baseman Nolan Austin (Kamloops, BC). He was two for four at the dish with two runs batted in. Designated hitter Landon Clark was one for four with an R.B.I..

Matthew Romero started for Kamloops and was tagged with the loss going two and a third innings, giving up nine hits, six earned runs, with two walks and a strikeout.

Murphy Gienger (Castle Rock, CO), who came into the game after an inning and two thirds was the winner. He threw a three hitter with eight strikeouts. Morris Austin (Keller, TX) earned the save as he came on in the ninth inning and struck out the side.

Offensively, the Pickles had three R.B.I. from left fielder Xiage Lancaster (Hilo, HI). He was two for three with two runs scored. Jack Metcho was three for five with two runs scored and two runs batted in. Right fielder Nicky Markantanatos (Portland, OE) was three for five.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=601034

Thursday, June 8, 2023-Portland Pickles 6 Kamloops North Paws 4

The NorthPaws jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning on the basis of a home run by Jude Hall (Chilliwack, BC). It was Kamloops’ first home run of the season.

The home team held a 4-1 lead until the sixth inning when the Pickles scored twice and then added three more in the seventh inning. They wound up with six runs on six hits and one error. Kamloops had four runs on seven hits and one error.

Kamloops was threatening in the bottom of the ninth. They had the bases loaded with two outs, but Felix Chenier-Rondeau (Blainville, QC) hit a long flyball which was caught in left field.

Sakemi Sato (La Quinta, CA) was the winning pitcher as he threw two innings of one hit ball with four strikeouts. Portland was led offensively by Jack Metcho. He was two for five with three runs batted in. Nicky Markantanatos was two for five with an RBI.

Joey Adge (Parker, CO) was three for four for Kamloops with an RBI. Hall was two for four with three runs batted in.

Christian Spitz (Overland Park, KS) was the losing pitcher. He went three and a third giving up four runs (3 earned), striking out three and walking three. Kamloops resident Tyrelle Chadwick had his second start of the year for the NorthPaws. He pitched three innings giving up two hits, four walks and one earned run.

Link to Scoresheet: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=598677

HEAD COACH KEITH FRANCIS:

“It is always the little things in baseball that come back to haunt you. We run the bases improperly. We don’t get the right hit at the right time. Can’t throw the strike when we need it the most. Those things add up. I am telling them we need to win inning by inning. This has been the underlying theme all season. There is just one inning where an error was started and the pitcher can’t come back from it. We aren’t hitting. We haven’t scored more than four runs in any game. That is tough. “

FIRST BASEMAN NOLAN AUSTIN (KAMLOOPS, BC):

“It is not the start we wanted to have. We were in the game again tonight. Just small little errors are keeping us from getting over that hump. Once we can get the first one we will start to figure it out we are going to start to cruise and get some more dubs.”

NEXT UP:

The NorthPaws will conclude their six game homestand with the Corvallis Knights. The Knights and NorthPaws will play a three-game series starting tomorrow (Friday June 7th). It is the first time that the two teams will have ever met in West Coast League play. As mentioned earlier in this release, the Knights have won the league title the last six years in a row. In 2022, they beat the Bellingham Bells in the final.

PLAYERS TO WATCH ON THE CORVALLIS KNIGHTS:

#5, Tyler Quinn, Inf./C, Pacific University, Oregon. He was the Knights MVP in 2022

# 7, Luke Thiele, Inf., Central Arizona College, he’s going to Purdue in the fall.

# 16, Blake Avila, Central Arizona, he’s going to Grand Canyon in the fall.

#17 Sean Wiese, LHP, Hawaii. A four-year Knight, he was the Knights top pitcher in 2022 as our closer.

# 20 Sam Stem, OF, Gonzaga. He hit over .300 for the Zags this spring as a freshman.

# 37, Neil Feist, RHP, Cal State-Northridge. A returnee and a key player from the 2022 champions.

If you can’t make the NorthPaws 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.

For Everything NorthPaws – Go to the website : https://www.northpawsbaseball.ca/

Kamloops NorthPaws tickets: ticketing@northpawsbaseball.ca

West Coast League: westcoastleague.com.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Haney Adds Big-Time Arms to 2026 Roster Alongside Two More Hitters

Published

5 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Jeremiah Arnett (Rice University) (above) brings a veteran presence to the HarbourCats pitching staff. (photo courtesy of Rice University Athletics)

VICTORIA, B.C. — Big name schools are all over the latest group of Victoria HarbourCats player signed by Todd Haney.

The recruiting network of the head coach has unearthed power arms from Rice, Arkansas State and UC-San Diego, along with an outfielder from Fresno State and another from Hill College,

“Todd works very hard at putting a winning product on the field for our fans,” said Christian Stewart, GM of the HarbourCats. “We know these guys will compete in our environment, and in a very good league like the West Coast League. These guys also have a shot at being added to the list of eight players to play for us and go on to the MLB level.”

Announced today:

RHP Tate Collins, Arkansas State, 6-3/215, Little Rock, AR
RHP Houston Tomlinson, Arkansas State, 6-0/200, Spring, TX
RHP Jeremiah Arnett, Rice, 6-4/215, Waco, TX
RHP Quincey Brown, UC San Diego, 6-2/175, Seattle, WA
OF/1B Dryden Fuoco, Hill College, L/L, 6-1/205, Vancouver, BC
OF Marcus Nolen, Fresno State, R/R, 6-3/220, Fresno, CA

Collins is a sophomore who was previously at Central Arkansas, and teammate his Tomlinson has started one game for Arkansas State as a redshirt freshman.

Arnett is a junior who will be expected to anchor the staff as a veteran pitcher. He’s 2-2 with a save over ten appearances, including six starts at Rice.

Brown, from Seattle, has made 14 appearances as a freshman and is striking out a batter per inning. He earned his first college win on Feb. 24 in a victory over rival University of San Diego.

Fuoco is from Vancouver and is having a strong junior college season — batting .307 with six home runs, 42 RBIs and four stolen bases in 53 games.

Nolen is a physical specimen who has nine home runs and 12 doubles through 47 games as a freshman, batting .246.

The HarbourCats begin their 2026 season on May 29th with a visit to Portland and then return to Victoria for the Home Opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks on Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 pm.

Season tickets, single-game tickets, 12 and 32-game flex packs and 2026 All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 1814 Vancouver Street.

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Summer Collegiate

Hager returns, exciting bats added to NightOwls roster

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

May 12, 2026

NANAIMO, BC — Once players have landed in Nanaimo, they definitely want to come back.

Right-hander Blake Hager has signed to return to historic Serauxmen Stadium— celebrating its 50th year — and pitch for a coach in Gorm Heimueller who is now in his 50th year in the game.

Hager is a NCAA Division 1 starting pitcher and brings immediate experience and stability to the pitching staff.

Hager, Parker King of Campbellsville and Damian Pasillas have been signed as pitchers, along with and exciting group of position players by Head Coach Cody Andreychuk:

RHP Damian Pasillas, Azusa Pacific, 6-1/195, San Diego, CA

RHP Blake Hager, Morehead State, 6-3/205, Pikeville, KY

SS Beau Musser, University of Hawaii, 5-9/150, L/R, Los Gatos, CA

C Blake Helsper, Hawaii Pacific, 5-8/175, L/R, Irvine, CA

RHP Parker King, Campbellsville, 5-11/160, Anaheim, CA

OF Diego Escandon, Columbia Basin, 5-10/170, R/R, Edmonds, WA

Hager previously pitched for the NightOwls in the 2025 season, 2-1 with a 7.71 ERA in six appearances, one of them a start. He’s started five games this spring for Morehead State, going 2-0 with a 6.84 ERA.

Pasillas has 45 innings this spring for Azusa Pacific, with two wins.

Musser is a highly-regarded, lefty-swinging shortstop signed to be a freshman at UH in fall. Described as a Brett Gardner type who plays a strong shortstop. Is being groomed to take the role at UH when former NightOwls star and Texas draft pick Elijah Ickes moves to the pro level.

Helsper handled the majority of the catching duties for Div2 Hawaii Pacific this season, especially down the stretch — a tough, scrappy hitter and hard worker behind the plate, he struck out just nine times and walked 12 times, hitting .328, in 112 at bats over 39 games. He started 30 games and had 38 hits, five of them doubles, and stole four of five attempted bases.

King was at Orange Coast in junior college before landing at Campbellsville, where he is 3-0 with a 4.28 ERA this season over 14 appearances. He has a save and 26 punch-out’s with just nine walks in 33.2 innings for a very good NAIA school.

Escandon has identical .291 averages the last two seasons, and has an exciting mix of power and speed — seven home runs and 51 stolen bases combined.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Vancouver Island Brewing and Victoria HarbourCats unveil the Islander FanZone

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

New taproom patio experience brings great local beer and a relaxed summer energy to a brand new gathering space at the ballpark.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VICTORIA, B.C., May 12, 2026 — Vancouver Island Brewing and the Victoria HarbourCats are excited to share new details about the Islander FanZone, a new in-park activation debuting this season at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.

Building on the recently announced partnership between Vancouver Island Brewing and the HarbourCats, the Islander FanZone will bring a true taproom patio experience to the ballpark; a new experience for fans of the HarbourCats to enjoy the game, and a physical footprint for fans of Vancouver Island Brewing to enjoy their products.

Designed to capture the laid-back spirit of a Vancouver Island summer, the space – located on the first base concourse behind Section 6 reserved seating – will feature high-top seating for up to 40 in different formats (a total capacity of 50), umbrellas, patio games, and artificial turf, creating a welcoming and social atmosphere for fans to gather, relax, and enjoy the game on Islander time.

The hybrid ticketed and VIP space will be ideal for a wide range of social occasions, from casual outings with friends to group gatherings and summer celebrations at the ballpark.

Fans visiting the Islander FanZone will be able to enjoy a lineup of Vancouver Island Brewing favourites, including Islander Lager, Broken Islands Hazy IPA, Breakpoint Pilsner and Seadog Amber Ale, a selection that brings some of the brewery’s most approachable and easy-drinking beers to the ballpark.

“We couldn’t be more excited to build this space and share a genuine craft beer experience at the ballpark with the Islander FanZone,” said Zach Van Der Ende, Director of Sales and Marketing, Vancouver Island Brewing. “Great beer and baseball have always been a perfect match, and we’re excited to help create a space where fans can come together, relax, and share great experiences all summer long.”

“The Islander FanZone is going to be a fantastic addition to the fan experience,” said Christian Stewart, General Manager of the Victoria HarbourCats. “It gives both loyal fans and newcomers an exciting way to take in a HarbourCats baseball game, whether they’re coming with family, meeting up with friends, or hosting a group event.”

The Islander FanZone reflects the shared vision behind the Vancouver Island Brewing and HarbourCats partnership: creating experiences that feel local, memorable, and made for summer. As the season gets underway, the new space will offer fans another reason to arrive early, stay longer, and take in everything that makes a night at the ballpark special.

Visit www.harbourcats.com/groups to find available game days for booking the Islander FanZone, or simply head to the HarbourCats.com/tickets to purchase individual tickets.

About Vancouver Island Brewing
Vancouver Island Brewing has been crafting beer on the Island since 1984, rooted in the community and landscapes that inspire every pour. Vancouver Island Brewing makes award-winning beers, from classic lagers to innovative ales, using quality ingredients and traditional brewing methods inspired by the island it calls home. Learn more at vibrewing.com.

About the Victoria HarbourCats
The Victoria HarbourCats are a member of the West Coast League, a summer collegiate baseball league featuring top NCAA talent from across North America. The HarbourCats play their home games at Wilson Group’s Stadium at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C. Learn more at www.harbourcats.com.

Media Contacts:
Zach Van Der Ende, Director Sales and Marketing Vancouver Island Brewing zach@vibrewingcom | 778-938-8220
Christian Stewart, General Manager Victoria HarbourCats chris@harbourcats.com | 778-265-0327

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