Summer Collegiate

NorthPaws promote local product Riley Jepson to head coach!

Published

2 years ago

August 6, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

The Kamloops NorthPaws are staying in-house for their next head coach, it was announced today.

Riley Jepson, a Kamloops Minor Baseball product who joined the West Coast League club as its hitting and fielding coach earlier this year, will replace Jose Bautista for the 2025 campaign.

After three seasons with the NorthPaws, Bautista announced today that he is stepping down to spend more time with his family in Florida.
“This is just an amazing opportunity, and I feel truly humbled that the Northpaws have shown this amount of trust and faith in me,” said Jepson, 27, who also suited up for the junior Kamloops Riverdogs before embarking on a collegiate career that took him to the University of the Fraser Valley and the University of Texas at Tyler. “Jose has been a wonderful mentor this season, and I look forward to continuing to help take the Northpaws forward thanks to the foundation that Jose and the management team has put in place.”

Bautista had been with the Northpaws since their inception, spending the first two seasons as the club’s pitching coach before being promoted prior to the 2023 season.
“To the beautiful people of Kamloops and the NorthPaws management, from the bottom of my heart I want to thank you for the opportunity you gave me to be a part of the NorthPaws and the West Coast League.” said Bautista. “As I am leaving a wonderful new head coach is arriving. Riley Jepson is ready and looking forward to the 2025 season. It is with great respect and admiration that I have a special thanks to all the fans, players, press box staff, photographers and management.”

Jepson played three seasons professionally — one in the White Sox system and two and a half seasons in the independent Pioneer League — and has transitioned smoothly into coaching. In addition to his Northpaws duties, he also coaches the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades, including current NorthPaws Anthony Setticasi and Tyson Christie. The Cascades claimed the Canadian College World Series title in May in Lethbridge, Alta.
During his professional playing career, Jepson put together a .374 season with 120 hits and 49 RBI with the Great Falls (Mont.) Voyagers in the Pioneer League.
That followed part of a season spent with the Winston-Salam (N.C.) Dash, the High-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, with whom Jepson signed following his collegiate career.

Playing at UFV, Jepson put together a spectacular two seasons — he batted an eye-popping .489 in 2018, which remains a Canadian College Baseball Conference record. He led the league in hitting in both of his seasons, before moving onto the NCAA Division 2 University of Texas at Tyler for two seasons, during which he was the school’s co-Male Athlete of the Year and a second-team all-Lone Star Conference player.

“I feel like we made some significant strides forward as the season went on, and I know we have the pieces in place put a team on the field next season that can be a playoff contender,” said Jepson. “I’m excited for our future, and I’m excited to see how Kamloops baseball fans will respond.”

“I am very excited that the NorthPaws will be part of Riley’s coaching journey. I know that he wants to win and that is extremely important to us. Riley will have full autonomy as he makes his decisions regarding the assistants that he will work with. We’re looking forward to some further exciting announcements,” said Norm Daley, co-owner of the team.

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Drop Third Game of Kelowna Series

Published

14 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took on the Kelowna Falcons for the third game a row this afternoon, losing the final matchup by a score of 9-2.

The Falcons were the first side to find purchase on the offensive side in a long third inning. Cats starter Daniel Tovar (Northern Kentucky) allowed a couple of baserunners on a walk and an error, and was swapped out for right-hander Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State). Kelowna strung together a few singles together on Tomlinson over the course of the inning, taking a 3-0 lead.

BOX SCORE

The home team followed that up with an uppercut in their next trip to the plate, smashing a three-run homer off of Tomlinson in the fourth to blow the game wide open.

Tate Collins (Arkansas State) took over for the fifth and pitched a clean inning, but was accosted for another scoring trio in the home half of the sixth. A single, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly gave the Falcons a daunting 9-0 lead.

The Cats at last found life in the seventh frame, kicked off by a solo bomb off the bat of Fresno State outfielder Marcus Nolen. Matthew Westley (George Mason) followed that homer up with a fine job of manufacturing a run. The Virginia product drew himself a walk, stole two bases, and advanced all the way home on a wild pitch to continue cutting a chunk out of that mountainous lead.

Carson Ackermann (Tacoma) took to the pitcher’s mound in the seventh and only allowed two baserunners across his two innings of work, but in the end the lead proved insurmountable and the Falcons secured a 9-2 win on home turf.

WCL STANDINGS

The HarbourCats will now travel back to Victoria and look to rebound on Tuesday night in the first matchup of a three-game mid-week series versus the Bend Elks.

Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games are now on sale at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. Season tickets, 12-pack and 32-pack game vouchers may also be bought online or by stopping by the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

GET YOUR ALL-STAR TICKETS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE! Tickets for the 2026 WCL All-Star Home Run Derby (featuring former Blue Jay Kevin Pillar) and the West Coast League All Star Game on July 14-15 are selling fast. Get yours today! Each event is now on sale separately, or grab the package deal for both and save a few bucks at http://harbourcats.com/tickets! Or call the office at 778-265-0327 to order by phone.

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Two major events announced with Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game

Published

1 day ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Legendary scout Marti Wolever to speak at luncheon

July 4, 2026

VICTORIA, B.C. — Having the West Coast League all-star festival in Victoria brings tremendous extra opportunities — like hearing from some of the best in the game.

The organizers of the Showpass West Coast League All-Star Game, presented by Canadian Club, are proud to announce two signature pieces of the two-day festival, and they are sponsored by valued partners of the Victoria HarbourCats Baseball Club — The Wilson’s Group of Companies, and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

“Sponsors like Wilson’s and The Chamber make events like this possible — and with the big names and details, will get people fired up to attend,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the Victoria HarbourCats.

Both events are also held at the Studio 919 thanks to partnership with the Strathcona Hotel (919 Douglas Street).

HOT STOVE PANEL, presented by The Wilson’s Group of Companies
Tuesday, July 14 — 9pm-11:30pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Admission — $10
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

A soiree on baseball following the WCL All-Star Home Run Derby, fans are urged to keep the evening going with a social, relaxed, panel-style discussion of baseball and tons of stories — headlined by Kevin Pillar and legendary baseball scout Marti Wolever, and including HarbourCats head coach Todd Haney, himself a five-year MLB player, the dean of pitching coaches, Gorm Heimueller, who is celebrating his 50th year in the game, and legendary local baseball scout Walt Burrows.

Food and refreshments will be available for attendees to purchase.

OFFICIAL ALL-STAR LUNCHEON, presented by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday, July 15, 11:30am-1pm
Studio 919, Strathcona Hotel
Tickets — $25 (Limited quantities available to the public).
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

All of the all-stars and coaches will be there to hear a welcome from John Wilson, a member of the HarbourCats ownership group and also the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, from WCL commissioner Rob Neyer, and then keynote speaker Marti Wolever, who has been enshrined in the MLB Scouts Hall of Fame, and now is senior amateur scouting advisor for the Miami Marlins.

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Narrowly Defeated by Falcons in Game Two

Published

1 day ago

July 5, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Kelowna, B.C. – The HarbourCats took to the field against Kelowna again on Saturday night, dropping the second game of the series by an all-too-familiar score of 3-2.

The Falcons swooped in to take an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, punishing Landon Marchetti (San Jose State) for allowing two walks with a 2-RBI double.

BOX SCORE

That score stood until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Kelowna gained enough ground to add on. A few baserunners and a sacrifice fly ended the outing for Landon Marchetti, who went 3.2 innings with three runs, three hits, and seven strikeouts. The new job opening was filled by Concordia-Nebraska right-hander Trent Schlim, who successfully cleaned up the runners left behind by Marchetti.

Schlim exited the game after loading the bases with nobody out in the fifth, and in came Taylor Franklin (George Fox) for his season debut. Franklin worked quickly to get a popout and a double play, miraculously escaping the jam with no runs across.

Landon Marchetti allowed Kelowna’s only runs in his three-inning start. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria found the beginnings of revenge in the top of the sixth, executing a double-steal perfectly for Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) to swipe home plate and score the Cats’ first run. David Krahn (UBC) came around to score on a single later in the frame, making it a one-run ballgame with three innings to go.

Franklin retired to the dugout after a couple of scoreless innings, replaced by Leif Friedrich (Concordia-Nebraska) for the eighth. Friedrich held strong for a quick one-two-three inning, swiftly getting the Cats back on offence. Victoria kept it close but were unable to break the threshold, taking their second 3-2 loss in a row.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats will attempt to salvage a win in the final game of the series tomorrow night, and will return to Victoria for a three-game set with the Bend Elks starting on Tuesday.

Source