Summer Collegiate

NorthPaws Sign Local Captain Rihela

Published

5 years ago

February 25, 2021

Dugout Wire Service

The Kamloops NorthPaws have added local standout Liam Rihela to the inaugural roster.

Rihela grew up in Surrey, but now calls Kamloops home.

“The opportunity to play in Kamloops was the big sell for everything,” he said about signing with the NorthPaws. “I’m trying to set some roots up here and being able to see baseball in Kamloops grow, being involved with the younger guys and minor baseball and how much baseball has taken off in the short time I’ve been in Kamloops, I’m just excited to see the continuation of that.”

Rihela is the captain of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack, where he is primarily an infielder. A left-handed batting utility player, he says he takes pride in his versatility and ability to play almost every position.

“I never really had a designated position that I liked, even at a young age, that I was really ecstatic to play at that position only,” he said. “I’m just trying to be a well-rounded player and any team that I’m on, I’m just trying to help them win in any way possible.”

In the 2019 season, Rihela finished sixth in the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference with a .349 batting average, third in the league with 20 RBIs and was named a first team all-star.

Photo Credit: TRU Athletics/Allen Douglas

“He’s been through the trenches and made it out the other side. He’s hungry and eager for an opportunity to play at higher levels,” said head coach Cole Armstrong. “Secondary from the talent he brings us, his wealth of perspective within the college game is going to be a big plus. I have a hunch he might be someone we come to rely on in tough situations and I think he’s the type who thrives when the water gets a little muddy.”

Rihela began his college career at Trinity University where he won the 2015 Division III College World Series. He was injured during his sophomore campaign, then deciding to take a year away from playing.

It was during this year off, while at a tournament coaching the White Rock bantam team, he ran into WolfPack coach Ray Chadwick who convinced him to move to Canada’s Tournament Capital.

Photo Credit: TRU Athletics

He has continued coaching, working with players from Kamloops Minor Baseball Association whenever his playing schedule allows.

“It’s been fun trying to be a bit of the coach, but also not being the coach at the same time. Just being one of the older players trying to help guys out rather than a coach, per say, telling them the strict ‘do this and do that,’” Rihela said. “I think that’s been a big help in my game.”

He also brings previous Canadian summer collegiate baseball experience to the NorthPaws, having spent two summers playing in the Western Canadian Baseball League with the Okotoks Dawgs and the Fort McMurray Giants.

“The experience was amazing. The fan bases in both those places, it was unreal to have all that support from fans, kind of that minor league atmosphere,” Rihela said. “It’s going to be a lot nicer to do it in Kamloops, get that summer weather here, I always missed that. I’ve never had a full summer at home so it’ll be nice to enjoy the weather and everything that Kamloops has to offer but still be able to do the baseball side of it.”

Photo Credit: TRU Athletics

The Kamloops NorthPaws are an expansion West Coast League franchise bringing the highest calibre baseball Canada’s Tournament Capital has ever seen. The West Coast League, founded in 2005, has 15 teams across Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta featuring some of the top collegiate players during a 54-game summer season. Find the NorthPaws online at www.northpawsbaseball.ca, @northpawsbaseball on Instagram and Facebook, or @northpawsbb on Twitter.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats late rally comes up short in Bellingham

Published

18 hours ago

August 1, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Loss drops Victoria out of a playoff spot for now, with four games to go.

By Christian J. Stewart

August 1, 2026

Bellingham, WA – The Victoria HarbourCats erased a 7-2 sixth inning deficit with three runs in the eighth inning, but came up just short in a 7-5 loss to the Bellingham Bells in West Coast League action Saturday night at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham.

FULL BOX SCORE

The Bells got things going early in this one, as a Dominic Quiban two-RBI single off Cats starter Daniel Tovar, put the Bells on the board in the bottom of the first inning.

Tovar settled down for innings two and three, but another two-RBI single in the fourth, this time from Bellingham’s Bo Shinkle, gave the Bells a 4-0 lead.

Tovar gave way to Houston Tomlinson in the fifth and he found trouble right away, issuing a pair of leadoff walks, one of which came in to score on an RBI-single from the Bells’ Dillon Moss.

The ‘Cats would keep grinding though and in the top of the sixth a leadoff double by Logan Shepherd and a single from Jacob Silva set the table for Rhone Klein who drove in Shepherd for the ‘Cats first run of the game. Silva then scored on a ground out by Micael Rodda and the lead was cut to 5-2.

Bellingham got those runs right back in the bottom of the inning thanks to a two-RBI double from Nate Johnson, scoring Rashad Hayes (single) and Shinkle (walk) and restoring the five-run lead.

After a quiet seventh, Victoria made the game interesting in the eighth, scoring three runs thanks in part to RBI singles from Silva and Klein, his second RBI of the night. Another run would score on another Michael Rodda groundout but that would be as close as the ‘Cats would get, with Bellingham reliever Ben McKinnon throwing a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the win.

PLAYOFF WATCH
Things did not go well on the out of town scoreboard for the HarbourCats, as the Nanaimo NightOwls thumped the Port Angeles Lefties 16-1 to move into the third-fourth playoff seed position (tied with Edmonton at 27-23), a full game up on the HarbourCats. In addition, the Kelowna Falcons staged a late comeback to defeat Edmonton 7-4 and are now tied with the HarbourCats (both 26-24), but by virtue of Kelowna holding the tie break over Victoria, the HarbourCats are now effectively in sixth place.

With four games remaining and four teams vying for the final two playoff positions, anything can happen.

PLAYOFF TICKETS: Should the HarbourCats clinch a playoff spot, they would host Game 1 of the best of three Divisional Series on Friday August 7th at 6:35 PM. Tickets for that series will NOT go on sale until a playoff position is confirmed. Season Ticket holders will be e-mailed their tickets (if we clinch) on Thursday August 6th.

BC DAY FIREWORKS & FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT APPROACHING CAPACITY CROWD!
Just a note that all reserved seating is effectively sold out for Monday’s fireworks and Fan Appreciation night, the final home game of the regular season. Select single reserved seats, general admission and some VIP area tickets are still available at harbourcats.com/tickets. If you are holding general admission tickets for this game, gates open at 5:00 pm and you are advised to arrive early to get your best choice of seating.

VOUCHER HOLDERS
With all reserved seating sold out, ALL voucher holders wishing to attend Monday’s game will be issued general admission tickets. Vouchers must be used Monday and can not be used for playoffs, or carried over into next season.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Bells bust the ‘Cats in game one of crucial series

Published

1 day ago

August 1, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Playoff position still in play despite the loss

Story by Christian J. Stewart

July 31, 2026

Bellingham, WA – The Bellingham Bells broke out for 11 hits en route to a 7-2 victory over the Victoria HarbourCats in West Coast League action Friday night at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham.

FULL BOX SCORE

Holding a 2-0 lead on Victoria starter Shea Lake, thanks in part by a solo home run from Jaden Jackson, the Bells broke things open in the fourth inning, scoring three runs on the strength of RBI singles from Nate Johnson and Rominic Quiban and a throwing error by ‘Cats shortstop Riley Kwak.

The Bells would add two more runs in the fifth, both off reliever Leif Friedrich and that was all they would need as Bells pitching, including starter Robby Zimmerman (5IP, 1R, 3H), would hold the ‘Cats to just six hits on the night.

Two of those hits came from Bryan Bradshaw, who also scored one of the HarbourCats runs to lead the Victoria offence.

Another bright spot for the HarbourCats was reliever Tobi Salzmann, who made his WCL debut, pitching the seventh and eighth innings and keeping the Bells off the board in those frames, allowing just one hit.

PLAYOFF WATCH
With the Edmonton Riverhawks defeating Kelowna 8-1, Wenatchee beating Kamloops 6-5 and Port Angeles defeating Nanaimo 8-2, were the playoffs to start tomorrow, Bellingham would hold the second seed in the North, the Riverhawks would hold the third seed and Nanaimo and Victoria would be tied for the fourth seed. However, with their 6-3 record over Nanaimo this year, the HarbourCats would prevail on the tie-breaker and then have a first round match-up with the #1 seed Wenatchee.

There are still five games remaining in the season and anything can happen! Strap in and enjoy the ride!

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Send Lefties Packing with Series Sweep

Published

2 days ago

July 31, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

David Krahn (UBC) has hit a franchise record nine home runs this season on the way to a well-deserved Player of the Year Award. (Photo by Christian J. Stewart)

Victoria, B.C. – It was all HarbourCats in this Thursday night showdown between Victoria and Port Angeles, with the Cats putting on a pitching clinic for a 5-1 win and a series sweep.

Port Angeles drew first blood in this one, rallying with two outs and scoring on a bloop single to take an early lead in the top of the second. The Cats responded quickly, however, sparked by a leadoff double that Michael Rodda (Palomar) smashed over the head of the centre fielder. A walk and a bunt then loaded the bases, and a free pass taken by Aidan Rice (Portland) brought in the first run for Victoria. Riley Kwak (Bossier Parish) put enough distance on a fly ball to drive in another from third, turning the tables and giving the HarbourCats a 2-1 lead after two innings.

BOX SCORE

The Lefties loaded the bases in the top of the third in an attempt to regain control, but Taylor Franklin (George Fox) escaped the jam to end his third inning of work without allowing another run. Flynn Warren (Hawaii Pacific) took over for the fourth inning, keeping Port Angeles at bay with another scoreless frame.

Community Involvement Award winner Flynn Warren tossed four shutout innings in tonight’s win. (Photo by Christian J. Stewart)

Victoria made some noise once again in the bottom of the sixth! With two outs and two runners on, Riley Kwak hammered a base knock through the infield to bring home one run, followed by another RBI single from Bryan Bradshaw (UCSD) to widen the lead to 4-1.

Flynn Warren’s night was done after four stellar innings in which he allowed no runs and picked up six strikeouts. Taking his place was Carson Ackermann (Tacoma), who worked his way through a scoreless eighth inning. David Krahn ripped an RBI single into centre field for the cherry on top before Ackermann closed out a decisive 5-1 win to complete the series sweep.

Jeremiah Arnett holds a sparkling 1.74 ERA and 62 strikeouts and was crowned this year’s HarbourCats Pitcher of the Year. (Photo by Christian J. Stewart)

The Cats will now hit the road for a weekend series in Bellingham to continue the fight for a playoff spot.

WCL STANDINGS

There is only one home game left in the 2026 season! On August 3rd, we end the season with a bang with our final fireworks show and Fan Appreciation Night! Don’t miss your chance to catch a game in 2026! Get your tickets now at http://Harbourcats.com/tickets.

ATTENTION VOUCHER HOLDERS: Just a reminder that all ticket vouchers must be exchanged for one of our remaining regular season games! They are not eligible for playoffs, nor can they be carried over to 2027.

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