KAMLOOPS — A rainout led to a mini home and home set between Kamloops and Kelowna. Both teams ended up earning a win in each other’s ballpark, with 11 runs being the magic number. The split moves the Paws record on the year to 7-19, winners of 3 of their last 4 contests. Joey Rico also extended his hitting streak to 10 games with 5 hits in two games.
Kamloops will be making the long bus trip to Alberta to face the Edmonton RiverHawks for a three game set beginning on Friday.
GAME 1
Game one in Kelowna was rained out on Canada Day. The game will be made up at a later time this season.
GAME 2
The series switched back to Kamloops for game two, with the Falcons not forgetting to back their bats in a dominant 11-1 victory.
Kelowna starter Gus McKay pitched a gem, throwing 8.0IP 6H 1ER 5K. The only run he would give up in the game came via a sac-fly from TJ Wachter.
Trey Duffield led the attack for the Falcons going 2-5 4RBI 1BB. Trevor Wilson, and Raphael Smeenk added a pair of RBI each as well on the night.
Reigning WCL player of the week Joey Rico went 2-3 in the loss, extending his hitting streak to 9 games in the process.
Jaden Bitter would get tagged with the loss giving up 5ER in 3.0IP. Cade Webber, Manny Recchi, and Tyler Glowacki would also appear on the mound for Kamloops.
GAME 3
Game three of the shortened series returned to Kelowna for a high-scoring affair between the BC Interior rivals with Kamloops coming out on top 11-8.
TRU’s Kolby Lukinchuk got the starting nod for Kamloops pitching 4.0IP, 5ER, 2K. The Paws would be the first to strike putting up three runs in the top of the first inning as Anthony Manuel doubled home three runs for an early 3-0 lead. Kamloops would extend out their lead in the second thanks to local product Matt MacDonald crushed a 2-run homer.
Kelowna would finally respond in the bottom half as Eddie Fines would single home Nate Castellon. MacDonald would add onto his great night at the plate with a 2RBI single in the third to make the score 7-1 at the time.
With the ball flying out of the ballpark, Gavyn Jones would take advantage, clubbing a three-run dinger to trim the lead to 7-4.
Lucas Smith and Manato Tateno combined to pitch 3.0IP, 3ER after Lukinchuk exited.
After an add-on runs in the fifth and seventh innings for Kamloops, the Paws would tack on a pair in the eight to restore a 3 run lead at 11-8.
While he didn’t record an RBI, Joey Rico extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games with a 3-4 night at the dish, scoring a pair of runs.
In the ninth, Dutch National Casper Rammeloo came in and locked down the save and a series split.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE Friday, July 5 @ Edmonton, first pitch 7:05 Saturday, July 6 @ Edmonton, first pitch 7:05 Sunday, July 7 @ Edmonton, first pitch 1:05 Monday, July 8 – Off-Day Tuesday, July 9 vs Port Angeles, first pitch 6:35 Wednesday, July 10 vs Port Angeles, first pitch 6:35 Thursday, July 11 vs Port Angeles, first pitch 6:35
FOR MEDIA REQUESTS Jenna Forter General Manager Kamloops NorthPaws 250-200-1415 www.northpawsbaseball.ca
Despite out-hitting the NightOwls, two solo homers in the fourth inning was all Nanaimo needed to overpower the visiting Cats. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Nanaimo, B.C. – The Island Rivalry Series came to an end in Nanaimo on Thursday evening, with the Cats offence held quiet in a 2-1 loss to the NightOwls.
Erik Rico (Fresno State) was dominant in the opening third of the ballgame, keeping Nanaimo scoreless with six strikeouts. The Cats starter wavered in the bottom of the fourth, surrendering a solo homer for the first blemish on his previously spotless ERA this season. The NightOwls took the opportunity to pummel another ball over the wall, taking a 2-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning.
The Cats had their first real offensive opportunity in the top of the seventh, moving Rohne Klein (San Jose State) over to third after a leadoff single. Nanaimo’s defenses held strong, however, and Klein was stranded to end the inning.
Victoria finally broke through in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Kade Davis, but one run was all they could muster. Nanaimo closed it out in the top of the ninth to claim a series victory in the first Island Rivalry Series of the year.
Northern Kentucky reliever Daniel Tovar was introduced to the ballgame in the fifth inning, powering through two scoreless innings before handing the ball over to Houston Tomlinson (Arkansas State). Tomlinson worked his way across the seventh and eighth, picking up a strikeout and allowing two hits in two innings.
With the Nanaimo series complete, the Cats will now host the Bellingham Bells in a weekend series at home, beginning Friday night at 6:35 pm.
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby 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.
Victoria, B.C. – The NightOwls rolled into town and squashed the HarbourCats on a warm Wednesday night, tying the series and forcing an 8-3 loss on Victoria.
Nanaimo opened the scoring early in the second game of the series, getting a couple of men on in the first inning and cashing in a run on a single up the middle to take control of the game. The visitors tacked on a couple more in their next trip to the plate, taking advantage of an eastward wind for a two-run homer to make it 3-0 in the second inning. It was the first long ball surrendered all season by Hudson Lance (Coastal Carolina), and the first multi-run effort against the right-hander as well.
Retaliation came off the bat of Max Bernal (Fresno Pacific) in the bottom of the second, who fired a double straight into the gap and scored a runner from first to cut into Nanaimo’s lead. The NightOwls, however, got them right back. A ground ball caromed off two Cats in the bottom of the third inning, giving a Nanaimo baserunner time to find his way home to restore the three-run gap.
Hudson Lance worked his way through 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs on ten hits with four strikeouts. (Photo by JPM Photography)
The NightOwls rocked their second long ball of the game to lead off the top of the fifth, followed by a base hit into centre field to push their lead to 7-1 at the midway point of the ballgame. This would spell the end of Hudson Lance’s start, as the Cats tagged in Easton Reimers (North Dakota State) to finish off the inning.
Reimers locked in for a powerful performance, striking out six NightOwls in just three innings to keep the score from getting any further out of hand. Reimers was swapped out for Flynn Warren (Hawaii Pacific) in the eighth inning, who worked the final two innings for the Cats.
Matt Westley (George Mason) let fly an absolute laser over the fence for a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too little too late as Victoria fell short to Nanaimo by a score of 8-3.
The series comes to an end tomorrow night in Nanaimo, following which the HarbourCats will engage with the Bellingham Bells for a weekend series in Victoria.
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby 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.
Marcus Nolen’s homer in the second inning gave an early advantage to the HarbourCats. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Nanaimo, B.C. – Victoria kicked off the Island Rivalry series the right way on Tuesday night, claiming a 5-3 win over the Nanaimo NightOwls
The Cats made it a loud second inning in this one, slamming two monster moonshots to get on the board first. Marcus Nolen (Fresno State) shelled the parking lot for his second of the season, followed up by a blast to right field from Max Bernal (Fresno Pacific) to make it a three-run inning for the Cats.
That run support backed up a scoreless start from Landon Marchetti (San Jose State), who pitched three innings, gave up zero hits, and struck out four batters. Davis Lee (Calgary) was summoned for the bottom of the fourth, surrendering the first Nanaimo run of the evening before stranding two runners to end the inning. Victoria responded with another run in their next turn at the plate, bringing in a run on a sacrifice fly to restore a three-run lead.
Davis Lee took a seat after a strong two innings of work, giving way to Asher Clark (Northern Colorado) in the sixth. The right-hander loaded the bases but buckled down, generated some weak contact, and stranded the runners to keep the HarbourCats’ lead intact.
David Krahn is tied for the second-most hits in the West Coast League, adding three more in tonight’s ballgame. (Photo by JPM Photography)
Clark ran the bases full once again with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, inducing a change of personnel for the HarbourCats. Marcus Janovsky (UBC) took to the field, hitting a batter but stranding three runners to escape the inning clutching a 4-3 lead.
Victoria answered back in the next frame, beginning with a well-earned walk from Kade Davis (UTSA), who later came around to score on a base hit by Dryden Fuoco (Hill College). 5-3 Cats after eight innings..
It was Carson Ackermann’s turn to get in on the action in the bottom of the eighth. The Tacoma College hurler locked down the frame with two strikeouts to keep the score frozen. Pierce Stone (Regis) appeared on the bump to close it out and didn’t disappoint, filling up the zone and securing a quick three outs to seal the deal.
The series continues tomorrow, with the HarbourCats hosting the NightOwls in Victoria for an Island Rivalry game at 6:35 pm!
Single game tickets for all HarbourCats games and the 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game and Home Run Derby 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.
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