Summer Collegiate

Paws Earn Eplit with Falcons after Canada Day Rainout

Published

2 years ago

July 9, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Photo Credits – Allen Douglas Photography

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

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Elks Salvage a Win in Extra-Innnings Grind

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats fought to the bitter end in a ten-inning showdown that ended in a 7-6 Bend Elks victory tonight.

The first run of the game belonged to the visitors this time. A couple of walks in the first inning came back to bite Quincey Brown (UCSD) when they were moved over and cashed in by a two-out single. 2-0 Elks in the early going, putting the Cats on their back foot. Victoria retaliated in their first turn at the plate, bringing home David Krahn (UBC) on a Logan Shepherd (Mercer) fly ball to cut the lead in half.

BOX SCORE

The HarbourCats surged back to reclaim the lead in the second inning, taking advantage of some heads-up baserunning, a single from Bryan Bradshaw (UCSD), and a handful of wild pitches. Two frames down, and it’s suddenly 3-2 for the home team.

Quincey Brown was relieved after two innings where he wasn’t at his sharpest. The Seattle-born righty tightened it up in the second inning, but his command wavered in the first, leading to two runs allowed. Davis Lee (Calgary) took his place in the third and quickly turned two strikeouts before his control began to slip and the free passes became an issue. All of a sudden, what looked like a quick one-two-three turned into a three-run inning to give Bend a 5-3 lead.

Tacoma reliever Carson Ackermann was summoned from the bullpen to close out a long top half of the third and did just that, securing a quick out to change sides and give Victoria another chance on offence. Ackermann wasn’t quite so efficient in his second inning of work, loading the bases and letting up another run for the Elks before getting out of it.

Matt Westley was one of two HarbourCats to register a hit on Thursday night, bashing a homer in the fourth inning. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Bryan Bradshaw has displayed some great aggressive baserunning since arriving in Victoria, and this game was no different. The UCSD outfielder got on base with a leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth, and proceeded to steal two bases before coming home on a wild pitch. WCL All-Star Matt Westley (George Mason) further cut into the lead later in the inning, pulverizing his fourth homer of the summer to pull the Cats back within one.

The HarbourCats clawed their way back to a tie ballgame in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly from returning catcher Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s) bringing the score to an even 6-6. Victoria threatened with more runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth but were unable to take advantage, leaving them stranded on second and third.

Taylor Franklin (George Fox) entered the game in Ackermann’s wake in the top of the seventh and had no trouble at all, striking out the side on 12 pitches to preserve that tie.

The deadlock lasted all the way into extra innings, when a wild pitch by Anson Stuckly (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) allowed an Elk to cross the plate and take the lead in the top of the tenth. Despite a bases loaded opportunity, the Cats were unable to climb back, and fell in the third game of the series by a score of 7-6.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats are back on the road this weekend in Kamloops, and will return next week for the Showpass 2026 West Coast League All-Star Festival presented by Canadian Club!

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 – Four HarbourCats Representing Victoria at WCL All-Star Game

Published

2 days ago

July 9, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria, B.C. – We’re less than a week out from the Showpass 2026 West Coast League All-Star Festival presented by Canadian Club, and four ballplayers have been selected to represent the HarbourCats among the league’s best. David Krahn, Matt Westley, Erik Rico, and Jeremiah Arnett have all been crucial parts of the HarbourCats roster this year, and the four of them will suit up for the North Division in the 2026 WCL All-Star Game.

David Krahn is in the midst of an impressive debut season with the HarbourCats, and his stats show exactly why he’s been named an All-Star. The UBC second-baseman has showed consistent contact and crackling power at the plate this season, ranking third league-wide in hits (43) and second in home runs (7). Krahn brings more than just a reliable bat to the Cats, though – he’s a spark plug for the team as well.

“Energy and talent,” is head coach Todd Haney’s simple reply when asked about what Krahn brings to the table. “You need a guy with that kind of energy, and he brings that every night.”

Matt Westley, hailing from Manassas, Virginia, has been the other half of a lethal one-two punch at the top of the lineup, alongside David Krahn. Westley’s contact ability is undeniable – he has the second-most hits in the entire WCL this year with 46, and has been a mainstay at the number two spot in the lineup in recent weeks. The third-baseman also shows off flashes of brilliance in the hot corner, making those long throws across the infield look easy and making some spectacular diving plays that leave Cats fans stunned.

Jeremiah Arnett is arguably the toughest pitcher to face in the entire WCL this summer. The calm, cool, and collected Texan has allowed just seven runs in 29 innings, and leads the league in strikeouts with 41. Clearly some excellent stuff on display, but Arnett is entirely focused on improving further.

“He’s an All-Star for a reason,” says Haney on the Rice University starter, “He’s here to get better and work on his craft. Obviously he has talent, there’s no doubt about it, but he’s here for all the right reasons.

Erik Rico has been the stuff of hitters’ nightmares this season. The Fresno State right-hander is just one strikeout behind his teammate Arnett for the league lead, but he’s amassed 40 K’s in just 22 innings. That strikeout prowess combined with a staggering 1.23 makes for little mystery why Rico was an easy choice for the All-Star roster.

Don’t miss these four superstars and the rest of the WCL’s brightest when the Showpass 2026 West Coast League All-Star Festival comes to town next week!

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Pitching Shuts Down Elks to Clinch Series

Published

2 days ago

July 9, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria, B.C. – Victoria’s pitching staff put on a show tonight in a 5-0 shutout over the visiting Bend Elks.

The Cats got the engine running early in game two, driving in the first run of the game on a Brady Hewitt (Fresno State) double in the bottom of the second inning. Second-year HarbourCat Logan Shepherd (Mercer) kept it rolling the very next inning, crushing his second homer of the year to double the lead.

BOX SCORE

Starting pitcher Jeremiah Arnett (Rice) put on an absolute clinic on the mound in his sixth start of the year. The Waco, Texas product went six innings and struck out 11 (yes, 11) Elks while only giving up two hits. No wonder he’s a WCL All-Star.

Arnett’s excellent start laid the groundwork for a robust Cats win. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria honoured an impressive start by widening the lead further in the bottom of the sixth. After Rohne Klein (San Jose State) found his way on base on a fielder’s choice, high-contact outfielder Tristan Buehring (Whitman) squeaked a single through the infield to drive him in. A Bryan Bradshaw (UCSD) double kept the line moving and brought Buehring home to make it 4-0.

Right-handed reliever Will Zielinski came into the game in the top of the seventh and picked up right where Arnett left off. The Victoria local hit the ground running out of the bullpen, striking out the side in 15 pitches. Zielinski wasn’t done there, though, as he picked up two more strikeouts in the eighth before giving way to Jake Rafferty (Tacoma CC) to close out a shutout win.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats will go for the sweep over the Elks in the final game of the series at 6:35 pm on Thursday night!

Source