Summer Collegiate

Sunday scaries avoided as the NorthPaws earn comeback victory to win the series finalie

Published

1 year ago

June 23, 2025

Dugout Wire Service

The Kamloops NorthPaws defeated the Victoria HarbourCats in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon by a score of 6-5. The HarbourCats scored five runs in the second inning, including a grand slam, but the NorthPaws bullpen shut the door, not allowing a hit through the final six innings. Clutch hits from right fielder Jared Hall and left fielder Cade Palkowski came up with timely hits, securing yet another series victory on home soil. The win also marked another game decided by one run.

“It’s always nice to win a series’ it would’ve been tough after this week to lose three games by one run. It’s good to be on the other side of it,” said Head Coach Riley Jepson.

The NorthPaws struck first as center fielder Connor Clark and third baseman Drew Schmidt each walked. Two runners on the NorthPaws got aggressive and attempted the double steal. A throwing error from HarbourCats catcher Tai Berezowski allowed both Clark and Schmidt to score.

Berezowski and the HarbourCats would answer in a big way, however. Three straight singles in the top of the second got Victoria on the board. Following a walk, Berezowski came to the plate with the bases loaded and no one out. The catcher got a first-pitch fastball and drove it over the fence in left field for a grand slam, putting Victoria up 5-2.

In the third, Kamloops responded with second baseman Tanner Harnback and Drew Schmidt on base. Jared Hall was at the plate with one out. The HarbourCats outfielders were shading the lefty to his pull side, and it proved to be costly as Hall sent a ball to the gap in left-center, scoring both runners and earning himself a triple.

The pitchers dominated the middle third of the ballgame. Neither team could get hits and struggled to obtain base runners until Victoria managed to mount a two-out rally in the sixth inning, loading the bases after righty Nolan Austin walked back to back and hit a batter. Austin would get a strikeout as Victoria left the bases loaded.

In the seventh, the NorthPaws also would find themselves in a bases-loaded one-out situation with Schmidt at the plate. The third baseman lined out, bringing up Hall, who once again could add to his two RBI afternoon. The right fielder sent a fly ball to left field that was caught as Kamloops left the bases juiced this time around.

In the eighth, the NorthPaws were trying to mound a two-out rally as shortstop Anthony Setticassi singled, putting a pair of runners off base. Lefty Cade Palkowski was up to bat, and Victoria brought in a left-handed pitcher to counter. The left fielder took the third pitch of the at-bat down the right field line for a stand-up double, scoring both Joey Rico and Setticassi, giving the NorthPaws the lead.

“Happy for him to have a big hit. He’s a guy who’s pinch hit in those situations before, and it was cool to see him come through,” said Jepson.

Righty Daxton Vanderkooi shut the door, securing the victory, moving the team to 12-9 on the season and fourth in the North Division, just two games back of the Bellingham Bells for the division lead.

After Saturday’s offensive woes for both teams, the runs were a welcomed sight, especially for the NorthPaws, who gave themselves more chances to score runs on Sunday.

“We would’ve liked to have scored runs when we had no outs or one out, but I’m glad we did it with two outs. Hopefully, it prepares us for more meaningful games down the stretch,” said Assistant Coach Trey Newman.

The NorthPaws will start the week at home for the first time this season, playing a three-game home series against the Kelowna Falcons. The series will feature games on Tuesday and Thursday nights at Norbrock Stadium. Seven of the team’s next eight games will be played in Kamloops after a gruelling road schedule.

“We’ve had a pretty tough schedule being on the road a lot, so it will be nice to let the guys relax and get into a bit more of a routine,” said Jepson.

There are lots of chances to get out to Norbrock stadium and see the NorthPaws battle the Falcons, Bells and Apple Sox to close out the first half of the season. If you can’t attend a game, all the action is available on West Coast League TV.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Clinch Bellingham Series with 6-2 Win

Published

7 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Cats hitters have racked up a total of 28 hits over two games in this series so far, 12 of them coming from tonight. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria, B.C. – The HarbourCats clinched a series win over the Bellingham Bells on Saturday night, outworking the Bells on the way to a 6-2 victory.

Seattle native Quincey Brown (UCSD) was not messing around in his first start as a HarbourCat. Brown sat down three Bells on strikes on the first inning and stacked up two more punchouts before stepping aside for Davis Lee (Calgary) in the third inning.

BOX SCORE

The Cats finally broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shortstop Brady Hewitt (Fresno State) got on base with a leadoff single and stole second, later wheeling around third on a Rohne Klein (San Jose State) base hit to score the first run of the game. Lukas Le Gras (Westmont) doubled the lead with a double off the wall, bringing Klein in to score before stealing home on a wild pitch to widen the lead to 3-0. David Krahn (UBC) clubbed his second homer in two games over the left field fence, and a double from Jacob Silva (UTSA) capped off the inning with an RBI double to widen the lead to 5-0.

Davis Lee called it a night in the top of the sixth after holding the line for 2.2 innings and keeping Bellingham’s score at a nice round number. Leif Friedrich (Concordia-Nebraska) came in for his HarbourCats debut and kept it rolling, securing the outs needed to move on to the bottom of the inning.

Lukas Le Gras had a strong offensive showing, going 2/4 with a double. (Photo by JPM Photography)

The Cats added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth, a Tristan Buehring (Whitman) sacrifice fly for Victoria’s sixth run. Carson Ackermann (Tacoma) was the next arm out of the pen for the HarbourCats. The right-hander quickly found himself in a bases-loaded jam and allowed the first two runs of the ballgame for the Bells before escaping the frame.

Ackermann stuck it out until the top of the ninth, when Anson Stuckly (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) took over, stranding a couple of runners and closing out a 6-2 win.

WCL STANDINGS

The Bellingham series comes to a close at 1:05 pm on Sunday afternoon, preceding a midweek series against the Nanaimo NightOwls beginning on Tuesday night.

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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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Cats Pummel Bells in 17-6 Victory

Published

1 day ago

June 27, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

Victoria unleashed 11 runs in the sixth inning, paving the way to a resounding win over the top team in the West Coast League. (Photo by JPM Photography)

Victoria, B.C. – A grand slam followed by an 11-run inning led to a robust win over the Bellingham Bells on Friday night, with the Cats claiming a 17-6 win.

BOX SCORE

The Cats looked a little trigger-happy in the first third of the game, only seeing 15 pitches from Bellingham’s starter. This enthusiasm didn’t earn much, with just two HarbourCats reaching base in a quick three innings.

On the other side of the coin, Jeremiah Arnett (Rice) made quick work of the Bells as well, refusing to allow them the luxury of a hit through four innings and earning five strikeouts on the side. Jake Rafferty (Tacoma) took up the torch for the fifth, getting himself into a sticky situation with a couple of wild pitches before finding his way out with a zero on the board.

Jeremiah Arnett allowed zero runs in a four-inning start. (Photo by JPM Photography)

The HarbourCats finally dug their claws in for the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases just in time for David Krahn (UBC). The British Columbia local stepped up to the plate and delivered, utterly pulverizing a ball to left field for an electrifying grand slam, breaking the seal and taking a 4-0 lead for the home side.

Bellingham responded passionately in the next inning, sneaking a run in on a base hit followed by a three-run blast off of Cats reliever Spencer Kratt (San Jose State). Victoria shrugged it off and pulled out all the stops in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of a Bellingham error and finding hits from Lukas Le Gras (Westmont), Bryan Bradshaw (UC San Diego), Rohne Klein (San Jose State) et al to jump out in front of the Bells. By the time the smoke cleared on a long sixth inning, the Cats were suddenly up 15-4. Not too shabby.

Surrey, B.C.’s Marcus Janovsky (UBC) entered the game in the seventh to face a battered and bruised group of Bells, who snuck home on a sloppy relay from the outfield to scratch away at the 11-run lead standing over them.

Unwilling to let up after taking a comfortable lead, the Cats kept their foot on the gas in the bottom of the seventh. Designated hitter Jacob Silva (UTSA) batted in a pair of runs with a one-out single, pushing the score to a humble 17-6 with two innings to go.

Hunter Daniels (Phoenix College) came in from the bullpen to dot the i’s and cross the t’s on a booming victory for the HarbourCats in their first game against the top team in the West Coast League Standings.

WCL STANDINGS

The Cats get another crack at the Bells on Saturday night at 6:35 pm, and the series comes to an end with an afternoon game on Sunday.

Source

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats Silenced by NightOwls in 2-1 Loss

Published

2 days ago

June 26, 2026

Dugout Wire Service

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.

BOX SCORE

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.

WCL STANDINGS

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.

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