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Victoria HarbourCats | Victoria Golden Tide Announce 2021-2022 Coaching Staff

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Victoria native and former LA Dodger prospect Kyle Orr highlight elite group of assistant coaches that will work with Golden Tide Head Coach Curtis Pelletier (above)

For Immediate Release

Friday, August 13, 2021

Victoria, BC – Victoria Golden Tide Head Coach Curtis Pelletier is pleased to announce today the full coaching and training staff that will guide the team during their inaugural season of the Canadian College Baseball Conference (CCBC), which begins fall play this September.

Of note is the addition of Victoria native and former Los Angeles Dodger pro Kyle Orr, who will serve as Hitting Coach. Joining Orr is Pitching Coach Ethan Fox, Third Base Coach Aaron Witzke, Assistant Coach Shawn Loglisci, Assistant Coach Ryan Haines, Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeremy Cordle and Athletic Therapist Tanner McGaw.

Orr was an all-star player in the BC Premier Baseball League and enjoyed success with Team BC at the 2004-2005 Canada Cups and with the Junior National team, winning bronze at the Worlds in 2006. He was offered a full scholarship to the University of Kentucky, but turned that down when the Los Angeles Dodgers selected him in the 4th round of the 2006 MLB entry draft. Orr spent five years as a position player in the Dodgers organization and then played a year for the Victoria Seals in the independent Golden League. In 2021 he signed as a pitcher with the Minnesota Twins and finished his pro playing career as a player/coach of the Montpellier Baracudas of the French Elite League.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Golden Tide coaching staff for the inaugural season,” says Orr. “This program will play a vital role in developing the next generation of baseball talent, and will create endless opportunities for its players. I’m ready to get to work with our athletes and coaching staff and look forward to building an elite level program dedicated to the development of its players.”

Pitching coach Ethan Fox will be familiar to Victoria fans as he played for the Victoria HarbourCats in the 2017-2019 seasons. From Campbell River, BC, Fox played for the Parksville Royals (PBL 2013-2015) and Douglas College Royals (NWAC 2015-2017), before heading to the Avila University Eagles of the NAIA for the 2017-2019 seasons. He is the Pitching / Arm Care Coordinator of the HarbourCats Players Club and is currently completing his BSc in Kinesiology at the University of Victoria.

Third base coach Aaron Witzke played three years of college baseball at Vancouver Island University where he received a Diploma in Physical Education and then completed is Bachelor of Education at the University of Victoria and will begin the Masters of Education program there this fall. He is currently a teacher at Esquimalt High School and the Director of a Baseball Operations at the HarbourCats Players Club.

Another Victoria native, Assistant Coach Shawn Loglisci caught the eyes of the scouts in 2005 when he was drafted in the 34th round by the Dodgers, but chose instead to go to college where he played at Vancouver Island University, College of Southern Idaho and Indiana Tech University. He played for the Victoria Royals during their brief pro stint here and for a number of senior men’s teams including the Langley Blaze, Victoria Mavericks and Regina Red Sox and has coached the Victoria Eagles in the BCPBL from 2010-2015. He is now also working as the Junior Coordinator of the HarbourCats Players Club.

Assistant Coach Ryan Haines grew up in Calgary where he played at the Alberta Baseball Academy and at the Babe Ruth level during high school. He played college ball at the Prairie Baseball Academy in Lethbridge and Mayville State University and was a member of Team Alberta in 1997, where he won a bronze medal at the Canada Summer Games. He also won a summer league National Championship playing for the St. Albert Tigers.

Originally from Cardiff, Wales, Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeremy Cordle is a graduate of St. Michaels University School in Victoria where he was the Island’s top Male athlete in 1991 and was runner up for the same award at Provincial level. Jeremy has been part of multiple city, Island and provincial tittles in Basketball, Track and field , Cricket and Rugby as an alum of the Castaway Wanderers Rugby Club where he was a member of 4 provincial championship winning squads and a National Champion with the Vancouver Island Crimson tide (VIRU). Jeremy has worked as a private athletic trainer for the last 11 years , working with athletes at elementary, high school, university, professional and masters level.

Another face familiar to HarbourCats fans is Athletic Therapist Tanner McGaw. McGaw is part of the Camosun College Athletic and Exercise Therapy clinic (AET) and has been the lead Athletic Therapist for the HarbourCats for the past six years. He will be joined and assisted by student Athletic Therapists over the course of the season.

The Canadian College Baseball Conference, is an eight-team domestic league for university students that in addition to Victoria, has teams in Nanaimo (Vancouver Island University), Kelowna (Okanagan College), Kamloops (Thompson Rivers University), Chilliwack/Abbotsford (University of the Fraser Valley), Calgary (University of Calgary), Lethbridge (Prairie Baseball Academy) and Edmonton (Edmonton Collegiate Baseball Club).

The Golden Tide begin their fall exhibition season on September 11, with 11 home games, plus inter-squad games at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria. The fall home opener is on Friday, September 17th at 6:00 pm against Thompson Rivers University.

Tickets are $10 for Grandstand seating (Section 10) and $5 everywhere else (all rush seating) and are available at the gate or in advance at the HarbourCats office (101-1814 Vancouver Street) or by calling 778-265-0327.

FULL FALL SCHEDULE AVAILABLE HERE

BECOME A TIDE BOOSTER!
Fans who wish to enjoy priority seating in the Diamond Club or Campbell Club seating areas for all games may now join the Golden Tide Booster Club, where a $200 fee secures a spot, gets one a Golden Tide hat and t-shirt and access to other Booster Club perks and benefits. E-mail chris@harbourcats.com or call the office at 778-265-0327 for details.

 

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats pile on nine runs to win second straight

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May 31, 2025

For immediate release

KELOWNA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats piled on nine runs as they won their second straight game against the Kelowna Falcons on Saturday night.

The Cats took advantage of some Falcon mistakes early, scoring two runs on an error and a wild pitch in the first inning. The two teams exchanged runs in the first two frames, with the HarbourCats taking a 3-2 lead into the third inning.

Andrew Carter (TCU) started for the visitors, going 1-2/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits while striking out one. Lefty Carson Burks (Hill College) settled things down, pitching 2-1/3 shutout innings in relief, allowing one hit.

BOX SCORE

Victoria added to their lead in the fifth inning when Jordan Bond (Doane University) grounded out with bases loaded, scoring a run. In the sixth inning, returning HarbourCat Kyle Hepburn (SIUE) drove in two runs with a hard hit single to left field, extending the lead to 6-2. The catcher from Richmond, BC, had three RBIs on the evening.

From there, the Cats didn’t look back, adding two more runs in the eighth inning and a ninth run in the final frame.

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It was a team effort with seven different batters recording a hit. Tanner Beltowski (Westmont College) reached base four times tonight and has a team-leading five walks to go with his pair of hits and RBIs on the young season.

Austin Lindsey (Hill College), John Ondus (Niagara), Nolan Buskho (ETBU), and Jalen Sami (Golden Tide) all pitched out of the bullpen, keeping hold of the lead for the rest of the game.

WATCH GAMES HERE

Don’t miss exciting BCPBL action at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park this week. On SUNDAY, JUNE 1 at noon, the Victoria Eagles take on the Langley Blaze in a Doubleheader. The Eagles are back on TUESDAY, JUNE 3 at 6:35 PM to take on the Victoria Mariners in BCPBL Regular Season action.

Season Tickets, 10 and 32-Game Flex Passes and Single Game Tickets are now on sale for all 33 home games and four “Showcase” events through the HarbourCats’ new and one-and-only ticketing partner SHOWPASS at harbourcats.com/tickets.

Tickets and merchandise can also be purchased in person at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or by calling 778-265-0327.

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Offers they couldn’t refuse: How a pair of Scottsdale natives ended up in interior B.C.

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Ahead of the 2025 season, Head Coach Reilly Jepson has brought in a set of best friends from Arizona to round out his coaching staff. Trey Newman will serve as the assistant coach, and Jack Slominski will be the team’s pitching coach.

It won’t be the first time these two friends are on the same coaching staff. Last summer, the two friends coached in the Arizona summer league, and it offered them a chance to build a special dynamic beyond playing the game they love.

Newman’s name may sound familiar to fans, and that’s because he was the first player signed in franchise history. Trey spent the 2022 season as a NorthPaw, where he hit .218 in 16 games.

“It’s cool to see how far this place has come with the money being put into the team and the players were getting as well as the support from the community,” said Newman.

Newman started his Collegiate career at Utah Valley State. After a sophomore season in which he hit .230 in 23 games, the catcher decided to return to his home state. Still, he didn’t play Division I baseball. Instead, Newman transferred to Central Arizona College in Coolidge, Arizona, to play Junior College Baseball. He would play 54 of the team’s 55 games en route to an NCJAA World Series crown.

From there, Trey would receive the call from Arizona State and head back to the valley where he was born. As a Sun Devil, he would appear in 26 games of two seasons, with 18 of those being starts. After the 2024 season, Newman decided Coaching was his calling, but based on his upbringing, many weren’t surprised.

Trey’s Grandfather, Jeff, was a nine-year MLB veteran with the Oakland A’s and Boston Red Sox. After his career ended in 1984, he quickly returned to Oakland as the bullpen coach. In 1986, when Manager Jackie Moore was fired, Jeff Newman was named interim manager, where he guided the A’s to a 2-8 record.

He remained with the organization at the minor league level until 1991. From 1992 to 1999, he was the third base coach for the Cleveland Indians and eventually landed in Seattle, where he retired from Coaching in 2005.

Trey Uncle Ryan Newman also has plenty of coaching experience, having served as a manager in various independent professional leagues. Today, he serves as the infield coordinator for the Chicago White Sox.

“Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the coach’s office, and I started to think from a young age that this is what I wanted to do,” Said Newman

Today, Newman serves as the Offensive Strategy and Analytics Director at the University of California, Berkeley. Growing up around Coaching planted the seed, but Newman says being behind the plate opened his eyes to Coaching.

“You look at the game in a different way when you are behind the plate. You start to think about the other eight guys as well as yourself and what the other team is trying to do, so it definitely got me into more of a coaching mindset as my career went on”, Said Newman.

Joining Trey this summer is long-time friend Jack Slominski. Despite going to rival high schools in Scottsdale, the two have been close friends since they were 14. Slominski is excited for the opportunity and said it was one he couldn’t pass up.

“He’s one of my best friends in the world, so to have someone like that here, it was a no-brainer to come up,” said Slominski.

Like Trey, Jack’s career took a couple of turns. After graduating from high school, he got recruited to attend Grand Canyon University, located across town in Phoenix. In two seasons there, he made only nine appearances, so he also decided to pursue the Junior College route, moving back across town to Scottsdale Community College.

Like Newman, the 2022 season was a huge bounceback for Slominski, during which he made 13 appearances, 11 of which were starts. He carried a 4-3 record with a 3.75 ERA over 57 and two-thirds innings pitched. The following season, he moved out of state to attend the Metropolitan State University of Denver.

In his final two seasons of eligibility, Slominski appeared in 30 games, making 27 starts. His record was 15-7, and he logged 149 innings, striking out 133 hitters over that time. After finishing his career, he accepted an assistant coaching job at his alma mater, Scottsdale Community College. After just one season of Coaching, Slominski has been promoted to the team’s pitching coach and is excited to build his skills.

“This will be a time where I can start brainstorming my own ideas and philosophies around pitching; I feel like having more responsibility this year will be a great opportunity for me to grow as a coach,” said Slominski.

Being a pitching coach in Summer Baseball can be difficult at times, managing players’ innings limits and the health of pitchers going back to school in the fall. This mentality can sometimes take the competitive spirit out of the game, but Slominski’s message to his staff was simple.

“We’re going to have fun and give you guys innings, but I want to win,” said Slominski.

Slominski believes that a skill that can be developed is learning how to win, something often not talked about by Summer Baseball coaches.

“Winning is fun, and knowing how to win is a great skill to take back to school with you,” said Slominski.

Away from the ballpark, the two friends have been known to take their competitive spirit to the golf course. With both being from a premier golf destination, they’re excited to spend a summer surrounded by great courses. However, Newman is also eager to learn a thing or two from his friend.

“Jack is really good, so hopefully, he gives me some swing lessons this summer,” said Newman.

When asked about this, Slominski took the humble road.

“I think my schedule allows me to play more, so maybe that’s why I’m a little better.”

With these two long-time best friends, their competitiveness has served them well in their short coaching careers and will be welcomed additions this summer as the NorthPaws embark on another season.

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NorthPaws to feature five players from Kamloops on 2025 Roster

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This season, a franchise-high five players from Kamloops will be suiting up for the NorthPaws this summer, led by head coach and Kamloops Riverdogs alumni Reily Jepson. Four of the five local products are returning from last year’s roster.

Manny Rechhi will be back for a third summer in his hometown following a successful spring with the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack. He had a team-low 2.45 ERA and struck out 22 batters in 18.1 innings. Rechhi also secured three of the four Wolfpack saves. As a NorthPaw, he has logged 36.2 innings, including 16 last summer, where he gave up eight earned runs and struck out ten batters. Rechhi also appeared in 18 games as an outfielder.

An original NorthPaw, Nolan Austin, is back for year four. Friday’s game in Port Angeles will be the 75th game of his career as a NorthPaw. Austin started his college career at Northeast Oklahoma A&M and was a career .267 hitter in 69 games. During that time, he had 52 hits and 38 RBIs before transferring back home to play for the TRU Wolfpack. In his lone season at TRU, he hit .333 in 23 games, including a team-best 22 RBIs.

Dylan Dekker returns after playing 16 games last summer for the Northpaws, where he hit .219. As a freshman at Trinidad State, he started in 49 games and .303 with 33 RBIs and will look to put together a strong summer campaign.

Fellow freshman Matthew MacDonald is back for his second summer as a Paw. Last year, he hit .259 in 28 games with 10 RBIs. This spring, at Pima Community College, MacDonald played 39 games and held a .329 batting average, including 18 RBIs for the Aztecs.

Finally, Austin Coyle returns to the Paws after Spending last summer in the Jayhawk Collegiate league in Kansas. Coyle began his summer ball career in Kelowna during the 2022 season, appearing in three games. In 2023, He split time between the NorthPaws and Hutchison Monarchs in the Jawhawk league. Last summer, Coyle once again suited up for the Monarchs and played 23 games. Coyle has played 106 games for Cloud County Community College, boasting a career batting average of .316 and 76 RBIs for the Thunderbirds.

For Head Coach Reily Jepson, it has always been important to give fans some hometown names they recognize.

“I think when there are kids on the team from your community, it makes it easier as a fan to come out and support the team,” said Jepson.

In addition to the five Kamloops locals, the NorthPaws will feature 22 Canadians on their roster, the most of any West Coast League team. For fans, there are plenty of reasons to come to Norbrock Stadium and cheer on both the kids from Kamloops and the rest of Western Canada as the NorthPaws look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

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