The Kamloops NorthPaws defeated the Port Angeles Lefties 2-1 on Monday night at Norbrock Stadium to begin their final series of the 2025 season. Right-hander Matt MacDonald threw 97 pitches in eight and a third shutout, one-hit innings. MacDonald struck out four while walking only two, and was a huge reason why the game was played in just two hours and five minutes. The NorthPaws got on the board with two in the bottom of the first and rode their man on the mound the rest of the way to victory.
“Matt is a competitor, and he didn’t want to come out of that game, obviously being a local kid, you could tell how much it meant to him tonight,” said Pitching Coach Jack Slominski.
After a 1-2-3 start on the mound for MacDonald, he would also get it done at the plate. Shortstop Kason Siguenza and center fielder Austin Coyle both singled to begin the bottom of the first. MacDonald stepped up to the plate and hit a double to the gap in right center field, bringing home Siguenza for the game’s first run. Catcher Keegan Drinkle was up next and delivered a sacrifice fly, scoring Coyle.
From that point on, it was a pitchers’ duel. Lefties starter Cade Stuart gave up just two hits over his next six shutout innings as the game was going by at warp speed. MacDonald was matching that energy, only allowing a single in the third and a pair of walks in the fifth and seventh innings. MacDonald also kept his pitch count low and was efficient.
“The Plan was for him to go three, maybe four innings, but it was one of those special nights, and he just kept rolling, so I couldn’t take him out at that point,” said Slominski.
After getting through the eighth inning in only 13 pitches, the righty marched out to begin the ninth to a loud ovation from the crowd. After he got the Lefties hitter to fly out, an injury to the batter stopped play. After the stoppage, Head Coach Riley Jepson decided to go to the bullpen, ending MacDonald’s magical night on the mound. The starter tipped his cap to the hometown crowd as he walked off the mound for the final time this summer; he received a well-deserved standing ovation.
Left-hander Nolan Livesy was the man tasked with recording the final two outs in the ninth. Five pitches later, there were two outs, but the Lefties weren’t going down easy. A walk and two singles got Port Angeles on the board. In a full count with two runners on, Livesy delivered what looked like strike three but was called a ball, loading the bases. On the very next pitch, Livesy got the Lefties hitter to fly out, ending the game.
It’s no secret that the NorthPaws have had a tough time, so for an eventful win to take place in front of the home fans was important. The series features two teams that aren’t going to the playoffs, and especially for Kamloops, their roster is getting thinner by the day.
“I think the big thing is guys want to compete and win, we don’t have many guys left, but it’s all guys who haven’t played a whole lot this year, and it’s cool for them to get their chances and see what they can do,” said Jepson.
The two teams will do battle once again at Norbrock Stadium on Tuesday night. The first pitch is set for 6:35.
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