The Force is With the Hawks on Star Wars Night
2025-07-18
Edmonton wins 5-3 over Kamloops. This is the way.
Box ScoreBy Larry Read
EDMONTON, AB-
The Edmonton Riverhawks returned from the West Coast League all-star break by beating the Kamloops NorthPaws 5-3 Friday night at RE/MAX Field.
The victory improved the Riverhawks record to 21-15 overall. The NorthPaws fall to 19-18. It was the first of a three game weekend series between the two teams in the Alberta capital.
The Riverhawks scored three runs in the second inning and added singles in the sixth and seventh innings. They had eight hits. Kamloops had two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh and had six hits and three errors in the game.The Riverhawks got on ‘the sticks’ in the bottom of the 2nd. WCL North Division All Star #35 Trent Lenihan stroked a single to left field off NorthPaws starter and DH #21 Joey Rico. Lenihan promptly stole second. After #16 Kyle Yip (who was returning to the Edmonton line up after an injury) singled to left, Lenihan moved to third and scored on an RBI single to left off the bat of #4 Jaxon Fox to open the scoring.
Edmonton loaded the bases and scored their second run when Yip plated when #42 Drew Veatch made it to first on a fielder’s choice. The Riverhawks added one more in that inning as Fox scored from third on a throwing error charged to NorthPaws catcher #37 Brendan Boeke.
Rico was replaced after three innings and was credited with the loss. Rico faced 13 batters. He is 0-3 on the year.
The NorthPaws got on the scoreboard in the top of the 6th. #6 Ethan Kodama took a #31 Riley Barrett pitch straight up the middle and scored when #44 Chris Tompaya launched a long ball to right centerfield. Tompaya wound up with a double and it was 3-1. He would score when #1 Connor Clark put it down the left field line for a double to make the score 3-2 Edmonton.
Barrett went six innings to notch the victory. He gave up two runs on four hits, striking out four and facing 22 batters as he improved his record to 1-1. He was the first of four Riverhawk pitchers.
Two of the Riverhawks WCL North Division all-stars combined on their fourth run of the ball game in the bottom of the 6th. Lenihan hit a single to right field and stole second. He promptly scored when #32 Jason Green placed the ball into left centre field and wound up with a double.Kamloops made it a 4-3 game in the top of the 7th. The WCL’s wins leader, #21 Myles Chamberlain of the Riverhawks came on in relief. Rico led off the inning doubling off him to right centre field. The next batter was Burke who singled to drive Rico in. Chamberlain got Tompaya to ground the ball to #48 Matt Stagg who flipped it to Chamberlain for the out at first to end the threat and the inning.
The bottom of the 7th saw Veatch lay down a perfect bunt which NorthPaw reliever # 30 Mac Gatzke fielded but threw the ball away at first base. Veatch made it to second when lead off hitter #1 Shiryu Sato was caught in a run down between third base and home. Veatch later scored when #13 Grant Yzermans hit a single up the middle to make it 5-3.
#14 Tate Dearing came on in the ninth inning to record his sixth save of the year in his 10th appearance of 2025. He struck out one of the three batters he faced.
Veatch was 1-3 with a run scored and a run batted in. Fox was 1-4 with a run batted in and a run scored. Lenihan was 2-3 with two runs scored for the Riverhawks.Burke was 2-4 for the NorthPaws with a run batted in. Tompoya and #1 Connor Clark were both 1-4 with a run batted in a piece.
This was Star Wars night! Where the 8004 fans on hand were treated to lightsaber training, character meet-and-greets and a ceremonial first pitch from a real-life astronaut! Research Astronaut Doctor Shawna Payda, who attended the University of Alberta did the honors for that one. The Riverhawks wore special Star Wars jerseys which were auctioned off to support the Edmonton Space & Science Foundation which operates TELUS World of Science- Edmonton.
And as always on Friday’s, there were Fireworks with Uncle John’s Fireworks! The NorthPaws and Riverhawks will play game two of their series Saturday (July 19) at RE/MAX Field with a 7:05 PM MDT start time.
The promotion will be: Yee-Kawww! Country Night!Presented by Daisy's Saloon | Media Partner: CISN Country 103.9
Ain’t no country party like a Riverhawks country party! The club is teaming up with Edmonton’s hottest new country bar, Daisy’s Saloon, to throw the ultimate ballpark hoedown!
We’re talkin’ live country music, baby pigs, tractors, yodelling showdowns, and enough line dancing to wear out your boots. Let’s ride. 🤠Bonus: We’ve got two Morgan Wallen concert tickets up for grabs—and one lucky fan in the stands is taking them home!
Weekly Promo: Sweet Treat Saturday!
Head over to tickets.gohawks.ca to grab yourself a seat. Follow along with the game at @RiverhawksGames on X and keep up with everything happening with the Hawks on Instagram, Facebook, @EdmRiverhawks, and TikTok. See all the latest news at riverhawksbaseball.com.
EXTRA INNINGS: Before the contest, the Riverhawks Stagg announced on his Instagram account that he has committed to the University of California Santa Barbara Gauchos (NCAA Div 1).