Hawks Shutout as Kamloops Takes Series Win

2026-07-30

Bats quiet despite strong bullpen showing

By Cody F. Schmidt

After last night’s win over the Kamloops NorthPaws, the Edmonton Riverhawks wanted to keep the momentum up and take the series. The NorthPaws disrupted that flow nearly immediately, as they took a lead in the first and proceeded to add on while shutting out the Riverhawks. The Hawks seemed unable to figure out Kamloops starter Evan Dugdale, who only gave up four hits to Edmonton batters in the first ever NorthPaws complete game shutout. Dugdale also hit at the NorthPaws’ DH and had three hits and 2 RBI in the game. Kamloops was similarly baffled by a a sterling relief appearance by Owen Combs, who tossed 3.1 frames in the middle of the game to hold the Paws at bay.

After a quick out started the game, #24 Cale Clark hit the paths with speed as he beat out a throw to first for a single, then stole second a few pitches later with a swim move on the slide. While the Hawks got in the hit column early, Clark would end up being the only Riverhawk on base in the 1st.

Starter #49 Cole Huebner then begun his time on the mound, his sixth start of the season, and his second appearance against the NorthPaws after pitching 6.0 innings in last Tuesday’s walk off win. Huebner faced adversity right from the start, as Kamloops batters were able to locate his pitches well enough for three straight singles, followed by a walk to load the bags. While he finally got an out via a sac fly, and the next two followed quickly with another pair of fly balls, Kamloops got the early lead with a pair of runs. Huebner’s 2nd went much smoother, as his struck out a pair, and allowed just one hit. A walk and a double put Huebner right back in the NorthPaws’ targets in the 3rd, as the pair in scoring position came with no outs. After an infield ground ball, the Hawks outfield lost a deep fly in the cloud cover and allowed a run on a single. The NorthPaws pulled off a double steal to take a fourth run as the leading runner dashed on a poorly received pickoff to second. The Hawks switched arms to #18 Owen Combs, and he was able to escape the inning with no more runs allowed.

Combs returned for the bottom of the 4th and retired the core of the NorthPaws in order, and did the same in the 5th. It wasn’t until the 6th inning that Kamloops started to figure out Combs, with a hit batter being followed by a pair of singles to load the bags with two outs. Thankfully a pop up to #48 Max Stagg diffused the tension and stranded a trio of NorthPaws.

In the top of the 7th the Hawks’ offence had their first sign of life as #32 Jason Green singled with two outs. But it was short lived as a fly out would strand him on first base five pitches later.

#33 Logan Colville pitched the bottom of the 7th with a quick 1-2-3 inning of work, and #6 Ryuga Sakamoto got the assignment for the 8th. Sakamoto had a much more eventful inning, giving up two singles to start the frame, then plunking the bases loaded. A fielder’s choice scored one, a single another, and another fielder’s choice made it a 7-0 ballgame as the Hawks couldn’t turn a much needed double play. After a walk pushed another runner into scoring position, #56 Evan Luke took over to try and close out the inning. After a walk loaded the bases again, Luke was able to strand three NorthPaws for the third time this game.

Fighting with just three outs to work with in the 9th, pinch hitter #58 Omar Gonzalez led off the frame with a 9 pitch walk. With one out, Cale Clark hit his third hit of the game to push Gonzalez into scoring position. A fly and a grounder ended the Hawks’ chances and left them to drop the series to Kamloops.

With this loss the Riverhawks will need to give their all to this weekend’s series with the Kelowna Falcons. The series starts tomorrow night as the Hawks will try to sweep the Kelowna squad for the second weekend in a row and improve their possible postseason position. The Hawks season finished with a Monday-Wednesday series in Bellingham before the WCL Playoffs begin August 6.