‘Yote Notes –
April 15, 2003
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Mike Safford Jr.
– Sports Info. Director
msafford@albertson.edu
GENERAL
ATHLETICS NEWS:
A WEEKEND OF CHAMPIONS: For more information, click on
the icon above.
FORMER COYOTE TO PLAY PROFESSIONAL
SOCCER: 2002
Albertson grad Jake Carson, a NAIA All-American defender, signed a contract
last week to play with the Utah Blitzz of the United States Professional Select
League. The PSL is the equivalent of "AA" ball, a two steps
below the MSL, and a step below the A League. Carson becomes the first
Coyote soccer player to play professionally outdoors - former All-American,
Matt Blazek, played professionally indoors in the late 90s.
MEN'S
AND WOMEN'S GOLF:
AT IDAHO STATE: Good
things are happening to the Albertson golf teams in recent days. A day
after freshman Travis Gibbens shot a six-under 66 in the first round of
the Von Elm Invititational, the Coyote men received word they are ranked No. 33
in the latest NAIA golf poll.
MORE ON THE NATIONAL POLL: On the
national scene, Albertson
is rated third in the NAIA Region I, behind No. 14 ranked Victoria (B.C.) and
No. 25 ranked Lewis-Clark State. The 'Yotes received ten votes in the poll,
ranking them as the eighth best team in the "Others Receiving Votes"
category.
OFF TO UTAH: The teams head next to Salt Lake City for the Westminster Invitational, next Monday and Tuesday.
WOMEN'S TENNIS (3-4):
RAINED OUT: The Albertson women's tennis team
was rained out of its scheduled matches against Pacific Lutheran and Bellevue
CC in Tacoma, Wash. The Coyotes will hold an Alumni match this Sunday at
2 p.m.
BASEBALL (21-14): ‘Yotes
take 3-of-4 from Western, regular-season title hopes on the line vs. British
Columbia
COMING UP: vs. British Columbia (DH), Saturday, 1 p.m.; vs.
British Columbia (DH), Sunday, Noon; vs. Oregon Tech (DH), Monday, Noon.
LAST WEEK: vs. Western Baptist (W 7-2, L 6-3, W 2-1, W 7-2)
COYOTES BACK ON THE RIGHT
TRACK: Although a sweep would have
been nice for the Albertson baseball team, the Coyotes rebounded from a rocky
western road swing by taking 3-of-4 games from second-place Western
Baptist. With the victories, the ‘Yotes
moved within a game and a half of second-place, but still sit five full games
out of the top spot in the NAIA Region I standings. Only three games separate the second and fifth place in the loop ledger.
NEARLY ALL REMAINING GAMES ON
THE RADIO: Albertson College and Sporting
News Radio, KIOV 1450-AM have packaged a total of 15 games to be broadcast live
on the radio and internet – beginning with three games during last weekend’s
series with Western Baptist. Mike
Safford Jr. will call the play-by-play for each game during the British
Columbia, Oregon Tech, and Lewis-Clark State series’, along with the home
doubleheader against Eastern Oregon.
Coyote baseball – on Sporting News Radio, KIOV 1450-AM.
BIG WEEKEND AHEAD: If the ‘Yotes are to make any sort of move in the
regional standings and stay in the running for serving as the host to the NAIA
Region I Tournament in May, they must do it this weekend against British
Columbia. The Thunderbirds (19-5,
10-0 Region I) were ranked No. 18 in last week’s NAIA poll, and have run off a
school-record 11 wins in a row. It was
the same UBC club that Albertson had to defeat twice in the regional tournament
last season to escape with the trophy.
T-Bird skipper, Terry McKaig, a former ‘Yote, has built his team around
solid pitching – led by regional pitcher-of-the-year candidate, Brooks McNiven
(8-0, 0.66 ERA), who has given up just four earned runs in 56 innings of work
this season. UBC has quality wins on
their side, including W’s against Vanguard, Point Loma Nazarene, and The
Master’s from the Golden State Athletic Conference, a victory against then No.
4 ranked Bellevue of Nebraska, and a win over NCAA Division I Cal
Poly-SLO. Albertson has won
three-straight over the visitors from Canada, and hold a 13-4 all-time series
lead against the T-Birds.
BONUS GAMES ON MONDAY: Of the seven games the Coyote hardballers have had
washed away due to rain this year, two of them will be made up on a special
Monday doubleheader against Oregon Tech. The noon matinee (originally scheduled as a single game at 2
p.m.) will be a test of arms for both teams – as Albertson and OIT each will
have played four games during the previous two days. Pete Whisler has the Owls (12-14-1, 2-5) moving in the right
direction, having swept a twinbill against Concordia last weekend, before rain
postponed Sunday’s action. OIT is led
by regional player-of-the-week, Patrick Johnson (.390, nine RBI), but is still
searching for their first win over Albertson since baseball was reinstated last
year. The Coyotes have won
seven-straight and hold a 22-2 record against the Hooters in the series that
dates back to 1987.
BERGSTROM’S EFFORT EARNS
REGIONAL HONOR: To cap the doubleheader
sweep of Western Baptist on Saturday afternoon, right-hander Matt Bergstrom (Hermiston,
Ore. / Hermiston HS) was stellar on the hill for the ‘Yotes. The sophomore went the distance, giving up a
pair of unearned runs on just five hits, and tied a career-high with eight
strikeouts. For his efforts, Bergstrom
earned Cascade Conference and NAIA Region I Pitcher-of-the-Week honors.
AVERAGE STUFF FROM BLAIR STILL
ENOUGH: Albertson won the series
opener, 7-2, behind a gritty six-inning stint from junior Taylor Blair (Sacramento,
Calif. / Feather River CC). Blair
won the game despite struggling with his off-speed pitches, giving up just two
runs on four hits to improve to 3-1 for the season. Since returning to the rotation, the 2002 All-Conference
performer has a thrown 22.1 innings with a 1.61 ERA – giving up just nine hits.
RALLY-TIME ON SATURDAY: It didn’t look good for the ‘Yotes in Saturday’s
opener, as Western Baptist starter Travis Lange held the hosts to just three
hits through the first six innings.
Trailing 1-0 heading into their final at bats, Albertson jumped all over
closer Nate Mayben. Darren Uranga
(Homedale, Idaho / Homedale HS) led off the inning by reaching on a
throwing error by Western shortstop Dustin Purnell and took second on the
throw. After a strikeout, Uranga advanced to third on a wild pitch. After
Jack Mitchell (Kennewick, Wash. / Columbia Basin CC) walked, Nick
Snow (Everett, Wash. / Cal Poly-SLO) lined an RBI single to center
to tie the game at 1-1. Freshman Billy
Arko (Mountain Home, Idaho / Mountain Home HS) reloaded the bases
with a sharp single to right, setting the table for Josh Orr (Winnemucca,
Nev. / Lowry HS), who lined a ball through the drawn in infield for the
game-winner.
MOSER REBOUNDS: After a rocky outing in Portland, Mike Moser (Arlington,
Wash. / Bellevue CC) picked up the victory in the aforementioned game with
Western. The junior went the distance
for the third time this season, giving up a single unearned run on seven hits.
Moser now ranks second on the staff with four victories.
USING THE LONGBALL: Over
the past two seasons, the home run ball has not factored into many Coyote
victories. In fact, Albertson has hit
three-or-more dingers in a game in just six of their last 98 games – dating
back to the start of the 2002 season.
However, the longball was in use against Western Baptist – as three
homers powered the team to a Game 1 win over the Warriors, and two sixth inning
jacks brought home the victory in Game 4.
In the series opener, Albertson got a trio of two-run homers – a shot to
left-center by Todd Howell (Marysville, Wash. / Skagit Valley CC),
a blast to straight-away left by Darren Uranga, and a line-drive drive to right
by Jack Mitchell. Saturday, Uranga
added his team-high sixth homer – a shot that landed in the Caldwell Night
Rodeo grounds, and a Nick Snow drive to centerfield. As a team, the Coyotes have hit 18 homers this season.
ONE CATCHER BACK, ANOTHER ON
THE SHELF: Albertson received good news
and bad news regarding its catcher situation.
After missing 19 games with a nagging wrist injury, senior Jack Mitchell
returned to the lineup this weekend, going 2-for-7 with a home run, three RBI –
and some tough luck, hard hit outs. On
the opposite side, sophomore catcher Sage Kendall (Parma, Idaho /
National American Univ.) is still out with a neck injury sustained in a
home plate collision in the Northwest Nazarene series. The status of Kendall’s return is still up
in the air.
ON BASE GURU: Second-baseman Greg Stalling (Boise,
Idaho / Boise HS) was runner-up for this week’s Cascade Conference
Hitter-of-the-Week award, after going 9-for-15 with three RBI in the five games
Albertson played. What has impressed
the Coyote coaching staff is the freshman’s ability to get on base – as
Stalling leads the Cascade Conference with his .521 on base percentage. Along with his 39 hits, he has walked a team
high 27 times and been plunked by eight pitches.
IN THE MINORS: Many former Coyotes are beginning the 2003 season
in the professional ranks. Jason
Simontacchi (0-0 14.29 ERA) has had two rocky starts with the St. Louis
Cardinals – but the 1996 All-American has had to pitch in the two toughest
parks in the big leagues – Coors Field and Minute Maid Park. In the minors, 2001 graduate Branden
Florence (.357 1 HR 5 RBI) leads the Long-A San Jose Giants in hitting through
the first two weeks of the season.
Another former ‘Yote, Patrick Gonzalez, is in extended Spring Training
with the Baltimore Orioles, and is expected to start the season in Class A
ball. Nick Williams, a pitcher on the
2002 team, signed a contract last week with the Bisbee-Douglas Copper Kings in
the new Independent Arizona-Mexico League.
Other players – such as Greg Schelhaas, David Kuiper, Jason Stefani, and
Michael Kraemer are expected to play professionally this summer.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information
regarding the Albertson baseball program, head to the official site Coyote
baseball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/baseball.htm. Up to date regional scores and standings can
also be found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/baseball/stats/standings.htm.
SOFTBALL (13-8): Coyotes battling in
wide-open Cascade Conference race, travel to Eastern Oregon on Friday
COMING UP: at Eastern Oregon (DH), Friday, Noon (PDT)
LAST WEEK: at Walla Walla (W 14-0, W 10-0), at No. 1 Simon
Fraser (L 5-0, L 9-1), at Concordia (W 2-1, L 3-2)
COYOTES STILL IN THE THICK OF
THE RACE: As the five softball teams in
the Cascade Conference reach the halfway point this week, it is truly anybody’s
race for the 2003 title. Both Albertson
and Eastern Oregon had a chance to take over the lead last weekend – as Oregon
Tech swept a doubleheader with No. 18 Southern Oregon, but Concordia came to
play, splitting twinbills with both the Coyotes and Mountaineers. A logjam has taken place, with both OIT and
Southern sitting atop the heap with a 5-3 mark, while Eastern and Albertson –
who meet this Friday to end the first go-round, are at 3-3, with Concordia at
2-6. The top three teams in the final
standings advance, along with Simon Fraser, to the NAIA Region I Tournament in
Portland, May 9-10.
RECORD SETTING TWINBILL: A six-game, four-day road trip last week began at
Walla Walla College, as the bat attack erupted in a big way in 14-0 and 10-0
shutouts of the Wolves. Playing under
the lights did not faze Albertson, as the team had 24 hits in the two games,
equaling the school record with 13 in Game 2.
The 14 runs surpassed the school record for tallies in a game (which was
ten), as did the five doubles the Coyotes hit in Game 2.
IT WAS AGAINST WALLA WALLA,
BUT: After struggling last season with
an ERA above 5.00, the Coyote staff has shown it is anything but
one-dimensional this year. Although Nicole
Glenn (Nyssa, Ore. / BYU-Idaho) has earned two Cascade Conference
Pitcher-of-the-Week awards this season and has a sub-2.00 ERA, two others did
the job at Walla Walla. Lindzi Wasko
(Lakenheath, England, Lakenheath American HS) opened things up for
the ‘Yotes, striking out six batters, and giving up just four hits in picking
up her first shutout of her career.
Later in the evening, it was Kerri Russell (Melba, Idaho /
Melba HS) heading to the circle, scattering three hits with four strikeouts
to pick up her first collegiate win.
AT THIS POINT - 2002 VS. 2003:
It is plain as night and day when looking comparing
the 2003 Lady ‘Yotes to last season’s club.
The current fastpitch crew is averaging over two more runs scored per
contest that in 2002 (4.6 runs per game vs. 2.5), and one hit more per game
than last season (6.5 hits per game vs. 5.5).
The big totals are where it matters most – the Coyote team ERA has
dropped in half (2.61 this season, compared to 5.24 in 2002) and the fielding
percentage is much improved (.948 percent in 2003, .909 percent last
year). The overall number is present –
Albertson won a total of 12 games in 48 dates in 2002, this year, the team has
won 13 times in 21 games.
NICOLOSI HAS SOLID WEEK: One positive sign for the Coyotes was the play of
second-baseman Andrea Nicolosi (Mountain Home, Idaho / Mountain Home
HS), who broke out of a season-long slump in a big way. The sophomore came into last week batting
.190, but raised her average 72 points by going 7-for-15 at the plate, with a
double, triple, and four RBI. Nicolosi
recorded a hit in five of the Coyotes six games last week, and is one of three
players on the team to have started every game this season.
COYOTES SIGN FIRST PLAYER FOR
2004: Head coach Kelly Gibbons announced
the signing of the first member of the 2004 Coyote team – Anna Schroeder
of Eagle. The senior utility player helped
Eagle High to the 2002 5A state championship, along with leading her ASA team
to state and national U-18 championships.
Schroeder earned All-Southern Idaho Conference and All-State honors as a
sophomore and junior, and is a two-time NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. She will serve as valedictorian for the 2003
senior class at Eagle High.
CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAM MOVES
ON: Behind the arms of
All-Americans Auburn Sigurdson and Erin Thomas, the No. 1 ranked Simon Fraser
softball squad ran its winning streak to 16 in a row with 5-0 and 9-1 victories
over the ‘Yotes on Saturday. It was the
first time that Albertson had ventured north of the Canadian border to Softball
City, SFU’s home and home to the Canadian National Team. The Clan, who have four players from that
national team (coached by SFU’s Mike Renney) on their roster, used three home
runs from catcher Erin Cumpstone in the wins.
Albertson, which had three hits in each game, scored their lone run in
the nightcap on an Andrea Nicolosi RBI single.
UNEARNED RUNS PLAGUE LADIES AT
CONCORDIA: Clutch hitting
eluded the Albertson softball team on Sunday afternoon, as the Lady 'Yotes
managed just a split of its Cascade Conference doubleheader at Delta Park with
cellar-dweller Concordia, winning the opener, 2-1, before losing the nightcap,
3-2. Nicole Glenn pitched all 13
innings for the Coyotes, giving up just one earned run on nine hits and
striking out 11 batters in the two games, but she had to settle for a 1-1
afternoon. Trailing 1-0 in the opener,
the 'Yotes loaded the bases in the sixth inning, getting an RBI single from Heather
Keepers (Apache Junction, Ariz. / Apache Junction HS) and a two-out
walk to Heather McClure (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) to force
home Tiffany Kerns (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) with the
winning run. In Game 2, the Cavaliers
held a 2-0 lead going into the fifth, but the Coyotes rallied, as Andrea
Nicolosi rammed a base knock up the middle to score Kira Leaton (Boise,
Idaho / Centennial HS) to tie the score.
However, an unearned run the in bottom of the inning plagued the Coyotes
- handing Concordia the win. Leaton had
the only multiple hit game of the afternoon, going 3-for-4 in the late game.
BREAKING THE SLIDE AGAINST
EASTERN: Friday’s doubleheader at Eastern
Oregon concludes the first set of doubleheaders for the teams in the
Cascade Conference, but also gives Albertson a chance to break a six-game
losing streak to their I-84 rivals. The
Mountaineers (3-3 CCC, 15-10) just completed an identical trip as the ‘Yotes,
splitting games at Concordia, before getting spanked in the Great White North
against Simon Fraser. Eastern is a
dangerous team with the bat, hitting .297 as a team – with “Coyote Killer” Beth
Hull (.397 4 HR 19 RBI) doing much of the damage. In the six previous games against Albertson, Hull has went
12-for-16 with 12 RBI, including the go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh
inning of the 7-4 Mountie win at this season’s Central Washington Invite. The duo of Kathy Bielemeier and Jayne-Leigh
Thomas has been adequate in the circle for Anji Weissenfluh’s team.
INTERNET
BROADCASTS: The next scheduled
internet broadcast of the Coyotes will be on April 23 when Albertson hosts
Northwest Nazarene in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. Games can be accessed
at http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/webcam/Athletics.asx. Archives
of games broadcast this year can be found on the softball website.
NEW
SOFTBALL WEBSITE: Updated information and
statistics on the 2003 softball team can be found at the brand new Albertson
softball official website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/fastpitch.htm.
CONFERENCE STANDINGS: Up-to-date
NAIA Region I standings can be found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/softball/stats/standings.htm.
- ALBERTSON -