‘Yote Notes –
Feb. 24, 2004
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Mike Safford Jr.
– Sports Info. Director
msafford@albertson.edu
GENERAL
ATHLETIC NEWS:
NEXT C.A.A. DINNER: The next Coyote Athletic
Association booster dinner will be at 6:30 p.m., March 22, in the Simplot
Dining Hall. Cost is $8.00 at the door and RSVP's are being taken by Dave
Hahn at 459-5835.
CHEERLEADER RAFFLE: This weekend, look for the Coyote
cheerleaders passing around the Coyote mascot head for donations - for a new
mascot costume.
SKIING: Men and
Women qualify for USCSA Nationals
COMING UP: at USCSA National Championships,
Sugarloaf, Maine, March 1-6.
SKI TEAMS HEADED TO NATIONALS: Not the greatest performances by
the Albertson ski teams - but they were good enough to earn berths the the
USCSA National Championships at Sugarloaf in Maine. The Coyote women
claimed the No. 3 spot in the Western Regional, while the men placed fourth.
TEAM STANDINGS: The Lady 'Yotes finished behind
Rocky Mountain and British Columbia in the standings, while the men finished
behind Rocky, UBC, and Colorado Mountain College.
SNOW REPORT: Recent precipitation has helped the status of our local ski resorts. At Bogus Basin, the hill reports a 69 inch base, with 80 inches at the top. At Brundage Mountain, site of the 2005 USCSA National Championships, they report a 72 inch base, with 103 inches at the top. Both report great groomed runs.
MEN’S BASKETBALL (23-6): No. 4
ranked Coyotes clinch NAIA Tournament berth, open CCC playoffs vs. Northwest
LAST WEEK: defeated Concordia, 91-72; defeated Western
Baptist, 88-86 (2 OT)
COMING UP: Cascade Conference postseason tournament – vs.
Northwest, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.; (with win) vs. Concordia or Western Baptist,
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
RADIO: All CCC and NAIA Tournament contests will be
broadcast live on radio during with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action for the
third-consecutive year. Join him this
week as the Coyotes begin their trek through the CCC playoffs. Catch all of play-by-play on the “Home of
the Coyotes”, 1490 KCID-AM.
INTERNET BROADCASTS: Coyote tournament games will be simulcast on the
Albertson Athletic Website (www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mbasketball/profiles/0203/radio.htm).
COYOTES CLINCH NATIONAL BERTH:
With a 91-72 victory over Concordia on
Friday night, the Albertson men’s basketball team clinched the Cascade
Conference’s automatic berth to the NAIA Division II national tournament in
Point Lookout, Mo. It is the third NAIA
berth for the Coyotes in the last four seasons and the 15th in program history –
dating back to 1960. The ‘Yotes won the
1996 national championship and have reached the quarterfinal round on three
occasions.
OTHER CONFERENCE TITLES: The CCC crown was the first for the ‘Yotes since
the 1996 season and their third overall.
Albertson finished with a 16-2 record, equaling the second-best record
by a team in the 11 years of the league.
Only the 1996 Coyotes (13-1) and the 2002 Evergreen (17-1) squad had
better loop marks.
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT TRAVEL
INFORMATION: The Coyotes will embark on
their NAIA journey on Monday, March 8, with a morning flight to Springfield,
Mo. – via Denver. They will attend the
NAIA Opening Banquet at the Dixie Stampede Showroom in Branson on March 9,
before the 32-team event begins on March 10.
Fans of the ‘Yotes can take advantage of a special offer through Uniglobe
VIP Travel in Nampa to get airfare to the tournament for just $319 by calling
467-7499. The team hotel in Branson,
the Settle Inn Resort and Convention Center, has space available at (800)
677-6906.
OTHER AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS: Albertson is one of ten teams that have secured a
spot in the national tournament.
Joining the ‘Yotes are Daeman (N.Y.) and Cedarville (Ohio) from the
American Mideast Conference, Bluefield (Va.) of the Appalachian Conference,
Dominican (Calif.) of the California Pacific Conference, Jamestown (N.D.) of
the Dakota Athletic Conference, Northwestern (Iowa) of the Great Plains
Athletic Conference, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) of the Heart of America
Conference, Tabor (Kan.) of the Kansas Collegiate Conference, and Ozarks (Mo.) –
the host institution.
PERKES NAMED CCC
PLAYER-OF-THE-WEEK: After scoring a
career-high 34 points against Concordia and following it up with 18 against
Western Baptist, senior Tom Perkes (Spokane, Wash. / Big Bend CC) earned
his second career Cascade Conference Player-of-the-Week award. The senior finished the league season with a
19.6 points per game average – and has hit a career-high 24 free throws in a
row.
COYOTES FINISH SEASON RANKED
NO. 4: The final NAIA Division II
national poll was released today, and the Coyotes moved up one spot to No.
4. Jamestown (N.D.) remains at No. 1,
followed by Bellevue (Neb.) and St. Ambrose (Iowa), while William Jewell
dropped two spots to No. 5. Oregon Tech
moved up three spots in the poll to No. 13, while Southern fell from No. 24 to
No. 27 in the rankings. No rankings
will be conducted for the remainder of the season – with this Top-25 being used
as the final denominator to select the four at-large berths to the national
tournament.
HANGING OUT IN THE TOP-FIVE: The ‘Yotes have been ranked in the NAIA’s top-five
for the last eight weeks, surpassing a school-record stretch of six weeks that
the 1999-2000 team had achieved. Five
years ago, the Coyotes climbed to No. 2 in the polls on four occasions,
including back-to-back weeks in late January.
Albertson has been ranked No. 1 in the nation only once, during the
preseason poll during the 1991-92 season.
ABOUT THE CASCADE CONFERENCE TOURNEY:
Beginning Wednesday, the Cascade
Conference kicks off its tenth Postseason Tournament, at various sites around
the region. Unlike other tournaments
that use a centralized site, the CCC has the top four teams in the
regular-season host first-round games, the highest-seeded team in each bracket
host semifinal games, and the highest remaining seed host the league
championship. Having the top-seed isn’t
always the best option, as the regular-season champ has won the crown five
times – but hasn’t done so since 1999 (Southern Oregon).
ALBERTSON IN THE TOURNAMENT: Since the Cascade Conference began its current
format of a tournament (during the 1993-94 season), Albertson has a 13-6 record
during their nine appearances. The
Coyotes won the postseason tourney during the 1996, 2001, and 2003 seasons – as
the No. 1 seed in 1996, the No. 3 seed in 2001, and as the No. 5 seed last
year. The ‘Yotes also played for the
championship in 1995, losing to Northwest Nazarene. Albertson has lost only one first-round game in the tournament
(103-101 to Southern Oregon in 2002), and has missed the tournament on just one
occasion (1997).
BRACKET: The top of the bracket has Albertson meeting No. 8
seed Northwest College (14-17), along with No. 5 seed Western Baptist (17-13)
traveling to No. 4 seed Concordia (20-12).
The two winners will meet on Saturday at the highest remaining
seed. The bottom of the bracket has No.
6 seed Eastern Oregon (13-12) at No. 3 seed Southern Oregon (17-14), and No. 7
seed Evergreen (10-19) at No. 2 seed Oregon Tech (23-8) – with the winners also
playing on Saturday. The two teams left
after the semifinal round will meet for the championship on Tuesday night.
ABOUT NORTHWEST: Although they are the eighth and final seed in the
Cascade Conference tournament, Northwest is the hottest team in the
league. The Eagles ended the
regular-season on a six-game winning streak, including sweeping both Cascade
and Warner Pacific on the road to claim the final playoff spot. Four players
continue to average in double-figures for the Eagles, led by true freshman
Aaron Sawyer (14.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg). Other
key players include shooting guard Andrew Gard (11.9 ppg), who had 23 points in
the first meeting this year between the schools, post Tyson Dodd (11.5 ppg, 7.1
rpg), and wing Grant Enloe (10.7 ppg).
Albertson swept the regular-season series, getting a Tom Perkes jumper
with ten seconds left in overtime to defeat the Eagles, 77-76, in Caldwell,
then knocked off NW 80-65 in Kirkland, Wash., in January. It is the 16th meeting between the clubs,
with the Coyotes holding a 11-4 advantage.
GREEN BREAKS SEASON STEALS
RECORD: With four steals in the win
over Concordia, guard Joe Green (Pocatello, Idaho / BYU-Idaho) passed
Matt Muniz for the top spot on the single-season steal list with 93. His average of 3.21 steals per game ranks
No. 5 in the entire NAIA, one of three categories the junior ranks in the
national Top-40. Green is No. 2 in the
nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.23), while sitting in 32nd spot in
assists per game (4.79).
CAREER RECORD WATCH: At the conclusion of the regular season, four different Coyotes rank among the top-ten in career statistics. Joe Green ranks No. 2 all-time in steals (175) – just 23 swipes behind the school record. He also is fifth all-time with 286 assists. Andy Harper (Idaho Falls, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC) ranks No. 3 in three-point attempts (382), while tied for fifth all-time with 148 three-pointers made. Justin McCarthy (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) is third all-time in blocked shots (60), and currently fifth in games played with 116. McCarthy needs to play in six more games to become the all-time leader in that category. Rounding out the quartet is Tom Perkes, who ranks on the career list in nine separate categories – third in scoring average (18.69), fifth in free throws made (295), sixth in blocked shots (50) and free throw percentage (.843), seventh in field goals made (442), free throw attempts (350), and rebounds (483), and eighth in field goal attempts (808). Perkes has scored 1,215 points in his career – fifth-best all-time, needing just 30 points to move past his mentor, Mark
PLAYOFF GAME INFORMATION: All Cascade Conference tournament games in the
J.A. Albertson Activities Center will begin at 7:30 p.m., starting with the
quarterfinal round on Feb. 25. Tickets
for the opener, along with subsequent games, can be purchased in advance in the
Albertson athletic department from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily – or by calling the
Coyote Ticket Office at 459-5681 or 459-5835.
Tickets will also be on sale following all playoff games.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE
COYOTES: For game stories, statistics,
and information regarding the Albertson men’s basketball program, head to the
official site Coyote Basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (8-16): Playoff
time for the Lady ‘Yotes – three wins away from NAIA berth
LAST WEEK: defeated Concordia, 71-60; lost to Western
Baptist, 78-69.
COMING UP: Cascade Conference postseason tournament – at No.
17 Eastern Oregon, Tuesday, 7 p.m. (PST); (with win) at Oregon Tech-Western
Baptist winner, Friday, 7:30 p.m. (PST)
INTERNET BROADCAST AND LIVE
STATS: Tuesday’s playoff game at
Eastern Oregon will be carried live on the internet via the EOU website at www.eou.edu/webcast, along with live
stats at http://www.eou.edu/athletic/livestats/wbx/xlive.htm. Mike Safford Jr. will have the play-by-play,
beginning at 7:45 p.m. (MST) If
Albertson wins, they will play at either Oregon Tech or Western Baptist – with
that game live on the internet as well.
LADY ‘YOTES HEAD TO PLAYOFFS
AS NO. 8 SEED: When the Cascade Conference
post season tournament tips off on Tuesday night, the Albertson women’s
basketball team will have to run the table on the road – win three games in seven
days to earn a bid to the NAIA Division II national tournament. It won’t be an easy task, as the Lady
‘Yotes, the eighth seed in the tourney, must face regular-season champ, Eastern
Oregon, in the opening round.
WHY NUMBER EIGHT: Albertson finished the regular-season tied with
Southern Oregon at 7-11 in CCC play.
Since the two teams split the 2003-04 series, the teams broke the
deadlock with the second tiebreaker – record versus opponents in descending
order. Both teams were swept by No. 1
seed Eastern Oregon, but Southern split its series with Northwest (who swept
the ‘Yotes), giving them the seventh spot.
LOOKING AT THE PAIRINGS: The Albertson-Eastern winner will face the winner
of the Western Baptist-Oregon Tech meeting in Klamath Falls. The other side of the bracket has Southern
Oregon at Northwest and Evergreen at Warner Pacific. The tournament champ will
join Eastern Oregon as representative of the CCC in the 32-team NAIA tourney in
Sioux City, Iowa.
ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS: A pair of Lady ‘Yotes earned recognition as
All-Cascade Conference selections at the conclusion of the 2003-04 regular
season. Guard Heidi Goicoechea (Burley,
Idaho / Burley HS) was rewarded with an All-CCC award, earning the
fourth-highest vote total. She finished
the regular-season averaging nearly 15 points a game. Also honored was junior forward, Kasey Hooter (Nampa,
Idaho / Walla Walla CC), as an honorable mention selection. Hooter led the league in field goal
percentage and was third in rebounds per game.
Oregon Tech’s Nikki McElligott was named Player of the Year, with
Eastern Oregon’s Anji Weissenfluh named Coach of the Year.
NEW LOOK COYOTES TAKE OUT
CONCORDIA: A new offensive game plan
worked to perfection on Friday night, as the Lady ‘Yotes ended a four-game losing
streak with a 71-60 win over Concordia.
The squad hit 50-percent of their shots on the night, using a 14-2 run
in the second half to take the win.
Albertson had a big night from its bench, outscoring the Cavs, 29-7,
while forcing their opponent into 25 turnovers.
DYRENG HAS BIG NIGHT: A complete turnaround in the span of six days
helped senior Michelle Dyreng (Fruit Heights, Utah / Snow CC) to
one of her better games as a collegian.
The post scored 15 points, knocking home 6-of-7 shots from the floor to
go along with three blocked shots.
Dyreng continues to lead the Cascade Conference in swats with 49.
EARLY RUN NETS WESTERN A WIN: An opening 24-6 run dug Albertson a hole it could
not recover from on Saturday night, as Western Baptist stopped the Coyotes,
78-69. Albertson missed nine of their
first 11 shots in the first eight minutes of the game and were never able to
fully recover. A 19-3 run in the second
half got the score to within five – but it was too late. Heidi Goicoechea ended her career at home
with 21 points and eight rebounds, with fellow senior Krystal Thacker (Elko,
Nev. / BYU-Idaho) adding 13 points.
SENIOR NIGHT SPOILED: The loss to Western spoiled the final home games
for eight seniors on the current roster.
Michelle Dyreng, Alyssa Latham (Walla Walla, Wash. / Walla
Walla CC), Sarah Wilkin (Twin Falls, Idaho / SW Oregon CC) and
Lindsey Karren (Brigham City, Utah / Salt Lake CC) are two-year
members of the team, Krystal Thacker is in her third season with the club,
while Carley Williams (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS), Heidi
Goicoechea, and Tia Sinclair (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS)
have been with the Coyotes for four seasons.
All eight of the players saw action in the game on Saturday night.
RECORD BOOK: With the regular season coming to an end, the 24
games Albertson played so far this season have put a dent in the career top-ten
book. Heidi Goicoechea sits atop of
five career records – points scored (1,380), field goal attempts (1,329), three-pointers
made (211), free throw percentage (.814), and three-point attempts (647), while
ranking second all-time in field goals made (474), games played (122), and
games started (93). Michelle Dyreng
ranks third all-time in blocked shots (52), with Dani Cotterell (Nampa,
Idaho / Nampa HS) ranking third in career three-pointers made (122). Rounding out the group is Krystal Thacker,
who is in the top-ten in six categories, including No. 6 in assists (219) and
steals (116).
HEADING TO EASTERN: The rivalry between Albertson and Saturday’s opponent,
Eastern Oregon, has been one-sided as of late. The No. 17 ranked Mountaineers (23-2), who earned their
first-ever berth in the NAIA Division II national tournament with the regular
season crown, has won four in a row and 6-of-7 against Albertson. The lone loss in the streak, however, was a
92-71 Coyote win in the 2002 CCC tourney semifinals. The 2004 Eastern club, however, has won 16 games in a row, and
has a 10-1 record at Quinn Colesium.
Guards Tricia Haddock (10.4 ppg, 7.1 apg) and Jaime Jo Cant (12.8 ppg)
each earned All-CCC honors and have had some of their biggest games in their
career against Albertson. Despite the
recent trend, the Lady ‘Yotes hold a 13-7 all-time edge.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For up-to-date statistics, stories, and
information about the Albertson women’s basketball team, head to the official
website for the Lady ‘Yotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm. For updated scores and standings from the
Cascade Conference women’s basketball season, head to www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wbasketball/stats/standings.htm.
BASEBALL (2-6): Coyotes set to open home schedule against Central
and Whitworth after tough road trip
LAST WEEK: at Cannon Building Supply Tournament, Lewiston –
defeated Concordia, 6-5; lost to Linfield, 6-2; lost to Eastern Oregon,6-4;
lost to No. 1 Lewis-Clark State, 16-1.
COMING UP: vs. Central Washington, Thursday, 3 p.m.; vs. Whitworth
(DH), Saturday, Noon; vs. Whitworth (DH), Sunday, Noon.
ON THE INTERNET: Three of the five games this weekend will be
carried live on the internet at www.collegeofidaho.edu/webcam/Athletics.asx
with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action.
Thursday’s single game with Central Washington, along with the first
games of both weekend doubleheaders will be aired.
TOUGH WEEKEND AT HARRIS FIELD:
An early season trip to the site of the
Avista NAIA World Series was not the experience that the Albertson baseball
team would like to repeat. After
rallying for an opening win over Concordia, the ‘Yotes dropped three
consecutive games – to Linfield, Eastern Oregon, and Lewis-Clark State. Runs were hard to come by in the final three
games, as the ‘Yotes averaged just two runs a contest.
BURROW PITCHES GEM, FOR EIGHT
INNINGS: The weekend opener against
Concordia was the high point for the Coyotes, thanks to the right arm of Brad
Burrow (Taylorsville, Utah / College of Southern Idaho). The senior was outstanding over the first
eight innings of the game, giving up just one run on three hits, while striking
out eight. Burrow did not get a
decision, however, after giving up an RBI double and a three-run homer in the
ninth to tie the score at 5-5. Through
his first two starts, he leads the ‘Yote staff with a 2.93 ERA, with just three
walks against 11 strikeouts.
FREESE WINS IT FOR ‘YOTES: A clutch hit in the bottom of the ninth won it for
the Coyotes, as sophomore Brandon Freese (Vancouver, Wash. /
Chemeketa CC) slapped a base hit with the bases loaded. The transfer also had an RBI double in the
game, and currently leads the team with seven walks in eight games.
LINFIELD MANUFACTURES WIN: Small-ball was the name of the game against
Linfield College in a 6-2 win over the Coyotes. The Wildcats scored in four different innings – including four
runs scoring with two outs on the board.
Nate Freese (Vancouver, Wash. / Skyview HS) went 2-for-4
with a double and a run scored in the loss.
EASTERN RALLIES AGAINST PEN: A lead against one of the perennial weaker teams
in the region is supposed to hold – but in the 2004 season, nothing is taken
for granted. Eastern Oregon scored five
runs in the final two innings against the Coyote pen, thanks to four Albertson
errors. Through the first eight games,
the Coyote bullpen has a lofty, 11.12 ERA.
MOSER SOLID IN SECOND START: A positive in the loss to Eastern was the start by
Mike Moser (Arlington, Wash. / Bellevue CC). The senior went the first six innings,
giving up just two hits and one unearned run.
It was the second time that Moser has defeated the Mountaineers in
Lewiston, having knocked off Eastern, 9-3 last season.
LC-STATE SHOWS WHY THEIR NO.
1: Two-time defending national
champ, Lewis-Clark State, lost an 11-3 decision to Linfield to open up the
weekend. They didn’t want to suffer
another defeat – and didn’t against the Coyotes, scoring the first 12 runs of
the contest in a 16-1 win. Albertson
had runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, but
couldn’t push a run across – then watched LC-State score five in the third, a
run in the fourth, and four times in the fifth to take a 10-0 lead. Albertson scored their lone run in the
eighth on an RBI fielder’s choice.
HOME COOKIN’: The snow is finally gone from Simplot Stadium and
the playing surface should be ready when the Coyotes open their home schedule
on Thursday against Central Washington.
The NCAA Division II Wildcats (4-4) have won four games in a row,
including a three-game sweep of Whitman over the weekend. Central is led by the bat of Willie Kahn
(.400 3 HR 6 RBI) and a pitching staff with a 3.57 ERA. It is the 50th meeting between the teams,
with Albertson holding a 39-10 edge.
Over the weekend, Whitworth heads to the Treasure Valley in
search of good weather and four games.
The Pirates (3-2) played five games in Arizona last week – although none
of the contests went seven or more innings.
Led by the bat of Daniel Gebbers (.667, 7 RBI), the Bucs are looking to
end a three-game losing streak to Albertson, having lost 16-of-23 all-time
meetings to the Coyotes.
GAME TIME CHANGES: Two of the three dates this week have had their
game times changed. Thursday’s game
with Central Washington will start at 3 p.m., while Sunday’s doubleheader with
Whitworth is set for noon. Saturday’s
twinbill with Whitworth will remain at noon.
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 (0-0): Coyotes go 3-1 at Icebreaker
Classic, open home schedule on Thursday vs. NNU
LAST WEEK: at Icebreaker Classic, St. George, Utah –
defeated Western Nebraska CC, 10-9; defeated Idaho State, 9-0; defeated
Colorado Northwestern CC, 5-4; lost to Dixie State CC, 8-1.
COMING UP: vs. Northwest Nazarene (DH), Thursday, 1:30 p.m.
EXHIBITION GAMES A SUCCESS: Although rain washed out the final day of the
2004 Icebreaker Classic, the Albertson softball team did not resemble a team
that hadn’t seen grass this year. The
Lady ‘Yotes, who had not practiced outside before their first game on Thursday,
scored 25 runs in four games against junior college and club teams from the
region. More importantly – young
players got their first taste of college ball and coaches were able to test
different combinations.
NO COACH: The doctor always has the final say – as head
coach Kelly Gibbons was unable to make the 11-hour trek to southern
Utah. The third-year head coach is
expecting her fourth child in the upcoming weeks and doctors felt a bus ride
would not be the best thing for mother and child. Assistant coach Ron Nicolosi led the team with Gibbons
away, along with student-assistant Nicole Glenn.
SWINGING A HOT STICK: As a team, the Coyotes hit .385 in the four games
in the desert – including eight players with a batting average above .400. All-America candidate Tiffany Mathews (Las
Vegas, Nev. / El Dorado HS) went 6-for-11 with two doubles, a triple, and
two RBI – including a 4-for-4 game against Colorado Northwestern CC. Sophomore Katie Theisen (Meridian,
Idaho / Meridian HS) had four RBI, while going 4-for-9 the plate.
TALKING ABOUT THE FRESHMEN: Albertson was very excited about a trio of
freshmen from the Treasure Valley – expected to crack the starting line-up this
season. Outfielder Heather Kirtley
(Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) went 4-for-6 with two stolen bases, with her
prep teammate Anna Schroeder (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) going
6-for-12 with a team-high five runs scored.
The third rookie, right-hander Katie Pond (Boise, Idaho /
Centennial HS) did not give up an earned run in five innings of work –
scattering three hits in two appearances and fanning three.
THE BIG BLAST: Junior Kira Leaton (Boise, Idaho /
Centennial HS) capped last season with the first home run of her career in
the season finale against Concordia. It
took her just two games this year to go deep, belting a three-run homer to
centerfield to cap a 9-0 win over the Idaho State club team.
WHY THE STATS DO NOT COUNT?: Although Albertson went 3-1 over the weekend, the
games and statistics do not count in the overall standings. According to NAIA regulations, any contests
against club teams and junior colleges are deemed exhibitions – just practice
games to help both teams.
GAME-BY-GAME RECAP: Albertson 10, Western Nebraska CC 9 –
After blowing an 8-4 lead late in the game, the Lady ‘Yotes rally for two runs
in the bottom of the seventh inning for the victory. Tiffany Mathews led off the inning with a double and was promptly
knocked in by sophomore Nikki Stevenson (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS). Heather McClure (Boise, Idaho /
Centennial HS) would follow with a sacrifice bunt that would be thrown over
the first-baseman’s head, allowing Stevenson to score the game winner. Albertson 9, Idaho State 0 – Three
Coyote pitchers combined on a three-hitter as Albertson blanked the
Bengals. Kira Leaton went 3-for-4 with
four RBI including a homer, with Anna Schroeder going 4-for-4 with four runs
scored. Albertson 5, Colorado
Northwestern CC 4 – Heather McClure scored on an illegal pitch in the
bottom of the sixth inning to cap a Coyote rally. Mathews went 4-for-4 with two RBI, while Heather Kirtley went
2-for-2 with two runs scored. Laura
Milne (Woodburn, Ore. / Blanchet Catholic HS) pitched two scoreless
innings of relief for the win. Dixie
State CC 8, Albertson 1 – The fifth-ranked team in the junior college ranks
topped Albertson in five innings. Katie
Theisen had a first inning double and scored the lone run of the game for the
Coyotes.
HOME OPENER ON THURSDAY: Albertson
opens up the regular-season for real on Thursday afternoon with a doubleheader
against Northwest Nazarene. The
Crusaders (3-38 in 2003) joined the Coyotes at the Icebreaker Classic, losing
to Snow College and Idaho State, while knocking off the University of Colorado
and Weber State club teams. First-year head
coach Julie Coert returns just two players from last year – pitcher Adrian
Herman and catcher Kristin Brewer.
Impact players include Trisha DeSimone, who went 20-9 at The Master’s
College last season, along with sophomore Teri Setbacken and freshman Erin
Sanders. Albertson has dominated the
series over the past two seasons, winning 10-of-11 games.
INTERNET BROADCASTS: The
first scheduled internet broadcasts of Coyote softball will be the March 20th
doubleheader with Walla Walla College.
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.
MORE INFORMATION:
Updated information and statistics on the 2004 softball team can be found on
Albertson softball official website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/fastpitch.htm. Up-to-date NAIA Region I standings can be
found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/softball/stats/standings.htm.
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