‘Yote Notes –
April 19, 2005
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Mike Safford Jr.
– Sports Info. Director
msafford@collegeofidaho.edu
ATHLETIC
NEWS: Recruiting Update
NEWS ON 2005-06 SEASON: Next week, ‘Yote Notes will
feature those student-athletes that have signed Letter of Intents to compete in
intercollegiate athletics at Albertson College during the 2005-06 season.
GOLF: Gallant
finishes fifth at LC-State Invite
GALLANT PACES COYOTES: Sarah Gallant placed fifth to lead the Albertson
College golfers at the Warrior Invitational, at Bryden Canyon Golf Club.
The junior carded an opening round 82, placing her just one shot out of the
lead. However, a second-round 92 dropped her out of title contention, but
an overall 261 was good enough for fifth.
MEN'S TEAM STRUGGLES: The men's team struggled in their first team event
of the season, placing tenth. Paul Giardina had a 40-over par 256 to lead
the 'Yotes.
TRACK
& FIELD: McCurry takes home “Robie”
title, ‘Yotes off to University of Oregon Invitational
COACH
WINS LOCAL HALF MARATHON: With a week off from competition,
Albertson track head coach Pat McCurry decided at the last moment to
compete in the annual “Race to Robie Creek” half-marathon in Boise. The event, which drew 2,400 runners, is
noted for being one of the toughest competitions in the Northwest – with a vertical
climb to 4,797 Adalpe Summit over the first eight miles of the course. The Coyote leader shook off back problems
and dehydration to take home the overall championship in just over 75 minutes.
BARKER-MCCURRY?: Following
the race, television stations and local newspapers misidentified the winner as
Patrick Barker-McCurry, instead of Patrick McCurry. The snafu was caused by an
impromptu media interview with McCurry’s wife, Andrija (who uses Barker-McCurry
as her last name), while the Coyote was being administered an IV from the
medical staff. Despite her telling the
television and newspaper reporters that his last name was McCurry – the name
Patrick Barker-McCurry will live in the lore that is Robie Creek.
BALL WINS 400-METERS AT NNU: In their last competition on April 9, the Coyotes
competed at the Northwest Nazarene Invitational in Nampa. Freshman Katie Ball became the
first-ever Albertson woman to win a track race, taking home the crown in the
400-meters.
OFF TO EUGENE: The
‘Yotes will compete on a national stage this weekend at the prestigious Oregon
Invitational at Hayward Field – the most famous track in the Northwest. Limited Coyotes will compete do to
provisional standards to limit qualifiers.
It is the final tune-up for the Cascade Conference championships, to be
held on April 30.
WOMEN’S
TENNIS (4-3): Coyotes to take on TVCC in
final regional tournament tune-up
FINAL REGULAR-SEASON MATCH: Albertson will complete the regular-season portion
of the women’s tennis season on Tuesday, with a dual with Treasure Valley
Community College at the River City Racquet Club. The Lady ‘Yotes dominated TVCC on April 8, topping the Chukars,
9-0, in Ontario.
REGIONAL COMING TO TOWN: Next weekend, Albertson hosts the NAIA Region I
men’s and women’s championships. Four
women’s teams (No. 1 seed Lewis-Clark State, No. 2 seed Alberta, No. 3 seed
Albertson, and No. 4 seed Southern Oregon) and two men’s teams (No. 1 seed
Lewis-Clark State and No. 2 seed Alberta) will be vying for the crown. The weekend draw will be announced later in
the week.
BASEBALL (19-12, 12-7 Region I): Coyotes
ready for annual “Idaho World Series” with four-game set vs. No. 2 Lewis-Clark
State
LAST WEEK: at Oregon Tech (L 12-2, W
15-3), at Central Washington (L 18-1), at Western Baptist (L 6-5, W 6-2)
COMING UP: at Lewis-Clark State, Wednesday,
6:30 p.m. (PDT); at Lewis-Clark State, Thursday, 6:30 p.m. (PDT); vs.
Lewis-Clark State, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.; vs. Lewis-Clark State, Sunday, Noon.
ON THE AIR: All four games of the
series with Lewis-Clark State will be broadcast live in the Treasure Valley on
Sporting News Radio, 1450 KIOV-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the
action. The game will also be carried
on the web at www.kiov.com. In the Lewis-Clark Valley, the games can be
heard on 950 KOZE-AM with Brian Danner and Mike Tatko doing the play-by-play,
and on the internet at www.koze-sports.com.
TREASURE VALLEY GAMES AT SIMPLOT STADIUM: With
the playing surface not ready at Memorial Stadium in Boise, this weekend’s
Albertson-Lewis-Clark State games will be played at Simplot Stadium in
Caldwell, the normal home of the Coyotes.
It will be the first time that the two teams have played in Canyon
County since 2002. Tickets in Caldwell
are $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors and students, with all baseball season
passes being honored at the gate.
COYOTES EARN VOTES IN NATIONAL POLL: With a
19-12 start to the 2005 season, the Albertson baseball team earned votes in
their third consecutive national poll – with the ‘Yotes receiving 18 votes last
Wednesday. The Coyotes received 18
votes in the initial balloting, good enough for No. 31 in the nation – but lost
ground due to a loss to Western Baptist.
Defending national champion Cumberland (Tenn.) was No. 1, followed by
Embry-Riddle (Fla.), Lewis-Clark State, Houston Baptist (Tex.), and Bellevue
(Neb.).
COYOTES LOVE HOME COOKIN’: Albertson
had already tied a school-record by winning their first ten games this season
at Simplot Stadium. However, after a
loss to Western Baptist, the Coyotes picked up their home magic by sweeping
aside Concordia in a three-game set.
The ‘Yotes are now 13-1 at home, the second-best start to a season on
their own diamond – passing the 2000 team, which opened up 12-1 at Simplot. Only the 1998 NAIA Champions have registered
a better record, as the squad posted a 20-1 record at home.
IDAHO WORLD SERIES: By and
far the top-two successful collegiate baseball teams in the Gem State will
battle it out for bragging rights this week, as Albertson meets rival Lewis-Clark
State in a home-and-home four-game series.
The two teams have met 114 times since 1967 – but it has been during the
last decade that the Coyote-Warrior games have truly been a spectacle. In fact, it was LC-State that defeated
Albertson in the 1999 NAIA title game in Jupiter, Fla.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS AND THEIR 13 RINGS: The
Warriors (32-6) have been the most consistent NAIA baseball team in the last 20
years, winning NAIA titles in 1984 and 1985, 1987-92, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002,
and 2003 – 13 championships in the last 21 years. Piloting the ship is guru Ed Cheff, who has a 1,439-381 record in
his 29 seasons at LC-State
ONE-SIDED SERIES: Although the Albertson vs. Lewis-Clark State
series has become a big rivalry over the years, Ed Cheff has had his way with
his counterparts to the south – having won 88 of the 114 meetings between the
teams, including a 9-2 win in February.
Shawn Humberger has faced the Warriors 25 times during his five
years as head coach, with a 6-19 record against LC-State.
ABOUT THE 2005 WARRIORS: LC-State is led by All-America candidates –
outfielder Joey Dyche (.508 8 HR 35 RBI, 13 SB) and first-baseman Brandon
Morris (.343 9 HR 39 RBI). The Warriors
pitching staff, which has a team ERA of 2.14, is led by Derrick Landavazo (4-1
0.51 ERA) and Boise native Ben Newton (2-0 0.00 ERA), who has not given up a
run in 18 innings of work this season.
The team, which has won 24 of their last 26 games (only losses to NAIA
No. 22 British Columbia and NCAA Division I No. 25 Brigham Young), is currently
ranked No. 2 in the NAIA
ZACHARY SALVAGES SPLIT IN
SALEM: After struggling at Oregon
Tech (losing three of four games), dropping a lopsided 18-1 decision at Central
Washington, and losing the first game of the scheduled three-game series at
Western Baptist, the Coyotes needed a pitching performance in a big way. Matt Zachary (Hailey, Idaho /
Treasure Valley CC) stepped to the forefront, tossing seven solid innings,
fanning nine, in an Albertson 6-2 win.
The ‘Yotes got a two-run single from Zach Park (Ontario, Ore.
/ Ontario HS) and an RBI double from senior Sage Kendall (Parma,
Idaho / National American Univ.) that proved to be the insurance runs.
RAIN PLAYING HAVOC WITH
SCHEDULE: Rain is normally in the cards
during a collegiate baseball season in the Northwest, but the 2005 season is
providing to be a scheduling nightmare.
Already this season the Coyotes had six games in California rained out,
along with three games at British Columbia.
The ‘Yotes had to move a three-game set from Portland to Caldwell
against Concordia, and push back a four-game series at Oregon Tech by two days,
due to snow. Now add a make-up game
from Saturday that was rained out at Western Baptist – and the final three
weeks of the season are jammed packed.
MAKE UP DAYS: The Coyotes home series with British Columbia will
be three days – April 29, a single-game will be played at 4 p.m. (make up from
Mar. 20); April 30, the regularly scheduled doubleheader at noon; May 1, the
suspended game from Mar. 19 will precede the regularly scheduled single
game. The ‘Yotes series May 7-8 vs.
Concordia will be played in Portland instead of Caldwell, with a make-up game
vs. Western Baptist to be added as part of the trip.
STRANDLUND CONTINUING MONSTER
SEASON: A bid for Cascade Conference
player of the year status is being made by Coyote hitter/pitcher Charlie
Strandlund (Victoria, B.C. / College of Southern Idaho). The junior transfer ranks in the top-five in
nine different hitting categories in the loop – including leading the CCC in
batting average (.410), slugging percentage (.705), hits (43), doubles (17),
and total bases (74). He also is among
the top-five in six different pitching categories – including leading the
league in earned run average (2.65), strikeouts (42), and wins (6).
STREAKS ENDED: The two longest hitting streaks of the 2005 season
for the ‘Yotes were ended last week.
Junior Greg Stalling (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) saw his
13-game streak ended at Oregon Tech, while junior Nate Freese (Vancouver,
Wash. / Skyview HS) had his 13-game run ended at Central Washington. Charlie Strandlund, who had a ten-game hit
streak earlier this year, now has the longest active hitting streak – at seven
games.
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 (15-24, 5-10 CCC): Struggling Lady ‘Yotes look to stop skid at Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech
LAST WEEK: at MSU Billings (L 12-0, L 15-4), at Eastern Oregon (L 3-2, L 7-0)
COMING UP: at Southern Oregon (DH), Friday, 2 p.m. (PDT); at Oregon Tech (DH), Saturday, 11 a.m. (PDT)
COYOTES HIT A RUT IN THE ROAD: Things were going smoothly for the Albertson softball team on April Fools Day – a 14-12 record after a Game 1 victory over two-time defending Cascade Conference champ Southern Oregon, and a 4-1 start to the CCC season. What a difference three weeks make. After dropping the second game of twinbill to Southern in ten innings, the Lady ‘Yotes have went into a tailspin, five in a row, and 11 of their last 12 games – including four by the mercy rule.
FIRST HALF VS. SECOND HALF: It is very obvious to see where the Lady ‘Yotes have faltered in the last few weeks. During the first 26 games, Albertson had a team batting average of .287 with 31 extra base hits. The Coyotes had a team ERA of 3.71, with pitchers walking 70 batters and striking out 112. As a unit, the team had a fielding percentage of .940. In the last 13 games (since the 5-3 win over Southern Oregon), the team has a batting average of .228 (including just eight extra base hits) and a fielding percentage of .927. Pitching has been the downfall, as the four Coyote hurlers have combined for a 5.63 ERA (with an opponent batting average of .334), while walking 41 batters and fanning 52.
PLAYOFF HOPES ON LIFE-SUPPORT: With losses in ten of their last 11 Cascade Conference games, the once bright hopes of a first-ever playoff game is fading fast. Sitting at 5-10 and in fifth-place in the league standings, the Coyotes need to win 3-of-4 games this weekend at a minimum to have any hopes. If the Lady ‘Yotes lose 3-of-4 games, the club would be on the verge of being eliminated from the postseason chase.
TOUGH-LUCK LOSS AT EASTERN: The Coyotes played a solid game at Eastern Oregon on Friday afternoon, dropping their third extra-inning game of the season, 3-2, to the front-running Mountaineers. Albertson took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on a Kira Leaton (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) solo home run to left. However, Eastern would manufacture runs in the fourth and sixth to send the game to extra innings. Beth Hull, who has 22 RBI and is hitting .492 all-time against Albertson, hit her sixth home run of the season leading off the eighth for the Mounties game winner.
MARATHON MADNESS IN PORTLAND: Two weeks ago, the Lady ‘Yotes blew their school record for longest game out of the water. Albertson and Concordia played a 15-inning marathon in Portland that took four hours and 45 minutes – five innings and 89 minutes longer than the previous record. The game saw the Coyotes set a new school record with 49 at bats in the game, with Heather Kirtley (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), Anna Schroeder (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), and Katie Theisen (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) all setting a school mark by recording six at bats in the game. Albertson also set a new mark by leaving 17 runners on base – while the Cavaliers stranded 21 runners. Ashley Bowman (Parma, Idaho / Parma HS) was the tough-luck loser, giving up an unearned run in eight innings of relief. The ‘Yotes had played two previous ten-inning games – a ten inning game vs. Concordia to end the 2003 season, and a ten inning game vs. Southern Oregon on April 1.
SCHOOL RECORDS IN JEOPARDY: The recent losing streak
hasn’t put a damper on the record book assault that the 2005 fastpitch team is
embarking on. To date – four
single-season records have already been tied or established this season. Heather Kirtley has set new marks for runs
scored (23) and walks (18) in a season, while ranking No. 2 on the
single-season stolen base (21) and No. 3 on the single-season hits (38)
list. Tiffany Mathews (Las Vegas, Nev. /
Eldorado HS) has
set a new record for sacrifice hits this season (13), while Katie Theisen has
tied her own school record for home runs (2).
Theisen is also No. 2 on the list for RBI (21), No. 4 for doubles (7)
and stolen bases (19), and is No. 6 on the list for hits (35). Kira Leaton is No. 2 on the single-season
walk (15) list, and is tied for fifth in doubles (6).
FINAL ROAD TRIP OF THE SEASON: The Lady ‘Yotes close
out the road schedule with their longest CCC trip of the season – meeting
preseason favorite Southern Oregon on Friday.
The Raiders (24-15, 9-4 CCC) have surged as of late, winning seven in a
row – thanks to a .393 batting average during the streak. CCC Player of the Week Tanisha Burch (.347 5
HR 19 RBI) went 6-for-9 with three homers and nine RBI in wins over Western
Baptist and Concordia. Pitchers Miranda
Gillespie (13-5 1.53 ERA) and Julianne Cree (6-6 1.52 ERA) have been rock-solid
over the last three weeks. Albertson
has, however, taken 2-of-3 games so far this season, but Southern holds a 13-5
all-time edge. It’s then off to Klamath
Falls and the annual twinbill at Oregon Tech. The Owls
(22-11-1, 8-5) have also won seven games in a row – thanks to the one-two
hitting punch of second-baseman Lisa Erwert (.411 5 HR 22 RBI) and shortstop
Amanda Doherty (.370 5 HR 26 RBI). The
offense has offset an average year in the circle for OIT, although Laura
Delplanche (12-7 3.48 ERA) was an All-CCC selection last year. Tech has won 2-of-3 over the ‘Yotes this
season and holds a commanding 15-2 all-time edge.
BIG HOMESTAND COMING UP: Albertson rounds out the
regular-season by playing their final ten games at home – over the span of less
than two weeks. The Lady ‘Yotes will
play non-conference doubleheaders against Northwest Nazarene and Simon Fraser
(along with an exhibition twinbill vs. Blue Mountain CC), along with CCC tilts
against Western Baptist, Concordia, and Eastern Oregon. Barring any rainouts, the Coyotes will
finish the year having played 53 counting games – the most in school history.
ABOUT THE COACH: Albertson
softball head coach Kelly Gibbons-McDonald is in her fourth season with
the Coyotes. Building the Lady ‘Yote
program from scratch, the University of Idaho graduate saw her team post a
winning record in just their sophomore season.
During her ten years at the collegiate level, she has compiled a
255-242-1 all-time record. While at
Washburn University in Kansas, she led the squad to NAIA Women’s College World
Series berths in both 1988 and 1989, winning four district titles, and helping
the college move in 1991 from the NAIA to the NCAA Division II. Gibbons earned District 10 Coach of the Year
honors in 1988, 1989, and 1990. She
also served as the Washburn head volleyball coach from 1987-97. Since moving to the Treasure Valley, the
Idaho Falls native coached two seasons at Nyssa (Ore.) High, along with one year
at Bishop Kelly High in Boise – with all three teams advancing to their
respective state tournaments.
MORE INFORMATION:
Updated information and statistics on the 2005 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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