‘Yote Notes – Apr. 5,
2006
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Mike Safford Jr. – Sports
Info. Director
msafford@collegeofidaho.edu
ATHLETICS:
TENNIS HEADS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: The
Albertson College tennis team will take their 2-3 record on the road for Spring
Break, hoping to play three matches in Southern California. The original schedule had the Lady ‘Yotes
playing matches against NCAA Division III schools La Verne and Whittier, and
NCCAA school, La Sierra – however, conflicts with the schedule may arise.
GOLF HEADS TO LEWISTON: The ACI men’s and women’s
golf team will spend Spring Break in Lewiston for the Lewis-Clark State Open at
Bryden Canyon Golf Club. It will be the
first of two tournaments that the Coyotes will play this spring in preparation
for the NAIA Region I tournament at Christina Lakes, B.C.
EASTER EGG HUNT: The ACI softball team will be
hosting an Easter Egg hunt on April 16 (Easter Sunday) prior to their
doubleheader against Utah Valley State.
It will take place in the outfield of the Symms Field softball field at
10 a.m. For more information, contact Al
Mendiola at 459-5113.
BASEBALL (23-7): No. 19 ranked Coyotes head to Canada to tangle with
No. 10 ranked British Columbia
LAST WEEK: vs. Northwest Nazarene (W 9-1, W
7-1, W 21-1, L 2-1)
COMING UP: at No. 10 British Columbia (DH),
Saturday, Noon (PDT); at No. 10 British Columbia (DH), Sunday, Noon (PDT), at
Puget Sound, Monday, 3 p.m. (PDT)
COYOTES
CLIMB TO NO. 19: For the second-consecutive
week, the Albertson College baseball team was a member of the NAIA Top-25 poll,
as the Coyotes moved to No. 19 in the rankings release today. Last week, ACI ended a three-year drought
from the poll when they earned a No. 20 ranking. The ‘Yotes received a total of 176 voter points this week – 61
more than they did last week. Two other
NAIA Region I teams were in the poll – No. 1 ranked Lewis-Clark State and No.
10 ranked British Columbia.
ROACH, BURKE
EARN WEEKLY HONORS: Albertson College swept the
Cascade Conference and NAIA Region I pitcher and player of the week awards for
the second-straight week, thanks to an outstanding weekend against Northwest
Nazarene. Jason Roach (Sacramento, Calif. /
Sacramento City CC) won the pitchers’ award for
the second-straight week, as he fanned 13 batters in a complete game
four-hitter in a 7-1 victory over NNU.
The junior has allowed just one earned run in his last 27 innings of
work, striking out 37 batters during that stretch, lowering he season ERA to
1.42, the second-best mark in the NAIA Region I. On the hitters’ side, Pat Burke (Sisters, Ore. / Sisters HS) picked up
the honor for the second time in his career.
The junior catcher hit 8-for-16 during the week with three doubles, four
runs scored, and five RBI. Burke has
hit safely in ten of the last 11 games, raising his batting average to .365.
REGULAR-SEASON
TITLE HOPES REST IN CANADA SERIES: If ACI
has any chance of winning the NAIA Region I regular-season title and host
rights to the regional tournament, they must play well this weekend at British Columbia. The No. 10 ranked T-Birds (24-7, 15-0) have
not lost a regional fray this season, including sweeping a four-game set from
the ‘Yotes in early March. UBC is the
best hitting club in the region (.344) – thanks to the play of third-baseman
Davey Wallace (.410 14 RBI), first-baseman Connor Janes (.378 7 HR 22 RBI), and
second-baseman Mark Capone (.363 2 HR 28 RBI).
The left-handers in the UBC rotation caused fits for the ‘Yotes last
time around – as Jeff Tobin (5-0 1.53 ERA) and Shawn Schaefer (5-1 1.96 ERA)
have been stellar, as has the T-Birds defense (.967 fielding percentage), which
is the tops in the region. Three wins
by the Coyotes would pull ACI within one and a half games of UBC in the pennant
chase.
PITCHING CONTINUES TO BE THE KEY: With the
Coyotes off to their best start since the 2002 season, the key to the success
starts on the mound. Through 30 games,
Albertson has a team ERA of 2.76 – having already tossed six shutouts, with ten
different pitchers having ERA’s under 4.00.
This year, opponents are hitting just .234 against Coyote pitching, the
staff has allowed just eight home runs, while having a better than a 1-to-2
walks-to-strikeouts ratio.
TRANSFER HAS BEEN “A+” AT SHORTSTOP: Another
key for the ‘Yotes has been the stellar play of new shortstop Casey Oliver (Pocatello,
Idaho / College of So. Idaho). The
junior has stepped into his role remarkably, leading the NAIA Region I with a
.423 batting average, 44 hits, and 12 doubles, while recording just six errors
in 131 chances. In 51 games last
season, Coyote shortstops combined to commit 34 errors. He has hit safely in 14 consecutive games,
tops on the team.
DOMINATION OF NORTHWEST NAZARENE: Since
1948, ACI has defeated Northwest Nazarene 152 times in 207 meetings with one
tie – the series in 2006 was no different, as the Coyotes took 5-of-6 games
from their Canyon County rival. The ‘Yotes
outscored NNU 72-14 in the six-game set, held an 81-36 edge in hits, and a 30-2
edge in doubles. Doing the most damage
for ACI was sophomore Ren Lombardo (Boise, Idaho / Oregon State U.),
who went 11-for-19 with four doubles against the Crusaders – one of five ‘Yotes
who posted eight-or-more hits.
‘YOTES RETAIN THE PULASKI: Coyote
head coach Shawn Humberger will retain the ACI-NNU Pulaski, a
combination axe and mattock that is used to fight forest fires, donated by the
U.S. Forest Service, for the next year.
The Pulaski is the traveling trophy for the winning team in the yearly
ACI-NNU baseball rivalry.
COYOTES PLAY WELL UNDER THE LIGHTS: Outstanding
starting pitching continued to be the name of the game for the Albertson
College hardballers, as the Coyotes swept a twinbill from Northwest Nazarene,
9-1 and 7-1 under the lights Friday at Elmore Vail Field. With the wins, the Coyotes extended their
win streak to a season-best 12 games. Charlie
Strandlund (Victoria, B.C. /
Coll. of Southern Idaho) was outstanding in the opener, going seven
innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits with three strikeouts.
His offense staked him out to a 4-0 lead, thanks to a 2-for-4, three RBI game
from junior Pat Burke. Freshman Brian Champ (Boise, Idaho /
Borah HS) reached base in all five plate appearances, including a pair of
run scoring doubles. Game 2 saw
left-hander Jason Roach even outwork Strandlund, as the junior transfer tossed
a four-hit complete game win, fanning a career-high 13 men. ACI used a four-run fourth to put the game
away, as Nic Florence (Boise, Idaho / Cochise CC) rapped an RBI
double, Luke Howarth (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) executed a
safety-squeeze, Jake McGrady (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) hit a
sacrifice fly, and Greg Stalling (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) laced
an RBI double. Stalling went 3-for-4 in
the victory, along with picking up his 20th stolen base of the
season. Skyler Mantz went 3-for-7 in the doubleheader for the Crusaders
(11-15).
21 IS ENOUGH, 1 ISN’T: Albertson College scored
their most runs in four seasons in the opener, but saw their 13-game win streak
snapped in the nightcap, as the Coyotes took Game 1 21-1, but Northwest
Nazarene took Game 2, 2-1, at Simplot Stadium.
The 21 runs in the opener for the ‘Yotes was the most since a 24-6 win
over Eastern Oregon in 2002. Albertson opened up a 16-0 lead after five
innings and were never threatened. Dane
McGrady (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) went 4-for-4 with three doubles,
four runs and five RBI, while both Ren Lombardo and Pat Burke each recorded
four hits. Every ACI batter either scored a run or recorded a hit. Carson Taysom (Pocatello, Idaho /
Century HS) improved to 4-0 on the season with five-plus innings of
four-hit ball. The junior has not allowed an earned run in his last 19
innings of work. Game 2 was a
seven-inning pitchers dual, as Nick Patee kept the Coyotes off-balance.
The senior allowed just four hits and struck out two to pick up his fifth win. NNU scored twice in the first of ACI starter
James Porter (Greenleaf, Idaho / NW Nazarene U.), as Harold
Schulz laced an RBI single and Eric Duke scored on a Levi Shumway safety
squeeze to make it 2-0. Patee would only allow a Burke RBI double in the
second and stranded the would-be tying run in scoring position in both the
sixth and seventh innings.
‘YOTES AMONG THE CAREER RECORD BOOK: Four
Coyotes have joined the top-ten career list so far this season. Greg Stalling ranks among the top-ten
all-time in nine categories – holding the record for career walks (134), is
second in stolen bases (85 – just one off the record), is third in hits (241)
runs (202 – just four off the record), at bats (689), hit by pitches (38),
games played (195), and games started (191), and is seventh in doubles (41). Jake McGrady ranks third all-time in stolen
bases (63), is fifth in games started (168), is sixth in sacrifice bunts (16),
at bats (624), and games played (185), is seventh in all-time hits (197), and
is tenth in runs (133). Nate Freese
(Vancouver, Wash. / Skyview HS) sits in third-place in all-time saves
(9) and in doubles (45), is fifth in all-time in hit-by-pitches (29), eighth in
at bats (573) and games started (157), and tenth in hits (171) and games played
(170). Rounding out the group is Lars Alsager (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview
HS), who ranks third all-time in appearances by a pitcher (70).
SINGLE COUNTER AT PUGET SOUND: Albertson
will finish up their road trip with a single game on Monday afternoon at the University
of Puget Sound. The ‘Yotes tangled
with the Loggers (9-16) back in February, with ACI winning all three games of
the series in Tacoma (which was originally scheduled for Caldwell). Shaun Messerli (.337 4 HR 17 RBI) leads the
UPS attack, which boasts a .247 team batting average. The UPS pitching staff, which has a solid 4.25 ERA will most
likely staff the game, as they will be coming off a three-game home series over
the weekend with George Fox. It will be
the 26th meeting between the teams, with ACI holding a 20-5 edge.
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 (10-11): Eight-game road trip begins with CCC games at
Concordia and Corban
LAST WEEK: vs. Oregon Tech (L 3-2, L 5-4),
vs. No. 22 Southern Oregon (W 6-3, L 13-5)
COMING UP: at Concordia (DH), Friday, 2 p.m.
(PDT); at Corban (DH), Saturday, Noon (PDT); at Northwest Christian (DH),
Monday, 11 a.m. (PDT); at No. 4 Simon Fraser (DH), Tuesday, 2 p.m. (PDT)
REGIONALLY RANKED: For just the third time in school
history, the Albertson College softball team was ranked in the NAIA Region I
weekly coaches poll. The Coyotes were
ranked fifth this week, behind Simon Fraser (No. 4 nationally), Southern Oregon
(No. 22 nationally), Oregon Tech, and Concordia – it was the second-straight
week that ACI has been in the regional poll.
Last season, ACI was fifth after the second polling period of the
season, but then dropped out of the rankings.
COYOTES SPLIT WITH NO. 22 SOUTHERN: Freshman Stacy Smith (Draper, Utah / Juan Diego HS) hit
a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, capping a
four-run frame, as Albertson College upset No. 22 ranked Southern Oregon, 6-3, Saturday
at Symms Field. The Raiders would rally to take the nightcap, 13-5. Trailing 3-2 in the seventh, the Coyotes got an A.J.
Cavanaugh (Covington, Wash. / Kentwood HS) single to start the
frame. After a pair of outs, pinch runner Stephanie Stover (Caldwell,
Idaho / U. of Nevada) took second on a wild pitch and Katie Theisen (Boise,
Idaho / Centennial HS) walked. Freshman Haley Butcher (Eagle,
Idaho / Eagle HS) rapped a 3-2 pitch into left, scoring Stover to tie the
game. Smith followed on the next pitch with a moon-shot to left – the
first game-winning homer in program history.
Game 2 saw ACI
jump out to a 3-0 lead, keyed by a Katie Zillner (Emmett, Idaho /
Chicago State U.) two-run homer. However, the Raiders would
tally five in the fourth, thanks to a two-run Natalie Nielsen homer and a Deni
Rowley inside-the-park home run.
The Lady ‘Yotes
wouldn’t quit, as Smith led off the fourth with her second homer of the day, as
ACI knotted the score at 5-5. However, a Megan Holley two-run shot in the
sixth helped Southern take the lead for good. Rowley
went 4-for-5 with three runs scored in Game 2 for SOU, with Nielsen adding a
3-for-4 game. Smith went 3-for-5 with five RBI in the twinbill for ACI,
with Zillner going 4-for-8.
SMITH SHATTERS RECORD: Home runs were not a thing
of the previous four seasons of fastpitch softball at ACI, but have taken
center stage this season for the Lady ‘Yotes.
As a team, the Coyotes have hit 14 home runs this season, three more
than the 2002-05 teams hit combined.
Even more impressive is the numbers that Stacy Smith has recorded,
blasting six home runs in the first 21 games this season, tying her for the top
spot in the Cascade Conference. Just
behind Smith is A.J. Cavanaugh, who has hit four dingers. Both have hit home runs in each game of a
doubleheader, something that had never been done prior to this season.
TOUGH ONE-RUN LOSSES TO TECH: Oregon
Tech remained perfect one the Cascade Conference softball season, sweeping
Albertson College 3-2 and 5-4 Friday afternoon at Symms Field. The Owls got a Brittany Shlee bloop single
down the right field line in the fifth inning of the opener to get the victory,
as Jenni Bittle went the distance, striking out six Albertson batters. ACI got an RBI single from Katie Theisen and an RBI double
from Lisa Stout (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) to erase an early
2-0 OIT lead, but could not capitalize late in the game, as Bittle retired the
last seven in a row. Game 2 was a wild affair, as OIT got
an RBI double from Lisa Erwert, part of her 3-for-4, three RBI nightcap, and an
RBI single from Amanda Doherty in the seventh to take a 4-1 lead.
However, the Lady ‘Yotes would tally three times in the bottom of the frame,
the last two runs coming on a Katie Zillner single to send the game to extra
innings. In the eighth, a two-out RBI double
from Megan Erner was the game-winner, as the Coyotes squandered a first-and-third,
one out chance in the bottom of the frame.
THEISEN BREAKING OUT: Two-time All-Region I
selection Katie Theisen got off to a tough start in 2006, but has turned it on
during Cascade Conference play. The
senior was hitting just .162 heading into the league opener, but a 9-for-19 clip
in the six league frays has upped her average to .273 this season. Already the school leader in all-time
doubles and triples, Theisen is currently tied for the career hits record with
136, and ranks second all-time in runs (62 – two away from the record) and RBI
(65 – four away from the record).
NO SHUTOUTS: Through the first 21 games this
season, the ACI softball team has scored at least one run in every
contest. Dating back to last season,
the Lady ‘Yotes have run their consecutive game streak without being shutout to
25 – a school record. The previous mark
was 15 games, set during the 2004 season.
WILLAMETTE VALLEY ROADIES: The Lady ‘Yotes
will take their 3-3 Cascade Conference record on the road this weekend,
beginning with a Friday doubleheader at Concordia. The Cavaliers (15-16, 3-3 CCC) opened the
season with an 11-2 mark, but hit a rut in the road, losing 13-of-15 games
before winning a pair of lopsided games at Corban last Friday. Concordia is led at the plate by the speedy
duo of Denise Benedict (.405 7 RBI 9 SB) and Brynn Ludwig (.353 2 HR 14 RBI 11
SB), while Kristin Donohue (.377 1 HR 16 RBI) provides some pop in the
bat. In the circle, Annele Huckins
(10-7 1.79 ERA 123 K) has been very consistent this spring. Game 1 on Friday will be the 20th
meeting between the teams, with ACI holding a 11-8 edge. Saturday, the caravan moves south to Corban,
where the ‘Yotes will tangle with the Warriors (3-15, 1-5). Led by Laura Santie (.375 2 HR 14 RBI) and
Rachel Hiatt (.425 9 RBI, 3-6 5.66 ERA), Corban has been able to score runs
this season – however, opponents have recorded 8-or-more runs in eight of the
18 games this season. The teams have
played ten times in the past, with the Warriors holding a 7-3 all-time series
edge.
SPRING BREAK TILTS VS. BEACONS AND CLAN: Albertson
continues the spring break trip Monday and Tuesday, playing non-conference
counters at Northwest Christian and Simon Fraser. Monday’s game vs. the Beacons (13-11) will
be a rematch from a March doubleheader that the two teams split. NCC is coming off a pair of losses to Oregon
Tech (11-2, 8-0) in Eugene. Tuesday,
the Coyotes head to the aptly named Softball City to meet the Clan (19-1), the
defending NAIA champs. SFU has never
lost to ACI, although the ‘Yotes lost a tough 2-1 decision to the Canadian
school in early March.
MORE
INFORMATION:
Updated information and statistics on the 2006 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.
TRACK: Five runners among Top-5 in CCC performance lists,
Coyotes off to Willamette Distance Carnival and NNU Open
LAST
WEEK: at Western
Oregon University Open
COMING
UP: at Willamette
Distance Carnival, Friday, at Northwest Nazarene Open, Saturday.
HOPPER LEADS ‘YOTES CONTINGENT AT WESTERN OREGON: Tyler
Hopper took home titles in both the 800 and 1,500-meter races as
the Albertson College track team had another solid showing at the Western
Oregon Open. Hopper outdistanced the
field Friday night in the 1,500 in a time of 4:03.66, then was less than a
second off the NAIA “B” qualifying time with his victory in 1:55.67 this
afternoon. Also faring well on the men’s
side was David Fluckiger, who placed third in the 800-meters in 1:58.08,
while Matt Barclay was less than a second off the “B” qualifying time in
the 400-meters (49.85). A pair of women
placed in the Top-3, as Shannon Edwards was third in Friday night’s
1,500-meters in 4:51.73, while Jayne Saunders was third in the 400-meter
hurdles (1:07.74).
COYOTES HEAD IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS: The Albertson College track and field team will split up this weekend, with half of the team competing in Salem, Ore. at the Willamette Distance Carnival, while the remaining members of the team competing in Canyon County at the Northwest Nazarene Open. Heading out of town will be the ‘Yotes top long-distance runners – as Shannon Edwards and Natalie Hatch on the women’s side and Jacob Haas and Jesse Chlebeck on the men’s side will be competing in the 10,000-meters – gunning for NAIA championship qualifying times. Also heading to Willamette is David Fluckiger and Katie Ball – who will look to qualify in very competitive 1,500-meter races.
FIVE
COYOTES AMONG CCC BEST: After the first full week of competition among the Cascade Conference
schools, ACI has five different athletes among the league’s top-five marks,
along with four relay teams. Shannon
Edwards has the fastest time in the CCC in the 1,500-meters (4:51.73), with
freshman Jayne Saunders having the fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles
(1:07.74). Katie Ball ranks second in
the loop in both the 800 (2:23.76) and the 1,500-meters (4:58.48), while Tyler
Hopper is third in the 800-meters (1:55.67). Rounding out the group is Matt Barclay, who is second in the
400-meters (49.85) and fourth in the 200-meters (23.63). The men’s and women’s 4x800-meter relay teams
both have the CCC’s top mark, while the women’s 4x400 relay is second – with
the men’s relay placing fifth.
NATIONAL
MARKS: Matt Barclay
is the Coyote with the closest time thus far to securing a spot at the NAIA
Outdoor Championships, needing to shave less than a second in the 400-meters. Other Coyotes closing in on national spots
are Jayne Saunders in the 400-hurdles and Tyler Hopper in the 800 – both needing
to run less than two seconds faster in their respective races.
MORE INFORMATION: Updated information and
statistics on the 2006 track team can be found on Albertson track official
website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/track.htm.
- ALBERTSON -