Yote Notes – April 17, 2008

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

ATHLETIC NEWS:

TENNIS TEAM TO CLOSE OUT SEASON FRIDAY: The C of I women’s tennis team will close out their season on Friday with a match against Bellevue Community College – which will be held at Payette Middle School. The Lady Yotes (5-7) earned their second 9-0 victory of the season against Treasure Valley CC on Friday.

FIRST C OF I ALUMNI SOCCER TOURNAMENT: As part of the spring soccer Alumni Weekend, Coyote men’s soccer coach Brian Smith is hosting a golf tournament on Friday, May 2, at Warm Spring Golf Course in Boise.  Cost is $75 and includes green fees, a cart, barbeque, and other soccer alumni activities – to register, go online to https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/_secure/socceralumni.asp.  The following day (May 3), both the men’s and women’s soccer teams will be holding alumni scrimmages at Symms Field. 

BASEBALL (18-20): Coyotes head to “The Yard” for final time for key regional match-up at Concordia

LAST WEEK: at Oregon Tech (W 3-2, W 11-4, W 15-4, L 9-7)

COMING UP: at Concordia (DH), Saturday, 1 p.m. (PT); at Concordia (DH), Sunday, 11 a.m. (PT)

BARRY NAMED PITCHER OF THE WEEK: With a pair of quality relief appearances last week, Coyote right-hander Jason Barry (Castlegar, B.C. / U. of Northern Iowa) was named Cascade Conference Pitcher of the Week. The transfer allowed just one run in eight and two-thirds innings of work, allowing six hits, two walks, with 11 strikeouts. Barry allowed a single run in three innings against Lewis-Clark State, then picked up a win with five-plus innings of work against Oregon Tech, including a season-high eight strikeouts. His ERA has dipped since leaving the starting rotation – from 7.84 in late February, to his current spot a 4.06.

CHAMP EARNS CCC AND REGIONAL HONORS: The CCC and NAIA Region I Player of the Week honor also went to a C of I player, as Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) took the accolades. The junior hit .433 in the Yotes seven games, scoring six runs and knocking in six runs. Champ had a pair of stolen bases, a pair of doubles, a triple, and his first home run of the season – watching his batting average climb from .255 to .321.

REGIONAL/NATIONAL POLL: The NAIA Region I Coaches Poll remained the same this week, as Lewis-Clark State continues to sit in the No. 1 spot, followed by British Columbia and the Coyotes. Rounding out the balloting are Concordia, Oregon Tech, and Corban. The latest NAIA Top-25 saw Lubbock Christian in the No. 1 spot for the second-straight week, followed by L-C, Lee, Azusa Pacific, and Oklahoma City. The regional poll is released each Monday afternoon, with the national poll released on Wednesday’s.

IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY: If the Region I Tournament started today, Lewis-Clark State would be the top seed, followed by British Columbia, The C of I, and Concordia – with the event being held in Vancouver, B.C. However, the Yotes are just two games back of UBC for the hosting spot, with nine regional counters remaining.

BOTTARI CONTINUES TO PUT UP GOOSE-EGGS: Also pitching well was Jake Bottari (Wells, Nev. / Western Nevada CC), who picked up his second save of the season with four shutout innings of relief at Oregon Tech. The junior transfer has excelled out of the pen – tossing 14 and a third innings of scoreless relief, over his last six appearances. Bottari has allowed just eight hits during the span, walking just two batters and fanning 11. With the strong performances, he has watched his ERA drop from 6.35 to 3.96.

LONGSTANDING STREAKS IN REACH: With 14 games remaining in the regular season, a pair of long Coyote streaks look to be attainable for the 2008 C of I squad. With three regional wins, the Yotes will clinch a spot in the NAIA Region I Tournament – which would be the 22nd-straight postseason berth. If the Coyotes can win seven more games this season, they would reach the 25-win plateau for the 22nd-straight season – each of the years of competition since The C of I reinstated baseball in 1987.

HOME RUN BARRAGE: In Sunday’s opening game at Oregon Tech, the Coyotes won with the long ball, smacking a season-high five home runs in the 15-4 win. Five different players hit long balls – with a pair of two-run and a pair of three-run dingers. “We have a group of hitters that can put up big home run totals,” said skipper Shawn Humberger. “However, when we have played the first 35 games of the season in 40-50 degree weather, in constant rain and win blowing in, it is not conducive to hitting bunches of home runs. The weather broke this weekend, and with it came the homers.”

LAST TIME WITH FIVE HOMERS: It had been eight years since the Coyotes had hit five home runs in a game – dating back to the 2000 season, when The C of I hit a five-pack in a March win over Whitman. The Yotes had not hit four homers in a game since the 2002 season – when they smacked four long balls in a World Series win over Embry-Riddle.

STAT OF THE DAY: The Coyotes hit eight home runs as a team in the first 35 games this season, but have hit eight home runs in the last three games.

FINAL TRIP TO “THE YARD”: The Coyotes head to Portland this weekend for a key NAIA Region I series with Concordia – but it also marks their final trip to “The Yard”, CU’s home diamond. Following the season, the school will pave over the ball field, making room for a multi-million dollar library. Concordia will play their home games away from campus next season, with a new artificial surface facility set to be ready in 2010. The Yotes have not fared well at “The Yard” recently, losing 14 of the last 16 games played in Portland. Most of the games have been close, but the Coyotes have struggled with a 2-9 record in games decided by three runs or less on CU’s home field.

MORE ON THE CONCORDIA SERIES: The Cavaliers (11-18, 8-6) have dropped four-straight – all at home, but took 2-of-3 against the Yotes in Caldwell. Rob Vance’s club is led at the plate by outfielder Roberto Reyes (.345 20 RBI), catcher Ryan Sussenguth (.297 1 HR 24 RBI), and outfielder Ben Lanier (.288 3 HR 13 RBI). On the mound, Ben Rue (2-3 1.95) has been stellar, while Ross Conway (3-2 6.38 ERA) leads the team in wins. The two teams have met 88 times since 1987, with the Coyotes holding a 63-25 series edge.

REGION I TEAM STATISTICS: Batting Average – Lewis-Clark State .358, Concordia .289, College of Idaho .289, British Columbia .288, Oregon Tech .275, Corban .268; Earned Run Average – Lewis-Clark State 3.14, British Columbia 4.64, Oregon Tech 5.16, College of Idaho 5.37, Concordia 6.25, Corban 6.34; Fielding Percentage – Lewis-Clark State .965, Concordia .955, Corban .955, College of Idaho .952, British Columbia .948, Oregon Tech .936.

UPDATING THE RECORD BOOK: Three Coyotes have moved up the ladder on the Yotes career record book list. Dane McGrady (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) is No. 4 all-time in hit by pitches (44), Joey Zubizarreta (Boise, Idaho / Cochise CC) is No. 6 in appearances (64), with Luke Howarth (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) sitting in the No. 9 spot on the sacrifice hits (12) category.

SERIES AT OREGON TECH: Saturday - The C of I ended a five-game losing streak in a big way, sweeping Oregon Tech 3-2 and 11-4 at Kiger Stadium. Game 1 saw the Yotes score all of their runs in the third inning, as Bryan Champ had an RBI single, with a Brad Carlsen (Reno, Nev. / Western Nevada CC) ground ball booted by Tech shortstop Corey Spires, allowing two runs to score.  Spires would answer in the fourth with a two-run single, but that was all C of I starter Pat Lyon (Bonners Ferry, Idaho / Bonners Ferry HS) would allow - tossing his third complete game of the season, retiring the final ten batters in order. Champ led the way with a 2-for-4 outing, along with a triple, while OIT managed just five hits in the loss. Game 2 saw the Yotes muscle up for the win.  Cody Brubaker (Post Falls, Idaho / Spokane Falls CC) hit a two-run home run in the second, and Carlsen added a three-run shot in the ninth - while Jake Miller (Idaho Falls, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) had three doubles and a key outfield assist early in the game to keep Tech at bay. Joey Zubizarreta gutted out five innings to notch the win, while Jake Bottari pitched four scoreless innings of relief to pick up his second save of the season.  Miller went 4-for-6 in the win, with Luke Howarth and Dane McGrady both having multi-hit games.  OIT was led by the 3-for-4 effort of Trenton Smith. Sunday – The Yotes blasted five long balls in a 15-4 NAIA Region I counting victory over Oregon Tech at Kiger Stadium, while OIT was able to win the non-region night-cap, 9-7, ending a 16-game losing streak to The C of I. The Owls jumped ahead early, taking a 3-1 lead in the second, but the Yotes fought back quick. Champ hit a two-run homer to tie the game, and two batters later, Miller added a two-run shot of his own to give the Coyotes the lead for good. A three-run Richie Snider (Sandpoint, Idaho / Porterville CC) homer in the fourth made it 9-4, with a three-run bomb by Devin Weaver (Boise, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) in the sixth capped a five-run rally to make it 14-4.  Freshman Gavin Gamboa capped the scoring with a solo homer in the ninth. Jason Barry was stellar in long relief, pitching five and two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, walking two, and fanning eight.  Jacob Garsez (Caldwell, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC) was 3-for-5 with an RBI and Miller was 3-for-6 with two RBI in the win for the Yotes. Game 2 saw OIT score all nine of their runs in the middle innings of the seven inning game - as Sean Teaters hit a two-run homer in the third and Lee Eklund added a two-run single in the fourth.  The Yotes would battle back, making it a two-run ball game in the seventh on a Perry Hamilton (Buhl, Idaho / Blue Mountain CC) home run and brought the tying run to the plate, but Mike Myhre got the final out to close out the win for Tech. Miller, Weaver, Hamilton, and Matt Mejia (Ontario, Ore. / Eastern Oregon U.) each had two hits for the Yotes.

ABOUT THE COACH: The 2008 season marks the 21st year in The College of Idaho baseball program for head coach Shawn Humberger, his eighth year as Coyote skipper. Last season, he led the squad to a 31-17 mark, their third-straight Cascade Conference championship, and a runner-up finish at the NAIA Region I Tournament. During his tenure, Humberger has compiled a 254-177-1 record, including a third-place finish at the 2002 NAIA World Series. He has been named CCC Baseball Coach of the Year in 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2007, along with earning NAIA Region I Coach-of-the-Year and CCC Men's Coach-of-the-Year for all sports in 2002.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyote baseball program, head to the official homepage of the Yotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/baseball.htm.

SOFTBALL (17-16, 6-10): Lady Yotes begin stretch of must-win games with Saturday twinbill at NW Christian

LAST WEEK: at Corban (W 11-3, L 11-9), at Concordia (L 3-2, L 7-0), vs. Great Falls (W 4-0, W 7-2)

COMING UP: at Northwest Christian (DH), Saturday, 11 a.m. (PT)

LADY YOTES OUT OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL POLL: For the first time in nearly two seasons, The C of I softball team has fallen out of the NAIA Region I poll. When the weekly poll was released on Monday, Simon Fraser had the top spot, followed by Oregon Tech, Concordia, Southern Oregon, and Corban – ending a string of 14-straight weeks in the rankings. The NAIA released its fifth Top-25 Coaches Poll of the regular-season, with Cal Baptist ranked No. 1 in the national poll, followed by Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), St. Gregory’s (Okla.), Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.), and Oklahoma City. Three NAIA Region I teams are in the poll – No. 12 ranked Simon Fraser, No. 21 Oregon Tech, and No. 26 Concordia.

PREVIOUS APRIL TROUBLES: Throughout the short history of C of I softball, April has been the tough month for the Lady Yotes. During the first five years, the Coyotes recorded just a 28-73 record in April – including winning just three games during both the 2002 and 2005 seasons, so the 4-8 start to the month is nothing new. However, The C of I would like to rebound and repeat last season, when the Yotes went 15-3 during April.

PLAYOFF PICTURE: With just three weeks of the regular-season remaining, the Lady Yotes are in jeopardy of missing the regional tournament. The C of I sits three full games out of third-place, with just eight games remaining – having to leapfrog both Corban and Southern Oregon to reach the postseason for the third-straight year. Oregon Tech and Concordia have all but secured a spot with Simon Fraser in the regional, while Southern has a tough road – games at Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, and the C of I – while the Yotes play six of their final eight at home. Corban makes the trip south to OIT and Southern this weekend, while hosting Northwest Christian and Concordia to end the season.

IN CONFERENCE COUNTERS: The troubles for the Yotes have come in their 16 league games this season, where The C of I has managed a meager .256 batting average, while their pitchers have combined for a 3.72 ERA. Three players are hitting .333 or higher in league – Dani Villyard (Kent, Wash. / Kentlake HS), who is hitting .390 with five home runs and 19 RBI, Katie Zillner (Emmett, Idaho / Chicago State U.), who is hitting .348 with six RBI, and Haley Butcher (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), who it hitting .333 with eight RBI. As a team, the Yotes have hit 13 home runs in league play – but have recorded just 11 other extra-base hits.

ZILLNER NEARS 500 STRIKEOUT MARK: With her third career game with 15 or more strikeouts on Tuesday against Great Falls, Katie Zillner is inches away from becoming the first Lady Yote pitcher to record 500 strikeouts in a career. The senior has 499 strikeouts going into the weekend series at Northwest Christian – 38-percent of all the strikeouts recorded by C of I pitchers in program history. Zillner also recorded her 24th career game with ten-or-more strikeouts and currently ranks among the national leaders in strikeouts per seven innings (11.12).

MUST WIN GAMES IN RAIN AT NCC: If the Lady Yotes have any hopes of returning to the postseason, they must sweep a doubleheader Saturday at Northwest Christian. The Beacons (9-24, 2-12 CCC), however, will be hard pressed to get the games in – as an 80-percent chance of thunderstorms and temperatures in the lower 40s are forecast in Eugene. Leading NCC this season offensively are Cassie Bishop (.358 5 HR 11 RBI) and Cotie Howard (.286 2 HR 18 RBI), while pitcher Darci Byrne (7-11 2.62 ERA) has been solid in CCC play – including a 1-0 shutout win over the Yotes in Caldwell. The two teams have met 13 previous times, with the Coyotes holding an 8-5 series edge, including a 3-1 mark on NCC’s home field.

CONFERENCE LEADERS: Three Lady Yotes are among the leaders in the CCC – as Katie Zillner leads the loop in shutouts (5), and strikeouts per seven innings (11.12), while ranking second in ERA (1.59) and strikeouts (161), and third in wins (10). Haley Butcher ranks second in doubles (11) and third in batting average (.374), with Dani Villyard third in the loop in home runs (5), and fourth in both batting average (.366) and RBI (24).

CONFERENCE TEAM STATISTICS: Batting Average – Oregon Tech .316, Concordia .279, College of Idaho .267, Eastern Oregon .263, Corban .259, Southern Oregon .247, Northwest Christian .235; Earned Run Average –Oregon Tech 1.99, College of Idaho 2.64, Concordia 2.78, Corban 3.57, Northwest Christian 3.76, Eastern Oregon 4.16, Southern Oregon 4.33; Fielding Percentage – Oregon Tech .959, Concordia .956, Corban .946, Southern Oregon .945, Eastern Oregon .945, College of Idaho. 940, Northwest Christian .926.

YOTES SPLIT AT CORBAN: Dani Villyard went 6-for-8 with six RBI in the doubleheader, but the Lady Yotes managed just a split of last Friday's twinbill with Corban College, winning the opener, 11-3, but losing the nightcap, 11-9, in Salem, Ore. The opener was dominated by Villyard, who tied a school record with four hits - including her team-leading fifth home run of the season.  Donnae Carrell (Caldwell, Idaho / Middleton HS) went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI, including her first collegiate homer, as the Lady Yotes used a four-run fifth inning to blow the game open. Katie Zillner got the win in the circle, striking out nine batters to win her ninth game of the season. Game 2 saw the Warriors jump out to an 8-2 lead after three innings - but the Lady Yotes would rally, tying the game in the sixth on a Villyard RBI single.  However, Lindsay Batey untied the game with a three-run homer in the bottom of the frame, to give Corban an 11-8 lead.  Stacy Smith (Draper, Utah / Juan Diego HS) would hit a solo homer in the seventh and the Yotes would have the tying runs aboard, but could not get the clutch hit. Zillner went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the nightcap.

SWEPT AT CONCORDIA: Danielle Pulfrey allowed just three hits and struck out ten in a pair of complete game victories for Concordia University, as the Cavaliers swept The C of I, 3-2 and 7-0, Saturday afternoon at Delta Park. Game 1 started strong for the Coyotes, as Donnae Carrell led off the game with a solo home run, with a solo shot from Sammy Dodge (Mountain Home, Idaho / Mountain Home HS) in the third giving The C of I a 2-0 lead.  It wouldn't last long, as the Cavaliers got single runs in the third and fourth to tie the game, then got a two-out Rebecca Wirkkala single in the bottom of the seventh inning to plate Denise Benedict for the winning run. Game 2 was all CU, as Pulfrey retired the first 11 batters in a row - tossing the shutout.  Sam Deline went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the win for the Cavaliers.

BACK OVER .500 WITH SWEEP OF GREAT FALLS: Katie Zillner tossed six-hit shutout in the opener and the Coyotes used a five-run two-out rally in the sixth inning of Game 2 to complete a non-conference sweep of the University of Great Falls, winning 4-0 and 7-2, Tuesday at Symms Field. The senior struck out 15 batters in the Game 1 win for the Lady Yotes - stranding runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to pick up her tenth win of the season.  The Yotes got all the runs they needed in the first - as Haley Butcher laced a two-run single through the left side and Kalie Kurdy (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) had a run-scoring single into left field.  Kurdy had two hits for The C of I, while Erica McAlmond went 2-for-2 for the Argonauts. Game 2 saw the Coyotes ride a strong pitching performance from freshman Donnae Carrell and used the late inning rally to complete the sweep. Carrell, who had tossed seven-plus innings of work, all in relief, coming into the day, allowed just one earned run in the complete game win. UGF got on the board first, as McAlmond singled into center field in the opening frame, picking up Samantha Schultz, who had beat out an infield single earlier in the frame.  Carrell would help her own cause, scoring on a passed ball in the bottom of the inning to knot the score at 1-1. The Yotes would take a 2-1 lead in the third as Katy Luetke (Yreka, Calif. / Mendocino CC) led off with a triple and scored on a Stephanie Stover (Caldwell, Idaho / U. of Nevada) single, but the Argos would tie it on a McAlmond sacrifice fly in the fifth. With two outs in the sixth, the Lady Yotes would see eight-straight batters reach base against two UGF pitchers.  Zillner blooped an opposite field single, with Stacy Smith being plunked by a pitch and Butcher walking.  Pinch hitter Dani Villyard rapped a single through Schultz's glove a short to give the Yotes a 3-2 lead, with Kurdy walking with the sacks full to make it 4-2.  Luetke added an RBI single and pinch hitter Caylin LePire (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS) laced a two-run single to cap the scoring. Luetke had two hits for the Yotes, while Sonja Barone had a pair of safeties for the visitors from Montana.

ABOUT THE COACH: Al Mendiola is in his third year as head coach of The College of Idaho softball program and has a 72-53 all-time record – already the all-time winningest coach in C of I history. The native of San Diego, Calif. has helped the Lady Yotes become a force in Northwest softball, leading The C of I to back-to-back playoff appearances, including the 2007 Cascade Conference championship. Following the season, Mendiola was honored as CCC and NAIA Region I Coach of the Year after the Coyotes set a school record with 37 wins, climbing to as high as No. 14 in the NAIA poll, an advanced to the regional title game. A 1994 graduate of The C of I, Mendiola played two seasons of baseball for head coach Tim Mooney, earning honorable mention NAIA All-America honors as a senior.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyote softball program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/fastpitch.htm.

TRACK: Hopper hits “A” mark in 1,500, Yotes set for Western Oregon Twilight

LAST WEEK: at Chico State Distance Carnival, Chico, Calif.

COMING UP: at Western Oregon Twilight, Monmouth, Ore.

HOPPER HITS AUTO QUALIFIER IN CALIFORNIA: Racing against some of the best NCAA Division II competition, Tyler Hopper (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) staked claim as one of the top middle distance runners in the West, winning the open 1,500-meter event, while placing second in the 800-meters at the Chico State Distance Carnival. The senior recorded the second-fastest 1,500 time in the NAIA this spring, meeting the NAIA “A” mark with his winning 3:53.82 time, defeating a field of 38. In the 800, Hopper hit the NAIA “B” mark with a seasonal best 1:53.76.

CHLEBECK HITS “B”, SAUNDERS SETS RECORD: Also running well in Chico was Jesse Chlebeck (Eagan, Minn. / Eagan HS) and Jayne Saunders (Emmett, Idaho / Emmett HS). Chlebeck hit the NAIA “B” mark in the 5,000-meters, placing 12th in 15:06.27, while Saunders had a quality double – setting a school record in the 800-meters on Friday (2:18.56), then taking second on Saturday in the 400-hurdles (1:06.03).

WESTERN OREGON HOSTS EVENING MEET: The Coyotes will head to the Willamette Valley for the second time this season, traveling to Western Oregon University for the WOU Twilight on Friday evening. The C of I will compete primarily against the Division II Wolves, along with a pair of D-I teams (Portland and Portland State), Cascade Conference rivals Concordia and Eastern Oregon, along with Clackamas and Clark CC’s. The key races will be the 5,000 meters for both the men and the women, as Tyler Hopper looks to improve on his “B” national mark, while both Katie Ball (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) and Stephanie Helm (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS) look to become the first women to earn a spot at the national championships.

TOP-FIVE MARKS IN CASCADE CONFERENCE: Three different C of I men and five different C of I women rank in the top-five among Cascade Conference athletes in the latest top-time report, released Tuesday by the league office - including three No. 1 rankings.  On the men's side, Tyler Hopper holds the top times in the CCC in both the 800 (1:53.76) and 1,500 (3:53.82), while having the second-fastest time in the 5,000 (15:01.19). Jesse Chlebeck has the third-fastest time in the 5,000 (15:06.27), while Sam Finch (Redding, Calif. / Foothill HS) is fourth in the long jump (21-11). Leading the loop on the women’s side is Jayne Saunders, who has the fastest 800-meter time (2:18.56), along with the second-fastest 400-hurdles (1:05.86) time. Also in the Top-5 are Stephanie Sparks (West Jordan, Utah / Juan Diego HS), who has the second-fastest 800-meter (2:19.94) time, Stephanie Helm, who has the third-fastest time in the 1,500-meters (4:51.71) and the 5,000-meters (18:31.19), with Katie Ball fifth in the 1,500-meters (4:54.61), and Chantel Varland (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS), who is fourth in the 5,000 (19:02.70).

NATIONAL QUALIFIERS: NAIA "A" - Tyler Gross (Buffalo, N.Y. / Springfield Griffith Inst.), Tyler Hopper (1,500-meters); NAIA "B" - Tyler Hopper (800-meters, 5,000-meters), Jesse Chlebeck (5,000-meters).

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyote track and field team, head to the official homepage of the Yotes - www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/track.htm.