CALDWELL, Idaho - The College of Idaho softball team takes on Oregon Tech Saturday and Sunday at Symms Field in Caldwell. This weekend's games were originally scheduled for Friday and Saturday but were rescheduled due to weather.
The Yotes are coming off a 2-2 series (2-1 in Cascade Conference counters) against No. 3 Southern Oregon last weekend. They are 11-4 overall and undefeated at home this season.
Live stats for this weekend are available
here.
At Southern Oregon
The Yotes started the series against the Raiders with a 2-0 win.
Kristin Paulazzo opened things up with a single in the fifth inning. An RBI single from
Kylie Smith sent her home to make the score 1-0.
Delaney Atkins added another in the sixth inning to make the score 2-0. The second game went into extra innings before the Raiders picked up a 5-4 victory.
In the first game, the Yotes out-hit the Raiders 6-1 and out-hit them 15-8 in the second game.
During the first game on the second day, the Yotes scored three in the second inning to go ahead and two more in the third, totaling 12 hits against four Raider pitchers.
Martha Tooley was the stand-out in the win, posting two double and an RBI. The Yotes fell 10-7 in the second game - which won't be counted in Cascade Conference play - led by Trystin Croft's two doubles and four RBI.
About Oregon Tech
The Owls of Oregon Tech are 11-5 on the season and 2-1 in Cascade Conference play. Earlier this week, they had two players named the Red Lion Cascade Conference Player of the Week.
Kelly Scott, a senior pitcher, improved to 7-2 on the year with two complete game victories, leading the Owls to a 3-1 weekend over Eastern Oregon University. Scott lowered her season ERA to just 1.23. Dre Sotelo, a junior right fielder, introduced herself to the Cascade Conference with a 7-for-11 effort at the plate, including five-RBI, two-doubles, and a two-run homer to help the Owls pass Eastern Oregon this past weekend.
The Owls are coming off a strong 2017 where they ended their season in Costa Mesa Bracket of the NAIA National Tournament, dropping their final game to No. 4 Marian and missing out on a ticket to the NAIA World Series. Earlier this season, they were picked to finish second - tied with Corban - in the Cascade Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Offense
Jordan Maddox is leading the team in slugging percentage with .957 this season and is second in batting average with .532. She has appeared in all the Yotes games so far this season.
Micha Fortune - appearing in eight games for the Yotes - has the team's highest batting average with .643.
Courtney Ellis leads the way in runs scored with 15 and is tied for second - with
Kylie Smith - for hits with 20.
Jordan Maddox leads in hits with 25 while
Delaney Atkins is fourth with 18 and
Kristin Paulazzo is fifth with 15. Maddox, Atkins and Paulazzo are tied for most RBI with 14 each.
Defense
Maddox is also leaving her mark on defense, leading the team in put-outs - with 68 - while playing first base. Catcher
Kylie Smith leads in assists with 30 and ties with Maddox for double plays with five.
Pitching
Colette Robert has been leading the way for the College of Idaho pitchers with an 8-1 record, including two of the Yotes' victories over Southern Oregon last weekend. She has a 1.48 ERA and has struck out 37 batters in 52 innings.
Sadee Sorensen, Hailey Hudson and
Ali Longoria have also picked up victories for the Yotes on the mound this season. Sorensen has struck out seven in 18 innings while Longoria has struck out five in 15 innings.
Success at Home
A year ago, C of I finished their home season with a 13-11 record - the 11th-straight season the Yotes have recorded a .500 or better record at Symms Field. During the 11-year stretch, C of I has a combined 163-82 record on their home diamond.
Looking Forward
After winning the 2017 CCC Championship, Southern Oregon was picked first in the CCC Preseason Coaches' Poll while the Yotes were picked fourth. The College of Idaho returned to the CCC playoffs after a two-year hiatus and advanced to the semi-finals.
The Yotes will face a tough conference schedule with two teams returning from a trip to the NAIA World Series and two teams in the top-five nationally.
The Lady Yotes have made seven postseason appearances in the 17-year history of the program - advancing to the CCC Championships in 2006, 2013, 2014 and 2017 - winning the title in 2013. The team qualified for the 2007 and 2008 NAIA Region I Tournaments - winning the 2008 title and losing in the title game in 2007.
Playoff Structure
The CCC Championships will once again be played at the home site of the regular-season champion – with the host receiving one of two automatic bids to the NAIA National Championships. The six-team tournament will be determined by the 27-game round-robin schedule – with the tourney champ earning the league's second bid to Nationals.
