2021 Softball Notebook (Week 4)

GAME COVERAGE: Every game this weekend will be covered with Live Video on the Yotes Digital Network. Fans can purchase a single game pass for $7.99, a day pass for $8.99 or a season pass for $29.99. Live Stats will be provided on the C of I Stretch Internet Portal for all C of I games.

COMPLETE MEDIA GAME NOTES
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW - NORTHWEST: The Eagles started their season last week at Oregon Tech, with the Owls taking all four games. Sammi Caron went 4-for-10 with an RBI for Northwest in the series, with Deanna Johnson going 2-for-6 with a double. Becca Rennick (0-2, 10.04 ERA) started two games in Klamath Falls in the circle, while Sydney Maurer (0-1, 7.00 ERA) and Abby Brake (0-1, 12.16 ERA) each started a game as well. Last season the Yotes took three out of four games in Caldwell against the Eagles.
 
PROTECTING THE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Prior to this year, C of I has posted a winning record at home for 14 consecutive seasons, combining for a record of 196-99 over that time span, including a 26-8 mark in the 2019 and 2020. In four different seasons, the Yotes have finished with 18 or more home wins, including 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2019. The 2019 team set a school record with 23 wins at Symms Field.
 
MILLER MAKES IMPACT: Senior Lacie Miller was a key piece of the lineup against EOU and Carroll, finishing 4-for-9 with three RBI, three runs and two extra base hits, including a double and a triple.
 
SEVEN FOR FORTUNE: Senior Micha Fortune racked up seven hits over four games last week, raising her batting average in the process to a team-best .480 mark. She has also stolen five bases in six attempts on the young season. Fortune has reached base in seven straight games.
 
CROFTS HAS BIG WEEK: Senior Trystin Crofts continued to hit opposing pitching well, racking up three multi-hit games last week and finishing 6-for-15 at the dish with seven RBI while scoring five runs. Crofts also became just the third player in program history to finish with four or more steals in a game by swiping four bags on Sunday against EOU.
 
WILFERT WINS TWICE: Junior Katelyn Wilfert picked up wins in each of her two starts this past week, limiting Carroll to just one hit in a complete game shutout on Saturday where she struck out seven before holding Eastern scoreless over her final four innings on Sunday and allowing just two hits for the contest.
 
BALL MAGNET: Freshman Kaily Christensen tied a school record by getting hit by three pitches in the weekend finale against Eastern Oregon.

MENDIOLA ON A STREAK: Senior Aleah Mendiola has a five-game hitting streak and has went 7-for-15 at the plate over that time span.

WILFERT AMONG CONFERENCE LEADERS: Junior pitcher Katelyn Wilfert is fifth in the CCC with a 1.99 ERA and third with 30 strikeouts.

CROFTS CAREER UPDATES: Senior Trystin Crofts has become one of the most productive players in C of I history since she arrived on campus, ranking second on the all-time record list for the program with 107 runs scored for her career, third with 182 hits, second with 41 doubles, tied for first with 12 triples, sixth with 17 home runs, third with 117 RBI and ranking fifth with 49 stolen bases.

LOFFER KEEPS RUNNING: Shortstop Haley Loffer has now stolen 51 bases in her career, ranking her fourth on the program record list. Heather Kirtley tops the list, having stolen 78 bases in 90 attempts from 2004-07.

BY THE NUMBERS: The Yotes are 6-1 when scoring in the first inning this season and 7-0 when leading after the fourth inning. When C of I outhits the opposition, the squad is 7-1.

INNING BREAKDOWN: C of I is outscoring opponents in every inning for the season except the fourth, which has seen the Yotes plate 10 runs and opponents score 11. The most success has been found in the fifth and sixth innings of games, where C of I has outscored the opposition by a 34-10 total on the campaign.

CLOSE TO HISTORY: Head coach Al Mendiola is the winningest coach in C of I softball program history with 395 wins. In his 15th season, Mendiola is now just five wins away from 400, which would put him in company with his wife Liz Mendiola - the head volleyball coach - as the only women's sports coaches to eclipse the 400 wins threshold in school history.

PLENTY OF HOME GAMES ON THE HORIZON: Over the next 16 games, the Yotes will play 12 games on their home field.

C OF I ENTERS SEASON RANKED NATIONALLY: For the second consecutive season and the sixth time in program history, The College of Idaho softball program entered the season ranked in the NAIA Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll, earning the No. 17 spot in the poll. C of I has been ranked in the preseason poll previously in 2008 (No. 14), 2010 (No. 15), 2014 (No. 13), 2015 (No. 21) and 2020 (No. 19) The Yotes received 235 voter points in the poll, while fellow Cascade Conference opponents Southern Oregon and Corban were each ranked as well. SOU took home 15 first-place votes and was the preseason selection as the No. 1 team in the country. Corban earned 118 voter points to slide in at No. 23. Oregon Tech also received votes in the poll.

YOTES PICKED FOURTH IN CCC PRESEASON POLL: The College of Idaho was picked to finish fourth in the 2021 Cascade Conference Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll that was released by the league office. Southern Oregon was picked by the coaches as the preseason favorite for the fifth year in a row. The Raiders finished 2020 ranked No. 1 nationally before COVID-19 shortened the season. SOU took home 100 points in the poll. Oregon Tech was selected second with 88 points and Corban finished third with 80 points. The Yotes were right behind the Warriors in the poll with 77 points. Carroll rounded out the top-five with 64 points.

LOOKING AHEAD: C of I continues CCC play with a four-game set in Great Falls at Providence on Mar. 12-13.

KEEP UP WITH THE YOTES: Fans can stay updated on all things related to C of I softball by visiting YoteAthletics.com.