CALDWELL, Idaho – With the NAIA National Championship Opening Round set to begin for College of Idaho softball next Monday at 2:30 p.m. CT in Fayette, Mo., a strong pitching staff is primed to lead the way.
Of the 190 teams in the NAIA, just two have three pitchers with 10 or more wins, the No. 15 Yotes and No. 13 Morningside (Iowa). In total, 135 pitchers across the nation have reached double-digit win totals.
For head coach
Al Mendiola, the three-headed monster of
Katelyn Wilfert (16-4, 2.05 ERA),
Annie Polster (10-2, 2.48 ERA) and
Hannah McNerney (12-8, 2.51 ERA) has led the way as starters, with
Lexi Navarrete (0-1, 2.55 ERA) and
Loryn Fonger (0-1, 3.98 ERA) appearing out of the bullpen a combined 19 times.
"The luxury we have with having multiple pitchers is that we can bring a pitcher in and take a pitcher out and still have a chance to win ballgames," Mendiola said. "You look at the Pitcher of the Year in our conference and she has 26 wins. I'll take three pitchers that have 10 or more wins each knowing that if I have to take a starter out I can bring in somebody else and still compete in the game. We've experienced top pitchers getting taken out and not having that secondary pitcher to stop us. Having three pitchers with 10 or more wins is a luxury. With the five we have, you start changing speeds, you start locating different pitches and it makes for a great pitching staff."
For Wilfert, who transferred into the C of I program after dominating at Eastern Florida State, the balanced innings across the pitching staff has been a noticeable change of pace after she worked 132 of the 200 2/3 total innings for the Titans as a sophomore. During the course of the 2019 season, Wilfert went 15-5 with a 1.38 ERA.
"When I had to pitch almost every single inning of every single game of the season I started getting tired," Wilfert said. "If I wasn't having my best day there was nothing I could do about it because I didn't have anyone else to rely on coming in after me to pick me up. I just like that I have someone that I can look forward to picking me up if I have a bad day so that I don't get overpitched and we stay healthy throughout the season."
McNerney, also a junior from Hood River, Ore., ranks seventh on the program record list for the Yotes with 26 career wins. She has seen an important role as one of the top starters each year throughout her career and is as competitive of a player as there is on the roster.
"When I go out there I obviously have confidence in myself, but no matter how I do, I have the confidence in my pitching staff to have my back if I'm failing," McNerney said. "They are always going to have my back."
Polster rounds out the starting trio and has excelled in a freshman campaign that was highlighted by throwing a perfect game back on Mar. 13 at Providence. The West Richland, Wash. product says that the comradery of the pitchers at C of I is unlike anything that she has experienced before.
"It's been really great honestly," Polster said "Every team that I've played for before this the pitchers didn't get along very well - everyone just kind of hated each other because it was competition. Coming into this program and having four other pitchers that support me, that tell me how to do the drills and that are always hyping me up and telling me that I'm doing well just raised my confidence a lot. It's been great to build these friendships with each of them."
In the bullpen, Fonger leads the Cascade Conference with 14 appearances in relief, while Navarrete has stepped into multiple high-pressure spots after missing time early in the year due to injury.
For C of I, the variety of styles found within the pitching staff helps to keep hitters on their toes. The signings of Polster and Wilfert have been instrumental in the success of the team in 2021.
"Overall, I feel like Annie and Katie have been really good additions," Navarette said. "As a freshman, Annie has come in and transitioned really well from high school to college. Katie is a different type of pitcher that focuses on spins, so she has brought a different type of card to the table and I feel like she fits in really well with the rest of us."
As a result of the multitude of arms, catchers have plenty of options for what to call for pitches.
"It's great as a catcher to have this diversity with so many pitchers on a pitching staff because you've got a drop ball pitcher, a rise ball pitcher, off-speed pitchers and then you have one with a lot of speed, so it is good because we can keep the hitters off-balance," said senior catcher
Mallory Copeland. "If one is having a bad day or one is not spinning it like usual, another one can step in and just not miss a beat. I love catching all of them. They have been a great group of girls this year. They keep me on my toes, literally."
From a coaching perspective, the group has been an enjoyable one to work with as well.
"The one thing I am so grateful for with this pitching staff is that there is no selfishness," Mendiola said. "They support each other and get excited when they make big pitches or make big plays. One of the biggest things is called PFP's (pitchers' fielding practice). Whenever a pitcher make a defensive play they are just so proud because they work so hard to be successful and they work so hard as a core. That's a blessing for any coach."
HELP SEND THE YOTES TO NATIONALS
No. 2 seed C of I begins the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on May 17 against No. 3 Freed-Hardeman. The winner plays the winner of No. 1 Central Methodist and No. 4 Ottawa University of Arizona.
