Softball | 3/8/2023 3:21:00 PM
Moving Up in the Poll: The first in-season top 25 came out on Wednesday after being ranked No. 13 in the preseason, the Yotes moved up to the No. 12 spot. Oregon Tech leads the CCC by jumping two places from the preseason poll to land in the No. 5 spot. Southern Oregon University follows, moving up one spot to be ranked 9th. Eastern Oregon University fell two spots to round out the ranked conference teams but is still holding on in the No. 21 position.
Complete poll
15 Straight: College of Idaho opened the season with 15-straight wins to eclipse the school record of eight set by the 2019 squad. The 15-game winning streak is the second longest in program history as the Yotes won 20 straight in 2022.
Loffer Leadoff: Leadoff hitter
Haley Loffer became the program's all-time home runs leader with her leadoff home run in the series opener against Carroll on her way to CCC Player of the Week honors. Against the Saints, she hit .455 in four games with all five of her hits being for extra bases on her way to a .600 on-base percentage and a 1.636 slugging percentage. She hit four home runs including a pair in the nightcap on Friday. Loffer also managed to steal three bases and record eight RBI.
Katelyn Wilfert POW X 2: Pitcher
Katelyn Wilfert has been named the CCC/Rize Laboratory Pitcher of the Week twice, most recently last Monday. Over the weekend against Carroll, she allowed just seven hits in 11 innings of work and struck out 10 en route to a 0.00 ERA. Wilfert walked one batter and allowed an unearned run. Earlier this season, against Menlo (Feb. 10), she allowed five hits, struck out six and allowed two unearned runs in the win. She followed that up with a one-hitter and a shutout of No. 21 Jessup University (Feb. 11). In that win, she struck out four and did not walk a batter. Earlier this season, Wilfert pitched her second career no-hitter as she blanked Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) on January 27. The one-hitter against Jessup was also the second of her career as she allowed just one hit to Bushnell (April 8, 2022).
Fresshman Sensation: Freshman left fielder
Madelyn Powell (McMinnville, Ore.) has quickly made an immediate impact for the Yotes with a team-best seven multi-hit games and shares the team lead with five multi-RBI games.
Counting on Chloe: Chloe Flerchinger made an impact in the series finale against Oregon Tech with a 2-for-3 effort and two RBI in the 2-1 win over the Owls. It was her second multi-RBI game of her young career.
Hot Bats from the Corner: Third baseman
Kaily Christensen has had a hit in 11 of the last 12 games with a pair of multi-hit games in the process. First baseman
Tanner Higgins is second on the team with six multi-hit games and shares the team lead with five multi-RBI games. She had a 12-game hitting streak come to an end in game three of the series against OIT.
Okay Kaylee: Kaylee MacDannald leads College of Idaho with 22 hits - one of three with at least 20 hits - on the season. She has had five multi-hit games and three multi-RBI games. MacDannald is second on the team with eight stolen bases.
Potent Hattie: Hattie Hruza has eight extra-base hits on her way to 19 hits for the Yotes. Among her eight extra-base hits are three doubles, two triples and three home runs. She also has made 23 putouts from her center position, including many eye-popping catches.
Saving it for Annie: Annie Polster got her first save of the season, pitching the final two innings of the series opener against Oregon Tech. Polster allowed just one hit to the Owls to come away with the save.
Sibling Love: Lysette and
Ysabella Villegas are sisters and proud to be teammates together at College of Idaho. They played together in high school at nearby Bishop Kelly High School.
