Second-year head coach Nathan Ohta announced the signing of the program's first-ever early recruit today.
Corban's Ohta Inks Early Signee and Junior College Transfer
SALEM, Ore. – Second-year head coach Nathan Ohta announced today the signing of the program's first-ever early signee in current Horizon High School junior Nicole Sikes (San Diego, Calif.), as well as Blue Mountain Community College transfer Rebecca Franke (Pendleton, Ore.), to Letters of Intent.
Sikes, who is currently in the midst of her junior season of high school competition, will join the Warrior program for the 2010 season. Meanwhile, Franke, who is the younger sister of current Warrior assistant coach Beth Mayben, will don the navy and gold for the '09 season.
"Rebecca is a very talented and versatile player that will help strengthen our lineup both offensively and defensively next season, " said Ohta. "Meanwhile, Nicole is a great athlete and a natural talent. She is tremendous hitter from the standpoint of power and average, and she will make an immediate impact for us. We are very pleased to have both Becca and Nicole become a part of our softball program."
Sikes, a 6-foot first baseman, helped guide the Panthers to the 2007 Coastal League South championship after posting a win-loss record of 22-3. Sikes concluded her sophomore season batting .500 with a slugging percentage of .971 and an on-base percentage of .571.
So far this season, Sikes is currently batting .459 with a slugging percentage of .649 and an on-base percentage of .568.
Along with her high school accolades, Sikes has competed on two different AAU teams at both the 16U and 18-Gold level. As part of her summer 16U team, Sikes batted .355 with a slugging percentage of .774 and an on-base percentage of .512. Sikes helped lead her 16U team to the national championship series where she hit a tournament-record 300-plus foot home run. This past fall, Sikes helped lead her 18-Gold team, the San Diego Aztecs, to the fall state championship after hitting .394 with a slugging percentage of .818.
Franke, a 5-foot-5 sophomore utility player for the Timberwolves, is currently in the midst of her sophomore season at Blue Mountain Community College and is helping lead the team to a 24-14-1 record.
This season, Franke leads the Timberwolves in stolen bases with 20, while ranking among the team leaders in at-bats (135 - 2nd), runs scored (33 - tied for 1st), hits (46 - 2nd), doubles (8 - 3rd), and batting average (.341 - 2nd).
As a freshman, Franke was the team leader in at-bats (164), runs (50), hits (69), and home runs (7). The former Pendleton High School graduate tied for the team lead in games played (48) and runs batted in (37), while finishing second in doubles (16) and batting average (.421).
The aforementioned duo joins another pair of incoming freshman -- Twyla Baggerly (Hillsboro, Ore.) from Liberty High School and Brittney Millermon (Silverdale, Wash.) from Central Kitsap High School -- who have also signed to play for the Warriors next season.
Corban ended the '08 season with its best record since 2005, as the Warriors amassed a win-loss record of 15-22 that included an 11-13 record in conference play.