Yotes Open Softball World Series Thursday
Tournament Information
DECATUR, Ala. -- Cascade Collegiate Conference champion College of Idaho makes its second consecutive appearance at the NAIA Softball World Series when it opens up national tournament action Thursday vs. ninth-ranked Martin Methodist (Tenn.).
The Yotes, ranked 23rd nationally, are 32-17 overall under fourth-year head coach Al Mendiola. C of I won the CCC regular season with a 20-4 mark.
COMING UP: at NAIA Women’s World Series, Decatur, Ala. – Thursday vs. No. 9 Martin Methodist (Tenn.), 7:30 p.m. (CDT); Friday vs. No. 8 Bethel (Ind.), 10:30 a.m. (CDT); Saturday vs. Virginia-Wise, 2 p.m. (CDT); Bracket Play – Monday through Wednesday.
LIVE STATS AVAILABLE: No radio broadcasts will be available from the NAIA Women’s World Series, however, Live Stats of every game will be carried live. Head to the Tournament Central page at http://naia.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/072908aaa.html and click on the Live Stats link.
ABOUT THE WORLD SERIES: The softball national championship is in its 29th year, with the tournament in Decatur, Ala., for the tenth-straight season and 12th overall. The 32-team field has been broken up into eight four-team pools (Pool Play Thursday through Saturday), with the top team in each pool advancing to a double-elimination bracket (beginning Monday) to determine the national champion. Of the 32 teams – 17 were in the Top-25 in the final national poll.
ABOUT THE FACILITY: Wilson Morgan Softball Complex is run by the City of Decatur and has four lighted softball fields with great vantage points for the media and fans. Although built for slowpitch, each field will have a temporary fence at 215 feet around the perimeter of the outfield. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the gate, for $8.00 per day or $35.00 for the entire tournament.
CCC HISTORY AT NATIONALS: The Lady Yotes are one of five Cascade Conference teams to advance to the NAIA Women’s World Series – and the first to make back-to-back appearances this decade. Prior to the Coyotes, Western Oregon made a trip in 1983, with Oregon Tech advancing in 1997. Eastern Oregon advanced to Nationals in 1999 and 2000, including a fourth-place finish in 1999, while Concordia made the trek in 2001. However, Northwest softball has had a rich tradition in the NAIA – as three teams have won national titles (Pacific Lutheran in 1988 and 1991, Western Washington in 1998, and Simon Fraser in 1999, 2003, and 2005), with three teams earning runner-up finishes (Pacific Lutheran in 1990, Puget Sound in 1991 and 1995, and Simon Fraser in 1998, 2001, and 2004).
POSTSEASON HISTORY: After missing out on the playoffs during the first four seasons of intercollegiate softball, the Lady Yotes have qualified for the postseason each of the last four years. In 2006, the Yotes made their playoff debut and dropped two games at the now defunct CCC Tournament, went 2-2 at the 2007 NAIA Region I Tournament – defeating both Oregon Tech and Concordia, before dropping a pair to eventual champion, Simon Fraser. Last year, The C of I went 3-0 at the NAIA Region I Tournament (defeating Simon Fraser and Oregon Tech twice), then went 1-3 at the Women’s World Series (losing to Trevecca Nazarene, Lubbock Christian, and Olivet Nazarene, defeating Friends). Overall, the Lady Yotes are 6-7 in playoff games.
LOOKING AT THE POOLS: The Lady Yotes are in Pool H – which is seeded eighth out of the eight pools in the tournament. In the pool is No. 8 seeded Bethel (Ind.), No. 9 seeded Martin Methodist (Tenn.), and No. 25 seeded Virginia-Wise. The winner of the three-game round-robin schedule will meet the winner of Pool A – No. 1 ranked Cal Baptist, Friends (Kan.), Park (Mo.), and Hastings (Neb.).
ABOUT MARTIN METHODIST: The Redhawks (41-10), from Pulaski, Tenn., will be making their second appearance in the National Tournament, going 1-3 during the 2005 season. MMC won the TranSouth Athletic Conference regular-season championship for the first time, but did not win the tourney title, as it was postponed due to rain. They have played a solid schedule, going 5-3 against teams in the 2009 World Series. The Redhawks are led offensively by Chrissy Ward (.378 3 HR 28 RBI), Alicia Boris (.339 9 HR 38 RBI), and TSAC Newcomer of the Year Maria Robinson (.356 6 HR 38 RBI), while TSAC Freshman of the Year Chrissy Worth (13-2 1.10 ERA, 84 K) and Sally Gale (19-5 2.16 ERA, 156 K) lead the club in the circle.
ABOUT BETHEL: The Pilots (50-6), from Mishawaka, Ind., will be making their third-straight appearance in the National Tournament, going 2-2 in both 2007 and 2008 – failing to reach bracket play. The regular-season champions of the Mid-Central College Conference, Bethel won a best-of-three series with Marian to earn the automatic berth to the World Series and are 4-0 against teams in this year’s tournament. They are led at the plate by Katie Boocher (.372 10 HR 48 RBI), Mandy Cripe (.377 10 HR 48 RBI), and Sarah Rassi (.390 6 HR 45 RBI), with pitchers Brittany Hire (21-3 1.97 ERA, 152 K) and Rachel Zirille (19-3 2.21 ERA) handle the load in the circle.
ABOUT VIRGINIA-WISE: The Cavaliers (31-15), from Wise, Va., will be making their third appearance in the World Series, going 0-4 in Pool Play in both 2005 and 2007 – failing to reach bracket play. UV-Wise won the Appalachian Athletic Conference postseason tournament title to earn the automatic berth to Decatur and is 2-4 against teams in the tournament . Offensively, AAC all-stars Maddi Ridenour (.373 7 RBI, 52 SB) and Brittany Lawson (.361 9 HR 30 RBI), along with Ashlee Washburn (.271 3 HR 24 RBI) lead the Cavs, while pitcher Lauren Snead (19-7 1.00 ERA, 222 K) is their top hurler.
FINALLY CRACKING THE TOP-25: After finding themselves in the Others Receiving Votes category in the NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll for the entire 2009 season, the Lady Yotes finally earned enough voter points to jump into the rankings at No. 23 in the final balloting of the season. It marks the first time since April of 2008 that the squad has been in the Top-25 – the Coyotes were ranked for nine-straight polls from April 2007 through April 2008, reaching as high as No. 14 in the final poll of 2007 and the preseason poll last year.
ZILLNER NAMED CCC PITCHER OF THE YEAR: After a record-setting regular-season, C of I pitcher Jody Zillner (Emmett, Idaho / College of Southern Idaho) was named CCC Pitcher of the Year. The junior and five-time CCC Pitcher of the Week, posted a 20-7 record and 1.36 ERA in leading the Coyotes to the CCC’s regular season title and berth in the NAIA Women’s World Series. She set a school record for wins and tied a school mark for shutouts (6). She had 15 starts in which she allowed four or fewer hits, and 17 starts with seven or more strikeouts. She also posted victories over NCAA Division I foes Idaho State and Boise State, and takes a streak of 12 consecutive winning decisions into the national tournament. She follows in the footsteps of her older sister, Katie, who was named the CCC’s Pitcher of the Year while at playing for the Coyotes last season.
DIXON NAMED CCC PLAYER OF THE YEAR: The Yotes swept the top-two awards on the All-CCC team, as first-baseman Heather Dixon (Boise, Idaho / Idaho State U.) was named the league’s Player of the Year. The senior batted .338 and led the league with a CCC record 17 homers and a school-record 44 runs batted in. A two-time CCC Player of the Week, the transfer from Idaho State had 13 multi-hit games and 14 multi-RBI games. She had walk-off home runs in wins over Boise State and Simpson during the season.
OTHERS ON THE CCC TEAM: Two Coyote seniors were named to the All-CCC team – outfielder Stacy Smith (Draper, Utah / Juan Diego HS) and third-baseman Haley Butcher (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS). Smith earns the honor for the second time in her career, after hitting .331 with one homer, nine doubles, and 19 RBI. Butcher earns the honor for the third-straight year after hitting .320 with a homer and 20 RBI. One other Lady Yote – junior shortstop Amy Rhoades (Eagle, Idaho / Dixie State Coll.), was named an honorable mention selection.
SEASON RECORDS: Six Lady Yotes have already worked themselves into the single-season Top-10 list in 2009. Jody Zillner leads the way – having already set the mark for wins in a season (20). She is on pace to set a new mark for ERA (1.36), is No. 2 in complete games (24), decisions (27), innings pitched (195), appearances (34), and strikeouts (228), while No. 3 in starts (25), and is No. 5 offensively in home runs (6). Brooke Judy (Kuna, Idaho / Kuna HS) ranks in seven categories – No. 5 in wins (12), starts (21), and decisions (21), No. 6 in strikeouts (81), No. 7 in complete games (11) and innings pitched (119.2), and No. 9 in appearances (24). Heather Dixon holds the record for home runs (17) and RBI (44), is No. 3 in at bats (145), No. 5 in both hits (49) and runs scored (32), and is No. 9 in putouts (219), while Amy Rhoades, is No. 3 in doubles (12), No. 7 in sacrifice hits (8), and No. 10 in both walks (14) and at bats (136). Stacy Smith is No. 1 in hit by pitches (8) and No. 10 in doubles (9), and Kalie Kurdy (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) is No. 5 in put outs (237) and No. 7 in chances (252). As a team, the Lady Yotes have tied the school record with eight shutouts this season.
CAREER RECORDS: A total of ten Lady Yotes have their names etched in the career Top-10 at The C of I. Leading the way is Haley Butcher, who holds the top spot in hits (170), doubles (36), at bats (522), and games started (181), is No. 2 in RBI (89), games played (183), and runs scored (100), No. 4 in triples (3), No. 5 in home runs (8) and hit by pitches (9), No. 6 in walks (32), and No. 8 in stolen bases (18). Stacy Smith ranks among the leaders in ten categories – No. 1 in RBI (103), home runs (24), games played (184), and hit by pitches (24), No. 2 in doubles (32), at bats (480), and hits (153), No. 4 in runs scored (81) and games started (171), and No. 5 in triples (2). Brooke Judy is second all-time in wins (35), innings pitched (376.1), and shutouts (6), No. 3 in appearances (76), saves (2), and strikeouts (208), No. 4 in starts (51) and complete games (23), and is No. 5 in walks (91). Jody Zillner is second all-time in shutouts (6) and strikeouts (228), No. 3 in complete games (24), No. 4 in wins (20), No. 6 in starts (25), innings pitched (195), and appearances (34), No. 7 in walks (61), and is No. 7 offensively in home runs (6). Amy Rhoades ranks fifth in sacrifice hits (17) and doubles (22), No. 6 in home runs (7), No. 8 in runs scored (59), and No. 9 in RBI (48), walks (27), and hits (83), with Dani Villyard (Kent, Wash. / Kentlake HS) ranks third in home runs (9), is seventh in RBI (51), No. 10 in hits (77), and No. 11 in doubles (12). Four others round out the list – Heather Dixon is No. 2 in home runs (17) and No. 10 in RBI (44); Donnae Carrell (Caldwell, Idaho / Middleton HS) is No. 7 in home runs (6) and No. 8 in walks (29); Stephanie Stover (Caldwell, Idaho / U. of Nevada) is fifth in triples (2) and No. 6 in sacrifice hits (12); with Katy Luetke (Yreka, Calif. / Mendocino CC) is No. 5 in triples (2).
ABOUT THE COACH: Al Mendiola is in his fourth year as head coach of The C of I softball program, having compiled an 115-74 career record – having won more games than any other softball coach in Coyote history. The native of San Diego, Calif. has helped the Lady Yotes become a force in Northwest softball, leading The C of I to four consecutive playoff appearances, including the 2007 and 2009 Cascade Conference championships, the 2008 NAIA Region I championship, and a berth in the 2008 and 2009 NAIA Women's World Series’. Following the 2007 season, Mendiola was honored as CCC and NAIA Region I Coach of the Year after the Coyotes set a school record with 37 wins. Under his direction, the Yotes have been ranked as high as No. 14 in the NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll. Outside of softball, Mendiola was the head coach of the Caldwell Silver Streaks American Legion baseball team from 1997-07 and has also assisted with the Boise Clippers men's fastpitch team. He was also an assistant coach for The C of I baseball team for seven years. A 1994 graduate of The C of I, Mendiola played two seasons of baseball for head coach Tim Mooney, earning honorable mention NAIA All-America honors as a senior.