Corban's Ohta Completes Recruiting Class for 2010 Season

7/13/2009 1:52:11 PM

SALEM, Ore. – Third-year head coach Nathan Ohta announced Monday the conclusion of his recruiting class for the 2010 season with the addition of junior transfer Makenzie Marchbanks (Sweet Home, Ore.) from Walla Walla Community College and incoming freshman Erica Fitzgerald (Beaverton, Ore.) from Southridge High School.

"I am very pleased to welcome Makenzie and Erica to Corban next year," said Ohta. "Erica is very skilled defensively, has a strong bat, and a great work ethic. She will be a great addition to our infield next year. Makenzie has already established herself as a very successful college pitcher that will greatly strengthen our rotation, and make an immediate impact for us in the upcoming season. We are very excited to have both Erica and Makenzie become a part of the Warrior softball program."

Marchbanks, a 5-foot-6 right-handed pitcher, comes to Corban following two seasons at Walla Walla Community College. As the ace of the Warriors' pitching staff last season, Marchbanks accumulated a win-loss record of 23-9 with an Earned Run Average (ERA) of 0.98. In 220-plus innings of work, Marchbanks registered a team-best 268 strikeouts that included a team-high 8.50 K's per game. In the circle, Marchbanks completed all 32 games that she started and registered a team-best 11 shutouts for Walla Walla. As a freshman, Marchbanks compiled a win-loss record of 16-8 to go along with an ERA of 1.55 and a team-high 177 strikeouts.

In two seasons at Walla Walla, Marchbanks earned a pair of All-Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) honors that included 1st team as a sophomore and 2nd team following the conclusion of her freshman season. Marchbanks was also named NWAACC East Region Pitcher of the Year, while earning Louisville Slugger/NFCA NWAACC All-Americans honors after her sophomore campaign.

While helping lead the Warriors to a fourth place finish as a freshman, Marchbanks earned NWAACC All-Tournament Team selection. As a sophomore, Marchbanks helped lead Walla Walla to a runner-up finish at the NWAACC Softball Championships and earned her second straight all-tournament team award.

Fitzgerald, a 5-foot-2 infielder, arrives at Corban following four seasons at Southridge High School in Beaverton. A three-time All-Metro League 2nd team member, Fitzgerald helped lead the Skyhawks to a quarterfinal appearance in the 2009 OSAA 6A state tournament.

Besides her prep school experience, Fitzgerald also competes at the club level with the Oregon Rampage. Fitzgerald helped lead the Rampage to a runner-up finish in the state of Oregon in 2008, while also finishing 13th nationally.

Corban will return 11 players from last season's team that went 19-23 overall that included a 7-13 record in conference play en route to a fifth place finish. Along with the aforementioned duo, Ohta's recruiting class for the upcoming 2010 season includes eight other players – Nicolby Atallah (Pasadena, Calif.), Tess Bennett (Sutherlin, Ore.), Shauna Boudreaux (Donald, Ore.), Liana DeHart (Kent, Wash.), Tamara Feb (Gladstone, Ore.), Stephanie Nippert (Rocklin, Calif.), Hillary Roeder (Toledo, Wash.), and Nicole Sikes (San Diego, Calif.).