CORVALLIS, Ore. –
The following eight CCC student-athletes have been recognized as the Rize Laboratory Players of the Week for their performances during competition from April 3 - 9 2023.
Baseball – Player
(RV) College of Idaho’s Skyler Sadora was named the Rize Laboratory Baseball Player of the Week.
Sadora, a sophomore from Lihue, Hawaii led C of I to two weekend wins against No. 13 Lewis-Clark State College. He hacked 10 hits in the series, two being home runs, for a .556 batting average. He tallied nine RBIs and scored four runs while leading the Coyotes with 17 total bases. At first base and left field, the utility player was errorless with 17 putouts.
Baseball – Pitcher
University of British Sean Heppner was named the Rize Laboratory Baseball Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season.
Heppner, a sophomore from Points Roberts, Wash., pitched the first seven innings against Bushnell University to kick off the T-Bird's momentum for a full series sweep. He allowed just five hits and two runs while reaching a career-high 13 strikeouts to lead to the first 4-2 victory for UBC.
Softball – Player
No. 5 Southern Oregon University’s Deja Acosta was named the Rize Laboratory Softball Player of the Week.
Acosta, a senior second baseman from Modesto, Calif., had a stellar weekend against No. 8 College of Idaho, leading the Raiders to three more wins. Her clutch 2-run home run in the bottom of the 7th inning with 2 outs led to SOU’s first victory. She went 9-for-13 in the series without striking out and drew three walks for a .750 on-base percentage. Acosta led Southern Oregon with nine runs and six RBIs with 12 total bases while reaching an eight-game hitting streak. In the field, she completed 18 of her 19 plays.
Softball – Pitcher
No. 1 Oregon Tech’s Mckenzie Staub was named the Rize Laboratory Softball Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season.
Staub, a junior pitcher from Hillsboro, Ore., threw two complete games to lead the Owls to four more victories over No. 25 Eastern Oregon University. In 14 innings she struck out 17 batters while only allowing eight hits and one run. She ended the series with a .50 ERA to bring her record to 16-3 on the season and maintain OIT’s 22-game-win streak. Staub was just as aggressive at the plate, ending the weekend with a .500 batting average.
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – Track Athlete
College of Idaho’s Sage Martin was named the Rize Laboratory Women's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week for the second time this outdoor season.
Martin, a junior from Meridian, Idaho, posted the fastest time in the NAIA during the 3,000m steeplechase at the Whitworth Peace Meet on Friday. She earned a time of 10:34.90, 38 seconds ahead of the runner-up, for an ‘A’ standard and first-place finish.
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – Field Athlete
Oregon Tech’s Alex Conley was named the Rize Laboratory Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week.
Conley, a senior dual sport student-athlete and 3x CCC champion from Lakeview, Ore., opened her outdoor season with a current NAIA record. At the Humboldt Invite on Saturday, she threw the Javelin 46.11m, reaching an ‘A’ standard and the current top mark in the NAIA while taking first place.
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – Track Athlete
College of Idaho’s Braden Heath was named the Rize Laboratory Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week.
Heath, a senior from Meridian, Idaho, took first among the NAIA competitors during the 3,000m steeplechase at the Whitworth Peace Meet on Friday. He finished with an ‘A’ standard time of 9:21.67, currently fourth in the NAIA.
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – Field Athlete
Eastern Oregon University’s Tanner Nett was named the Rize Laboratory Men's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week.
Nett, a sophomore from Boise, Idaho, was busy on Friday at the Whitworth Peace Meet. His highlight came from his Shot Put mark of 16.08m, the farthest of the NAIA competitors for an ‘A’ standard and a second-place finish out of 44 athletes. He also threw the Discus (37.75 m) and earned 8th in the Hammer Throw (40.99m).