Sports
Beavers aim
for return
to College
World
Series
By LES GEHRETT
A9
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Building a program
Eastern Oregon softball
working toward a
winning culture
Albany Democrat-Herald
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
CORVALLIS — Nothing
stands in the way of Oregon
State making another run to
the College World Series in
2022.
That is the message from
coach Mitch Canham and his
players as they prepare for
the start of their season on
Feb. 18 against New Mexico
in Surprise, Arizona.
The Beavers lost sev-
eral key contributors to last
year’s team which went
37-24 and reached a regional
final. Those losses include
ace Kevin Abel, which was
expected, and star catcher
Troy Claunch, whose transfer
to Texas A&M was not.
But Canham is confident
that the development of the
returning players and the
arrival of a talented freshman
class will once again put the
Beavers in position to chal-
lenge for the Pac-12 title and
a trip to Omaha.
Oregon State’s 2021 base-
ball season ended with a loss
that no one associated with
the program will ever forget.
The Beavers held a 5-0 lead
over Dallas Baptist after three
innings, but squandered that
lead in an 8-5 loss. The rally
was made possible in large
part by OSU pitchers issuing
10 walks and three hit batters.
Canham calls those mis-
takes free bases and this
season he wants to see fewer
of them.
“Obviously free bases is
something we’ve talked a lot
about and it just goes to con-
fidence, intent, attacking the
zone,” Canham said. “I’d like
to eliminate as many three-
ball counts as possible. You
can’t walk anybody unless
you get to three balls, right?”
Pitcher Cooper Hjerpe
said the entire pitching staff
is focused on being more effi-
cient and trying to average
fewer pitches per at-bat. This
would both reduce walks and
help keep arms fresher longer.
“Obviously last year
was less than ideal with the
way that ended. I know we
reflected on what we did
last year and what we could
improve on. Basically the
free bases and the two-out
stuff. We’ve obviously been
working on it, being more
consistent in those situa-
tions,” Hjerpe said.
The Beavers weren’t
afraid to talk about the sea-
son-ending loss because they
didn’t forget about it during
the offseason. Instead, they
used that disappointment as
motivation.
“It left a really sour taste
in our mouth and I think it’s
still there, I really do,” said
junior Wade Meckler. “I don’t
think anyone’s forgot about
that meeting afterwards.”
See, Beavers/Page A10
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Spring is
on the horizon and the Eastern
Oregon University softball
team is gearing up for its 2022
season.
Third-year head coach Nicole
Christian leads the way for the
Mountaineers, who are aiming
to surprise teams around the
softball landscape. Coming off
a trip to the conference tour-
nament as the No. 5 seed last
season, Eastern is aiming to
establish itself near the top
of the Cascade Collegiate
Conference.
“We’re really excited,” Chris-
tian said. “I think the girls
have been putting in the work
in the weight room and we’ve
been getting out on the turf. I
think if we don’t place in that
top five or top six to make the
CCC tournament, it would be a
disappointment.”
The Mountaineers fin-
ished 16-32 overall last season,
compiling a 10-17 conference
record. Eastern earned a trip
to the conference champion-
ships, but ultimately came up
short with back-to-back losses
against Corban and the College
of Idaho.
Building depth
Eastern saw three players
earn conference honors at
the end of the season, two of
which the team will be looking
to replace this year. Catchers
Jordan Henley and Makenzie
Chambers led the way in bat-
ting average and hits, as well as
finishing top three on the team
in runs, RBIs and home runs.
One key addition that will
help fill that void is junior
infielder Caitlin Crist, who trans-
ferred from Idaho State. The
Mountaineers will be relying on
Crist to be a defensive center-
piece in the infield this year.
“I have not seen someone in a
long time cover the ground that
she can cover,” Christian said.
Crist is joined by newcomers
Grace Gather and Hannah
Tyree. Gather is a transfer from
Oregon State who plays utility,
mostly slotting in the middle
of the field and at third base.
Tyree, a freshman, is expected
to help replace the production
at the catcher position.
“She instantly stepped up
in the catching spot for us,”
Christian said. “We’re excited
to have her for four years, she’ll
make a big impact for us.”
The Mountaineers have sev-
eral key pieces returning, in the
field and on the mound. First
baseman Haley Ebner returns
after hitting .306 last year and
leading the team with 29 RBIs
and six home runs. Amanda
Smith, last season’s top pitcher,
leads the way for Eastern after
compiling a 6-8 record last
season with a 4.09 ERA and
45 strikeouts. The Mountain-
eers are looking to build upon
Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group, File
Eastern Oregon pitcher Amanda Smith (14) delivers a pitch Friday, April 23, 2021, against the University of Providence at
Peggy Anderson Softball Field, La Grande. Smith is set to lead Eastern’s pitching rotation in 2022 as the Mountaineers look
to contend in the Cascade Collegiate Conference.
a strong committee of pitchers,
including several key returners.
“Abby Giles is going to have
a key role, as well as Kayla
Berg,” Christian said. “Natalee
Hall put in a ton of work on the
mound in the offseason, so I’m
excited to see what she can do
for us.”
Trial by fire
Christian and the Mountain-
eers are not hiding the fact that
they play in one of the toughest
softball conferences in the NAIA.
Southern Oregon is the reigning
national champion, defeating con-
ference opponent Oregon Tech
in the final game — the College
of Idaho finished third overall in
a sweep of Cascade Collegiate
Conference teams.
To be the best, Eastern is
aiming to beat the best. The
Mountaineers have a heavy slew
of road non-conference games to
start the season, facing difficult
opponents before starting con-
ference play in March.
Eastern starts its season off
with 17 consecutive road games,
including a streak of games
against teams in California —
opening day is set for Saturday,
Feb. 12 with a four-game road
series against Willamette. The
Mountaineers have two matchups
against top-25 Hope International
on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26.
“All we’ve talked about is
trying to win these games and
make it known that we’re a top
team. That was one of our goals,
to go out and get some of these
teams in the preseason to see
where we need to be and also get
on their radar,” Christian said.
“That’s what we have to do to
compete, get out and face those
teams.”
Eastern is stepping up its
scouting this season, keeping
an eye on top conference teams
in order to gain an advantage.
Christian credited close losses
last year against top teams as
motivation for the upcoming
year. The Mountaineers went
to extra innings in one matchup
against Oregon Tech and saw
close matchups against the Col-
lege of Idaho and Corban.
“Just knowing that we’re
starting to be in every single
game, with some of these
coming down to one inning or
a couple runners, it’s starting to
pick up,” Christian said.
Christian emphasized that
in her third year, the coaching
staff at Eastern is holding the
bar high and working toward a
winning culture. The Mountain-
eers, who are running through
final preparations before the
upcoming season begins shortly,
are looking to challenge the top
teams in the Cascade Collegiate
Conference this year.
“I think we’re going to upset
some of those top teams,” Chris-
tian said. “I think last year we
were right there, but I think this
year we have that capability to
play, upset and get series wins
against some team we’re not
supposed to win against.”
SPORTS SHORT
Malatare selected as conference player of the week
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE —
Eastern Oregon Univer-
sity men’s basketball player
Phillip Malatare had himself
quite a week.
The point guard hit the
game-winning shot in an
unexpected upset victory and
averaged 21 points per game
as the Mountaineers went 2-1.
The Cascade Collegiate Con-
ference named Malatare its
men’s basketball player of the
week in an announcement on
Monday, Jan. 31.
Malatare led the way
in a 93-91 overtime vic-
tory over No. 13 Col-
two rebounds.
lege of Idaho on
Eastern lost a tough
Jan. 25, which was
matchup to Bushnell
arguably one of the
82-75 on Jan. 28, but
team’s biggest wins
bounced back with a
in recent years. It
84-74 win over Corban
Malatare
was Malatare’s 11
on the following day.
overtime points and
Malatare led the Moun-
game-winning fadeaway that taineers in scoring against
Bushnell, tallying 22 points
led the charge for the huge
— he added five rebounds and
upset victory. The guard
dished out three assists.
drove to the right wing and
In the win over Corban,
connected on a shot from just
inside the arc with three sec- Malatare contributed 14
onds remaining in overtime.
points, four assists and three
The Arlee, Montana,
rebounds. The point guard
native finished with a game- fed the ball to the hot hand,
high 27 points off 10-20
as junior Xavier Lovelace
shooting in the win over the
led all scorers with 29 points
Yotes, adding five assists and on the night.
Malatare shot 52.3%
across the three game swing
and went 15-18 at the free-
throw line. The junior is
averaging 20.4 points, 5.2
rebounds and 3.6 assists per
game this season.
The recent victories
improved Eastern’s record to
14-10 on the year, sitting at
sixth in the Cascade Colle-
giate Conference standings.
The Mountaineers are set to
travel this weekend, facing
Walla Walla on Feb. 4 and
Lewis-Clark State on Feb. 5.
Eastern previously defeated
Walla Walla 88-70 on Dec.
18 and lost to Lewis-Clark
State 76-72 on Dec. 17.
Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group, File
Phillip Malatare (0) drives to the basket during a match between
Eastern Oregon University and Montana Western University at
Quinn Coliseum on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. Malatare’s 15-point
performance helped EOU to a 67-61 win in the team’s home opener.