TldE ClACkAMAS P r ÌNT ____________ Sports________________________ ____________ 7
Team set for successful season
hind the plate but could also see time at
ADAM CRUM
Staff Writer
third base.
Kelly Corliss, a freshman from Centen
nial High School, will be the Cougars’ des
Expectations are high for the Clackamas
ignated hitter and could see limited time
baseball team in 1998.
behind Edwards at first base.
The Cougars return three Northwest Ath
letic Association of Community Colleges
ineligible for the first eight games, should
Sophomore transfer Chet Bums, whois
[NWAACC] first- team selections and
see playing time behind the plate when he
should contend for the Southern Region
returns. Freshman catcher Josh Murat, from
The Dalles High School, is also inéligible
title.
i
Sophomore first baseman Adam
but could see limited time when he returns.
Edwards and sophomore shortstop Ryan
In the outfield, the Cougars will start the
Suyama both are coming off huge seasons
year with three freshmen. Tim Fellows,
last year, when they were named to the All-
from Fort Vancouver High School and Rian
NWAACC first team. Suyama led the team
Alden, from Roosevelt High School, will
witha.450batting average last year, while
battle for the starting job in left field.
Ed wardshit a yery respectable .419.
In center field, Randy Krupp, from
Tigard High School, will see a lot of play
‘We have two of the best players in the
NWAACC [in Edwards and Suyama],”
ing time.
Jared Kinne, from Fort Vancouver High
said Head Coach Robin Robinson.
Sophomore pitcher JeffWilliamson was
School, will get the start in right field.
also a first team All-NWAACC selection
Sophomore Nick Miller should see a lot
last year. The right-handed starter was 6-1
of time in right field when he becomes eli
with a 2.90 E.R.A.
TheCougars look to be solid around the
gible after eight games. Sophomore Jeff
infield, led by Edwards and Suyama. At
munity College, will also see time in the
outfield when he returns from ineligibility.
second base, sophomore Josh Kelsey will
Berard, a transfer from Mt Hood Com
get the nod. Ryan Loren, a freshman from
Led by Williamson, the pitching staff for
Prairie High School in Vancouver, Wash
the Cougars looks to be as good as it has
ington, could see some time behind Kelsey
everbeenunderCoachRobinson. Sopho
at second.
Sophomore Jeromy Brown, a transfer
jury-plagued freshman season and could
from Southwestern Oregon Community
team up with Williamson to provide the
more Bryan Hostetler returns from an in
College [SWOCC], will start at third base
Cougars with an excellent one-two punch.
forthe Cougars.
Backing up Suyama at shortstop will be
Art Salinas, a freshman from Evergreen
High School in Vancouver, Washington,
Cliff Johnson, a freshman from Centennial
will also be in the starting rotation for the
High School.
Sophomore AndyOrtmayer will start be
Cougars.
Freshmen Joe Ewing, from Monroe,
Washington and Brad Sunnes,
from Hillsboro High School,
and sophomore transfer Rob
ert Kinnee, all of whom are cur
rently ineligible, could all see
time on the hill when they re
turn, either as starters or reliev
ers.
Ryan Swearingen, a fresh
man from The Dalles High
The Cougars expect their pitching to be much improved from last year, when the
team had to score a lot of runs to earn a victory.
School, will also see time as a
JOHN THORBURN / Clackamas Print
nity College. The Cougars fourth oppo
good pitching and hitting,” said Robinson.
Glendale High School, Scott
Also expected to contend for the regional
From Ontario, Clackamas will travel to
Pilakowski, Scappoose High
title are Mt Hood and Lane Community
Walla Walla, Washington to take on Walla
School, and Greg Palmer, Cen
tennial High School, all hope
College, the two teams that finished ahead
Walla Community College in a double
of the Cougars last year.
Clackamas opens the season with afive-
header on March 23. :
TheCougars play a doubleheader against
well.
Coach Robinson and his club
day,eight-game road trip over spring break
Blue Mountain in Pendleton the following
The Cougars travel to Ontario to play in
day on the way home.
hope to improve on last year’s
the Treasure Valley Tournament from
The first league game for the Cougars is
third place finish in the South
March 20-22. Clackamas opens the tour
against Mt. Hood on Saturday, March 28,
ern Region, and he feels this is
nament against Wenatchee Valley, followed
when they battle the Saints in a double
a good enough team to do that
by Treasure Valley and Centralia Commu
header.
to see time on the mound as
Sophomore first baseman Adam
Edwards hit .419 last year and was
named to the All-NWAACC first team.
“This is the first year we’ve had both
relief pitcher.
Freshmen Clayton Scofield,
Statistics
nent is yet to be determined.
•Ryan Suyama
-.450 batting
avg.
• Adam Edwards
-.419 batting
avg. "
•Jeff William
-6-1,2.90
Clackamas opens season with two wins, sort of
JOHN THORBURN
Sports Editor
ressed
our
J5
keep the freshmen from feeling
[Soldani] played well in the in
Nasuta, in her first year as the
uneasy in their first game.
team's head coach.
field," noted Nasuta,' "and Stacey
[Peacock] started in Centerfield. A
The softball season got underway
DuPree and Megan Smythe pitched
' "Sortie of the freshmen were
pretty nervous," said Nasuta. "I
last week with two victories over Pa
very welPfor us and Brandi Clark
and Rasheal Phipps did a good job
think it comes1 from them playing
in their first college game. It's a iot
catching. We played great defense
bigger than what some of them are
used to. It'll pass after a couple
cific University.
pitching and
catching.
pitching and catching," noted
The school in Forest Grove, how
ever, is not allowed to count the games
on their record so no official records
of scores were kept for the game.
Even though the Cougars didn't
"Cortney
as well."
lot of players are still fighting for
their position and-this is the time
when we figure out who's going to
stay in those positions.
v
"Between now and the time we
start league play," added Nasuta,
games Were 2-1 and 1-0 in the Cou
more games."
While some of the players will
gars' fayor.
use this preseason as a chance to
on is our team communication.
That will come with time and with
The Cougars' first official action
is Thursday against Western Or
Unofficial scores for the two
Denise
Nasuta
count the two victories either, the team
played well for their first live action,
Pacific’s fieldhouse on a rubber
become comfortable with college
level ball, Coach Nasuta sees this
Head Coach
according to Head Coach Denise
ized floor so special balls were
as a time to determine certain po
Nasuta.
"I was very impressed with our
used.
sitions.
'"Lisa
The games were played in
The changes, however, didn't
Hosford
“anà
Dani
"one of the things we need to work
more game situations."
egon University in Monmouth.
Wednesday, March 11, 1998