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Ottawa University

NAIA Opening Round Softball

Softball

#RV Braves Play #20 College of Idaho to Open the NAIA Opening Round

For the seventh time in program history the Braves have won 30 or more games in a season. OU has an overall record of 35-13-1 and finished first in the KCAC for the second straight season with a record of 20-4, its sixth conference championship in program history.

OU finished the KCAC Tournament with a record of 3-2. The Braves hit .244 (32-for-131), scored 17 runs, hit eight doubles, one triple, two home runs, drove in 12 runs, had a .366 slugging percentage, walked 13 times, was hit by a pitch three times, had a .324 on base percentage, and stole five bases. The OU pitching staff had a 2.20 ERA, striking out 13 in 35 innings. Opponents had a .284 batting average against the Braves.

Ottawa had 11 players named to the All-KCAC teams. Casson Rasmussen was named KCAC Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season and Jay Kahnt, for the second straight year, was named KCAC Coach of the Year. It is the sixth time in his career that he has earned the honor. First Team: Casson Rasmussen and Allison Kearney. Second Team: Amber Flummerfelt, Jillian Kygar, Cierra Faubion, Aliks Serna, and Justyse Rodriguez. Honorable Mention: Hannah Copeland, Madison Bunfill, Riley Newbold, and Kelcie Kippes. Gold Glove: Allison Kearney and Riley Newbold.

Justyse Rodriguez leads the Braves with a .364 batting average, Madison Bunfill is OU's leader in RBI with 43, and Casson Rasmussen leads the team in ERA (1.80) and strike outs (132).

Amber Flummerfelt is three strike outs away from having 100 on the season. It would be the first time in program history that OU had two pitchers with 100 or more strike outs in a season. Casson Rasmussen has 133 strike outs in 2022.

This will be the second meeting between Ottawa University and College of Idaho. The Yotes defeated the Braves 4-2 in the NAIA World Series on May 27 last season in Columbus, Ga. In the game, Madison Bunfill went 2-for-3 at the plate, scoring one run and drive in two. Casson Rasmussen pitched six innings, striking out four.

Through 49 games, Ottawa has scored 288 runs and hit 37 home runs. The Braves have a .292 batting average, a .376 on base percentage, and a .456 slugging percentage. OU's 37 home runs are two away from the school record of 39 that was set during the 2015 season.

Ottawa is ranked 38th in the NAIA in runs (288), 33rd in triples (15), 19th in home runs (37), 41st in RBI (254), 47th in extra base hits (117), 26th in walks (150), 26th in walks (150), 33rd in sacrifice flies (16), 39th in sacrifice hits (38), 24th in ERA (2.14), and 12th in opponent batting average (.207).

College of Idaho is 41-15 overall, ranked no. 20 in the NAIA, and had a finished of fourth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference with a record of 22-8. The Coyotes lost in the CCC Tournament 1-0 in 10 innings in the championship game to no. 4 Oregon Tech.

Through 55 games, the Coyotes have scored 351 runs and hit 30 home runs. College of Idaho has a .306 batting average, a .391 on base percentage, and a .453 slugging percentage.

The Coyotes are ranked 30th in the NAIA in at bats (1,423), 14th in runs (351), 41st in hits (435), 23rd in doubles (90), 33rd in triples (15), 17th in RBI (306), 23rd in extra base hits (135), 32nd in total bases (645), ninth in walks (174), 23rd in hit by pitch (37), seventh in sacrifice hits (60), 33rd in stolen bases (98), 41st in on base percentage (.391), 49th in shutouts (8), and 44th in opponent batting average (.253).

Haley Loffers leads the Coyotes in batting average (.491), Tanner Higgins is the team's leader in RBI (44), and Katleyn Wilfert is College of Idaho's leader in ERA (2.15) and strike outs (106).

College of Idaho had six players named to the All-CCC Teams. First Team: Tanner Higgins, Hattie Hruza, Haley Loffer and Katelyn Wilfert. Second Team: Hannah McNerney. Honorable Mention: Kaily Christensen.
 
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Players Mentioned

Allison Kearney

#11 Allison Kearney

INF
5' 7"
Junior
R/R
Casson Rasmussen

#1 Casson Rasmussen

P
5' 8"
Senior
R/R
Hannah Copeland

#13 Hannah Copeland

P/INF
5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
Justyse Rodriguez

#15 Justyse Rodriguez

C
5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
Madison Bunfill

#14 Madison Bunfill

INF
5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
Cierra Faubion

#3 Cierra Faubion

INF
5' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
Jillian Kygar

#20 Jillian Kygar

C
5' 11"
Sophomore
R/R
Amber Flummerfelt

#8 Amber Flummerfelt

P
5' 4"
Senior
R/R
Kelcie Kippes

#25 Kelcie Kippes

P
5' 9"
Junior
R/R
Aliks Serna

#9 Aliks Serna

INF
5' 7"
Junior
R/R
Riley Newbold

#4 Riley Newbold

OF
5' 1"
Sophomore
R/R

Players Mentioned

Allison Kearney

#11 Allison Kearney

5' 7"
Junior
R/R
INF
Casson Rasmussen

#1 Casson Rasmussen

5' 8"
Senior
R/R
P
Hannah Copeland

#13 Hannah Copeland

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
P/INF
Justyse Rodriguez

#15 Justyse Rodriguez

5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
C
Madison Bunfill

#14 Madison Bunfill

5' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
INF
Cierra Faubion

#3 Cierra Faubion

5' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
INF
Jillian Kygar

#20 Jillian Kygar

5' 11"
Sophomore
R/R
C
Amber Flummerfelt

#8 Amber Flummerfelt

5' 4"
Senior
R/R
P
Kelcie Kippes

#25 Kelcie Kippes

5' 9"
Junior
R/R
P
Aliks Serna

#9 Aliks Serna

5' 7"
Junior
R/R
INF
Riley Newbold

#4 Riley Newbold

5' 1"
Sophomore
R/R
OF