SALEM, Ore. – In each of her first two seasons at the helm of the Corban University softball team, head coach Abigail Farler has led her squad to an NAIA National Tournament appearance. Looking ahead to the upcoming spring season, the expectations and talent level on the No. 16-ranked Warrior squad are as high as ever.
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"I believe that leadership and buy in from the players is key," Farler noted, when asked about the team's road to success in 2019. "I want us to compete in everything that we do, win every battle that we can, and glorify God with our attitude and effort on and off the field."
The Warriors are fortunate to have retained a strong core of leaders from their 2018 squad, with a daunting ensemble of key returners set to lead the way in the coming campaign. Among these is Warrior veteran Jessie Isham, who was awarded NAIA All-American plaudits in 2017 and is coming off a First-Team All-Conference effort (.333 avg., eight home runs, 33 RBIs) in 2018.
Last year's Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Newcomer of the Year, Mahina Chong, is a newcomer no longer; and the standout shortstop from Wai'anae, Hawaii figures to be a central contributor to the Warrior lineup with both her bat and her glove. It's sometimes hard to believe Warrior backstop Sam Woodley is just a junior, with her defensive versatility and run-producing ability sure to once again be valuable assets in her third year with the Navy and Gold.
Corban fans can expect to see one of the conference's top outfields patrolling Warrior Field this spring, with reigning Honorable Mention All-CCC award-winner Megan Rybar back for her second season, and the speedy Tabby Humphrey poised to wreak havoc on the base paths for the Navy and Gold.
In the circle, look for Ally Crakes to anchor the Corban pitching staff, with the sophomore southpaw from San Diego, Calif. set to inherit a significant chunk of the innings left over from two-time NAIA All-American Sabrina Boyd—who graduated after the 2018 season. Crakes looks more than aptly prepared for the task, having tossed 50.2 innings for Farler last season and finishing the year with a 6-3 record and 3.18 ERA. On top of Crakes in the circle, Alyssa Vidal returns the best ERA on staff, as she finished with a 1.59 ERA in 2018 in 17 relief appearances, so she should figure into a big role with the Warriors moving forward in 2019.
Joining the Corban vets will be a slew of talented additions, highlighted by NCAA Division II (Colorado Christian University) transfer Sarah Probasco, who will look to make an immediate impact for the Warrior staff with her electric stuff in the circle. Also transferring in to the Navy and Gold are newcomers Makiah Johnson (Mount Hood CC) and Kayla Bailey (Simpson University), both of which add powerful bats to Corban's offensive arsenal.
The road to CCC supremacy will be anything but easy, with the conference harboring some of the NAIA's top softball programs. A testament to the CCC's strength, the Warriors—despite making a second-straight trip to the NAIA National Tournament—were picked to finish third in the CCC preseason coaches' poll, with No. 3-ranked Southern Oregon and No. 10-ranked Oregon Tech landing at No. 1 and No. 2 in the CCC coaches' poll, respectively.
Farler and company are less worried about preseason rankings, however, and more concerned with continuing the culture that has been developed over the past two years—one which values work ethic and selflessness, and lets the results take care of themselves.
"My expectation for this year's team is to grow together and create a special bond together," added Farler. "If everyone accepts their role at any given time, and does it to the best of their ability for the benefit of the team, then good things will happen."
Corban's season will kick off on Friday, as the Warriors travel south to take on Simpson University in Redding, Calif. First pitch for the squad's season opener is slated for 12 p.m.
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