12 p.m. / 2 p.m. Sunday – College of Idaho at SOU (2) – Live Stats | Live Stream
11 a.m. / 1 p.m. Monday – College of Idaho at SOU (2) – Live Stats (live stream available for Sunday's games only)

ASHLAND – After a preseason spent proving its young lineup is still formidable, the Southern Oregon University softball team's hunt for a Cascade Collegiate Conference title begins this weekend at University Field.

The Raiders (13-5 overall) will welcome College of Idaho (9-2) to town for the first homestand of the year. Due to a winter storm that was forecasted to hit the Rogue Valley this week, the doubleheaders were pushed back to Sunday (noon first pitch) and Monday (11 a.m. first pitch). As with all CCC series, under the new format instituted last year, the first three games will count toward the teams' conference records and the fourth will be a nonleague counter.

Sandoval Voted Player of the Week: Gabby Sandoval has picked up as a sophomore right where she left off her stellar debut season, and on Monday she was rewarded with the CCC's Pitcher of the Week award for the second time in her career. As SOU split doubleheaders at Menlo and William Jessup, she collected a two-inning save against the Oaks and a five-inning shutout against the Warriors, allowing six hits and one earned run in nine frames over the weekend. She's allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of her seven starts for an ERA of 1.74, owns a 7-2 record and tops the CCC in innings pitched (44 1/3) and strikeouts (37). She's surrendered two earned runs over her last 25 innings spanning seven appearances.

NAIA Top 25: SOU was picked to win the CCC title and voted No. 3 in the NAIA Top 25 preseason poll, marking the highest ranking in team history. Corban, the defending CCC regular-season champion, is No. 5 in the national poll and Oregon Tech (which tied SOU for second in last year's standings) is receiving votes. The first poll of the regular season will be released on March 13, and a new Top 25 will come out every two weeks after that.

Programming Alerts: Due to more inclement weather expected next week, SOU's series against Providence (Mont.) has been relocated from Great Falls, Mont., to the Pasco Sporting Complex in Pasco, Wash. First pitch on March 9 is scheduled for 1 p.m., and the March 10 twin bill will start at 11 a.m. SOU has also rescheduled its nonleague doubleheader against Simpson (Calif.), which was originally slated to be played Sunday in Ashland. Those games will be made up on April 11 at 1 and 3 p.m.

Short Hops:
– SOU's production at the plate hasn't dropped off despite the loss of six lineup regulars. The Raiders are hitting .330 with a collective on-base percentage of .391, and they've ended six of their wins with the mercy (eight-run) rule. Last year's team finished with a .323 average and .379 OBP, scoring over five runs per game, but in the preseason hit .296 with a .363 OBP.
– A year after establishing new SOU single-season records for home runs (11) and RBI (63), Harlee Donovan is off to another fast start with a team-best .415 average, seven extra-base hits and 17 RBI. She and freshman Hannah Shimek have both reached base safely in 11 consecutive games.
– All-America shortstop Kelsey Randall tops the NAIA in stolen-base attempts (20) and has yet to be caught. As a team, the Raiders are No. 4 nationally in steals per game (3.8). Randall is batting .368 – her career average is .410, the highest in team history – and leads the CCC in extra-base hits (9).
– One department in which the Raiders have (relatively) struggled is fielding, committing 1.6 errors per game. (Last year, they committed and average of 0.9.) But they've still only allowed 20 unearned runs compared to opponents' 29.

About College of Idaho:
– The Yotes went 23-23 overall and 16-11 in the CCC last year, and this year were picked to finish fourth. They most recently won the title in 2009.
– They've hit a blistering .391 as a team, sparked by freshman infielder Jordan Maddox, who is off to a .543 start with four doubles and four homers. Courtney Ellis (.457, 3 2B, 2 3B) and Delaney Atkins (.417, 5 2B, 1 HR) highlight a hard-hitting outfield.
– Colette Robert is the team's returning ace and has completed every game she's started, going 6-0 with a 1.51 ERA and 32 strikeouts compared to three walks. Ali Longoria (1-0, 1.85) serves as the No. 2 starter.