Hext inks West Albany pitcher for the 2008 season

April 17, 2007

First-year head coach Michelle Hext (pictured right) added the first member of the 2008 recruiting class today with the signing of West Albany right-handed pitcher Jennifer Kollaer (pictured left). (Photo courtesy of The Kollaer Family)

SALEM, Ore. – West Albany senior right-handed pitcher Jennifer Kollaer (Albany, Ore.) has signed a Letter of Intent, as announced today and becomes the first recruit that first-year head softball coach Michelle Hext has signed for the 2008 season.

Kollaer comes to Corban following a career at West Albany High School where the 5-foot-8 right-hander earned first-team all-league honorable mention as a junior, while also picking up the team's Coaches' Award.

During her 2006 junior season, Kollaer batted .328 (19-for-58), including four triples, two doubles, and one home run en route to driving in six RBIs and scoring thirteen times. In the circle, the right-hander accumulated a win-loss record of 4-5 with an Earned Run Average (ERA) of 1.80 in 58.1 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts, including a career and season-high 8 K's against Corvallis on May 3rd.

As a freshman, Kollaer was primarily a pitcher throwing 129.2 innings en route to securing a win-loss record of 10-12 with an ERA of 2.81. The right-hander pitched 12 complete games, including a season-high 9 innings in a win over South Albany on April 12th, and struck out 69 batters with a season-high 5 K's twice versus Cresent Valley (4/15) & West Salem (5/12).

Along with her high school experience, Kollaer played for the Orange Crush -- an ASA team located in Corvallis -- last summer and helped lead the team to a regional berth thanks to scoring the game-winning run to send the Crush to Missoula, Montana. Kollaer batted 16-for-26 (.615) and led the team in home runs (3), runs batted in (5), and runs scored (13), while tying for the team lead in triples with one. On the base paths, Kollaer was a perfect 14-for-14 in stolen base attempts to lead the team in that category.

“Jennifer is a quality athlete that will add a lot to our team next season,” said Hext.  “With her playing both high school and ASA ball, she will bring a lot of high-level softball experience to Corban next season.”

The Warriors are currently in the midst of finishing the 2007 season and have eight games remaining -- all at home -- on the schedule against Southern Oregon, Oregon Tech, Northwest Christian, and Concordia.