Just about a decade removed from her playing career, Adna’s Jessika-Jo (Sandrini) Tatum added one more honor to her list last Friday, being named to the 2023 Siena College Athletics Hall of Fame class.
A three-time first-team all-MAAC honoree — as a hitter in 2012 and 2013 and as a pitcher in 2014 — Sandrini is still the Saints’ all-time leader in wins (56), complete games (68) and strikeouts (488), while holding the single-season records for wins (20), strikeouts (164) and shutouts (five).
As a hitter, she’s second in career on-base percentage (.473) and runs scored (116) and tied for third in hits (188), batting average (.357) and doubles (40).
Before she crossed the country to get to Loudonville, N.Y., Sandrini starred at Adna, where she led the Pirates to the 2009 2B state title in the circle as a junior, earning 2B State Tournament MVP and AP State 2B Player of the Year honors in the process. The next season as a senior, she posted 172 punchouts and a .50 ERA, while hitting .574 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs, and nearly got the Pirates back to the pinnacle with seven shutout innings in the state title game, only for Adna to lose 1-0 ito Pe Ell in eight.
After taking home the AP State 2B Player of the Year award — and All-Area MVP honors — for the second straight year, it was off to college ball, and Sandrini got to work real fast, earning three MAAC rookie of the week awards in her first two months at Siena. She went onto toss 26.2 scoreless innings that season, and ended her freshman campaign with a .532 on-base percentage that was good for 16th-best in the nation.
Dalan stepping into starring role
It’s a tall task for a freshman to take on leading minutes just weeks into their first college season. Then again, if there’s anyone equipped for tall tasks, it’s W.F. West alum Soren Dalan, who’s already making a splash at Walla Walla University. Listed at 7 feet tall these days on the Wolves’ website, the freshman has started every game for Walla Walla — starting with a 24-point effort in a win against Whitman. He leads the Wolves in a whole host of statistical categories, and is currently first in the Cascade Collegiate Conference in blocks (22), second in rebounding (9.1 rebounds per game), fourth in scoring (16.2 points per game) and third in playing time (32.6 minutes per game).
T-Birds working in at Evergreen
Across the CCC, a pair of Tumwater alums are factoring in for Evergreen in their first seasons of college ball. Luke Brewer, the reigning 2A EvCo Player of the Year, is averaging a shade under five points per game, while Gunnar Harroun has made four starts for the Geoducks, most notably an eight-point, nine-rebound, two-block outing against Linfield in which he played 30 minutes.
Winter set for senior season
Former Rochester and Centralia College star Paige Winter found a new home last year at Portland State, and is into her second campaign with the Vikings this winter as a senior. So far, she’s averaging 9.6 minutes a game off the bench. In her last game before Christmas, she went 3 for 4 from the field for six points, and also had a pair of rebounds.
Waltermeyer starting for Yotes
Tumwater alum Kylie Waltermeyer has started all 11 games this season for the College of Idaho and gotten off to a hot start. The former Thunderbird is averaging 7.7 points per game — second on the COI roster — and also logged 15 assists, six steals and a team-high four blocks.
