Tuesday, March 7, 2017

AN IMPRESSIVE FRESHMAN: Western Washington freshman Anna Kasner continues to impress with some spectacular single game performances. Kasner was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week after throwing a pair of solid back-to-back performances against Montana State Billings.

In Saturday’s second game against the Yellowjackets, Kasner allowed just one hit and one hit batter in the Vikings’ 9-0, five-inning victory. The one hit came in the first inning as she proceeded to strike out 11. Kasner came back on Sunday to open the doubleheader with a 5-0 shutout victory. She allowed three hits and three walks while striking out 12.

Kasner enters the week fourth in the GNAC with a 2.32 earned run average and a 4-2 record. She is 25th in Division II with 62 strikeouts and is fifth nationally with 11.9 strikeouts per seven innings.

A METEORLOGICAL MESS: The strange weather year across the West continues to cause shifting to GNAC schedules. Last weekend’s scheduled four-game series between Northwest Nazarene and Simon Fraser was postponed due to snow on the field in Burnaby. That series was rescheduled for Mar. 21 and 22. Saint Martin’s had its scheduled Tuesday non-conference doubleheader with Northwest (Wash.) rained out. This weekend’s series between Northwerst Nazarene and Central Washington has been moved from Ellensburg to Selah, Wash., 33 miles south near Yakima, due to unplayable field conditions.

THE TEAM TO WATCH: After its run through the GNAC Championships into the NCAA Division II Super Regional, Central Washington will be the team to beat in the GNAC in 2017.

The Wildcats were picked by conference coaches to repeat as GNAC champion in the annual coaches’ preseason poll, which was released on Jan. 27. Central Washington received six of eight possible first place votes to finish with 61 points, well ahead Western Oregon, which was picked second with 50 points.

Central Washington went 3-2 at the MSUB Desert Stinger to open the 2017 season. The Wildcats opened with an 11-7 win over Cal Baptist on Friday before blistering Cal State Dominiguez Hills on Saturday, 21-3 in five innings. Central hammered out 24 hits, three doubles and two home runs and finished with 20 RBIs in the contest.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Heather Tracy, Montana State Billings
OF • 5-8 •  Senior • Boise, Idaho

Tracy opened the GNAC season by batting .769 (10 for 13) with a triple, three RBIs and three runs as the Yellowjackets split a four-game series at Western Washington. Tracy went 4 for 4 in Saturday’s opener, a 7-6 win over the Vikings, and went 3 for 4 in the 7-4 win on Sunday to close the series.

Also Nominated: Emily Benson (Western Washington).

PITCHER
Anna Kasner, Western Washington
P • 5-8 •  Freshman • Milton, Wash.

Kasner threw 12 scoreless innings in her first GNAC games, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out 23 in two games. She finished one hit and a hit batter short of a perfect game in Friday’s 9-0, five-inning win while striking out 11. Kasner then opened Saturday’s doubleheader by allowing three hits and three walks and striking out 12 in a 5-0 victory. Kasner enters the week with a 2.97 earned run average and has 62 strikeouts over 36.1 innings.

Also Nominated: Megan Dettling (Montana State Billings).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington returned to play Wednesday after a break of over two weeks, splitting a doubleheader at Division III Pacific Lutheran. The Wildcats lost the opener 3-1 before beating the Lutes in the nightcap, 11-2 in six innings.

• Kailyn Campbell led the Wildcats in the twinbill with four hits, including a 2 for 3 performance in the second game. She leads Central Washington with a .475 batting average.

• Jacie McDaniels had five RBIs in the two games, four of which came in the second game on a sacrifice fly, a single and a two-run homer. McDaniels is tied for third in the GNAC with 18 RBIs and is 10th in Division II with 1.64 RBIs per game.

• Kayla Smith enters the week leading the CWU staff and leads the GNAC with a 1.65 earned run average. She has allowed 29 runs, seven earned, on 13 hits with 22 strikeouts in 29.2 innings pitched. Kylie Sweeney has a 1.85 ERA in 11.1 innings. The Wildcats’ 2.59 team ERA leads the GNAC.

• Central Washington also leads the GNAC and is ranked 14th in Division II with a .353 team batting average. The Wildcats also rank 18th in Division II in on base percentage (.412) and 35th in slugging percentage (.481).

• The Wildcats open their GNAC schedule this weekend with a four-game series against Northwest Nazarene on Friday and Saturday. The games have been moved from Ellensburg to nearby Selah, Wash., due to unplayable field conditions.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia enjoyed a weekend off after hosting the Cavalier Classic on Feb. 25. The Cavaliers open GNAC play with a four-game series against Montana State Billings in Portland on Tuesday and Wednesday.

• The Cavaliers last played on Feb. 25 in a rain abbreviated Cavalier Classic at Porter Park. The Cavaliers won both games in the tournament, beating Southern Oregon 4-1 and British Columbia 8-5.

• Senior outfielder Meghan Luebbert went 4 for 6 in the two games with three runs. She went 3 for 3 with a solo home run against Southern Oregon. Luebbert is fifth in the GNAC with a .478 batting average and 22 hits.

• Senior pitcher Mattie Boucher earned the pitching with over Southern Oregon, allowing one run on seven hits in five innings of work. Senior Karlie Merritt earned the win over UBC as she allowed one run on three hits in 1.2 innings of relief.

• Junior Tori Muir earned the save in both games, throwing two perfect innings against Southern Oregon and one perfect inning against UBC. Muir leads the Concordia staff and is eighth in the GNAC with a 3.18 earned run average, allowing 23 runs, 10 earned, in 22 innings.

• The Cavaliers enter the week with a .292 batting average and have 60 runs and 105 hits in 13 games. In the circle, the Cavaliers own a 4.36 earned run average, having allowed 70 runs, 55 earned.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings opened the 2017 GNAC schedule with a four-game split at Western Washington last weekend. The Yellowjackets won Saturday’s opener, 7-6, and the final game on Sunday, 7-4.

• Junior outfielder Heather Tracy was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she batted .769 (10 for 13) in the four games with three runs, three RBIs and a triple. She went 4 for 4 in Saturday’s opener and went 3 for 4 in the final game of the series. Tracy is fourth in the GNAC in hitting wiht a .516 batting average (33 for 64). She ranks 19th in Division II with 33 hits and 31st with her two triples.

• Freshman pitcher Maddy Lincoln earned the win in the Saturday opener for the Yellowjackets. She allowed six runs, three earned, on nine hits and four walks in Saturday’s 7-6 victory. Megan Dettling won the Sunday night by allowing four runs on nine hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

• Lincoln leads the MSUB pitching staff with a 4.93 earned run average. She is 4-5 on the season and has allowed 54 runs, 35 earned, on 70 hits with 25 strikeouts in 49.2 innings.

• Montana State Billings enters the week with a .295 batting average and a 6.39 earned run average. The Yellowjackets lead the GNAC with 15 home runs and rank 38th in Division II with an average of 0.88 home runs per game. They are also 49th in Division II in scoring, averaging 5.94 runs per game.

• Montana State Billings will play not one, but two GNAC series this weekend. The Yellowjackets are in Portland for a four-game series at Concordia on Tuesday and Wednesday and then move north to Lacey, Wash., for a four-game series with Saint Martin’s.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Thanks to weather, Northwest Nazarene was idle last weekend. The Crusaders’ schedule four-game series at Simon Fraser was moved to Mar. 22 & 23 due to snow.

• Northwest Nazarene will open its GNAC season this weekend with a four-game set against Central Washington on Friday and Saturday. The games have been moved from Ellensburg to nearvy Selah, Wash., due to unplayable field conditions.

• Northwest Nazarene went 1-3 in a four-game series against NAIA for Eastern Oregon on Feb. 24 and 25. The Crusaders won the final game of the series, 10-9, on a two-RBI double by Lisa Sylvester.

• Freshman outfielder Madison Strickler finished with a .400 batting average in the four games. She went 2 for 4 in the series opener on Friday and then went 2 for 3 with a run and a RBI in the finale on Saturday. Stricker has a .303 batting average in 11 games.

• Freshman infielder Brittany Genuardi leads NNU with a .383 batting average with 23 hits, nine runs, four doubles and three home runs. She is ranked fourth in Division II with three sacrifice flies. Sophomore Kylie Orr is averaging .375 with 21 hits, five doubles and a GNAC-leading five home runs. Orr is ranked 33rd in Division II in home runs.

• Senior Brooke Bonsen leads the NNU pitching staff with a 4-5 record and a 4.20 earned run average.

• As a team, Northwest Nazarene is hitting .295 with 137 hits, 84 runs and 10 home runs. The Crusaders’ pitching staff owns a 5.22 earned run average.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s did not play last weekend. The Saints will host Montana State Billings for a four-game GNAC series on Friday and Saturday.

• Saint Martin’s went 2-0 in a pair of games at the Cavalier Classic in Portland on Feb. 25. The Saints scored a 10-3 win over Corban and an 8-2 victory over British Columbia.

• Junior pitcher/infielder Kim Nelson led the Saints at the plate and in the circle, finishing with a .667 batting average and a 2.00 earned run average in the two games. She earned the pitching win against Corban, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits in the complete game. She also went 3 for 3 at the plate in the contest with two RBIs.

• Nelson is sixth in the GNAC with a 2.47 earned run average, having allowed 20 runs, six earned, over 17 innings. Jessica O’Toole owns a 2.33 ERA in six innings of work.

• Senior outfielder Mary Dettling continues to lead SMU at the plate and is third in the GNAC and 27th in Division II with a .524 batting average. She leads Division II with 1.00 doubles per game and has six total. Dettling also ranks 27th in Division II with a .932 slugging percentage.

• Saint Martin’s is second in the GNAC and 26th in Division II with a .331 batting average. The Saints rank third in Division II with 2.83 doubles per game, sixth with a .984 fielding percentage and 18th with a .535 slugging percentage.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser had its schedule GNAC series with Northwest Nazarene snowed out. The series has been rescheduled for Mar. 21 and 22. The Clan will open GNAC play with a doubleheader at Western Oregon on Saturday and at Concordia on Sunday.

• Simon Fraser lost both of its games at the Cavalier Classic on Feb. 25. The Clan took a 3-2 loss to Southern Oregon and an 8-2 loss to Corban.

• Senior outfielder Robyn Mogavero led the Clan offensively, batting .500 in the two games, topped by a 2 for 3 performance against Corban. Mogavero enters the week 27th in Division II with 0.38 sacrifice hits per game.

• Junior infielder Taylor Lundrigan batted .375 in the two games. She leads the GNAC and is 17th in Division II with a .541 batting average.

• Senior Tori Belton continues to lead SFU in the circle. She enters the week with a 3.32 earned run average as she has allowed 25 runs, 12 earned, while appearing in six of the Clan’s 10 games.

• As a team, Simon Fraser enters the week with a .287 batting average, 40 runs and 82 hits, while the pitching staff owns a 3.72 earned run average. The Clan is third in the GNAC with a .964 fielding percentage.

• In the NCAA Division II stats, Simon Fraser is 20th with 1.90 doubles per game.

WESTERN OREGON
• The Wolves enjoyed an off weekend to begin March. Western Oregon will open its GNAC schedule this weekend, hosting doubleheaders against Simon Fraser on Saturday and Western Washington on Sunday.

• Western Oregon finished off February by beating College of Idaho in a four-game series at College of Idaho on Feb. 25 & 26. The Wolves took both games of Saturday’s doubleheader, 5-4 and 9-0, lost the Sunday opener 5-4 before closing with a 12-1, five-inning victory.

• Senior infielder Ashlee Lynch hit .583 in the College of Idaho series as she went 7 for 12 with three runs, six RBIs, two doubles and a grand slam. She went 3 for 5 in the series finale, which included two runs, five RBIs and the grand slam. Lynch is hitting .412 in 12 games for the Wolves.

• Senior pitcher Sammi Cadwallader picked up her fourth win of the season in Saturday’s 9-0, five-inning victory at College of Idaho. She allowed just five hits and a walk while striking out one. Cadwallader is now 4-0 on the season and is second in the GNAC with a 1.75 earned run average. She is ranked 16th in Division II in hits allowed per seven innings at 4.26.

• Among others in the NCAA Division II stats, infielder Kelsie Gardner is ranks 36th with 1.18 runs per game. Infielder Destiny Kuehl is tied for 23rd with two sacrifice flies on the season.

• The Wolves are third in the GNAC in hitting with a .324 batting average with 139 hits over their 12 games. Western Oregon also ranks second in the league in pitching with a 2.68 earned run average. In the NCAA Division II stats, the Wolves are 19th in home runs per game (1.09), 30th with 6.36 runs scored per game and 37th with a .490 slugging percentage.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington opened its GNAC schedule with a split at home against Montana State Billings. The Vikings won Saturday’s nightcap, 9-0 in five innings, and won Sunday’s opener by a 5-0 score.

• Freshman pitcher Anna Kasner was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season after she posted an amazing line in her two starts. In 12 scoreless innings, Kasner allowed four hits and three walks while striking out 23 in two game. She was a hit and a hit better short of a perfect game in Saturday’s 5-0, five-inning win while striking out 11. She then struck out 12 while allowing three hits in Sunday’s win.

• Kasner enters the week ranked 25th in Division II with 62 strikeouts and ranks fifth nationally with 11.9 strikeouts per seven innings. She is also 24th in Division II with 4.43 hits allowed per seven innings.

• Junior infielder Emily Benson went 4 for 9 in the series (.444) with five runs and hit a grand slam in Saturday’s victory. Benson is the Vikings’ leading hitter and is 18th in Division II with a .538 batting average. Benson is also 12th in Division with a 1.026 slugging percentage and 17th with a .625 on-base percentage.

• Freshman infielder/pitcher Paityn Cyr was the VIkings’ leading hitter in the series as she batted .462 (6 for 13) with three runs and four RBIs. Freshman outfielder Mackenzie Palmer batted .385, going 5 for 13 with two runs and two RBIs.

• Western Washington is fourth in the GNAC in hitting with a .317 batting average and a 3.46 team earned run average.

• The Vikings are on the road this weekend, playing at Concordia on Saturday and at Western Oregon on Sunday.