Thursday, April 27, 2017

ONE WEEKEND LEFT: One weekend remains in the GNAC regular season and not much is decided yet for the field for the GNAC Championships, which start next Thursday in Lacey, Wash.

The only sure thing in terms of the field is Central Washington, which has secured its fourth GNAC Championships berth with its win on Sunday over Saint Martin’s. The chance to snag the Wildcats’ fifth GNAC regular season title, however, went unfulfilled as the Saints came back to take the final three games of the series.

There are only four games between the second and fifth place teams in the conference, meaning that the rest of the tournament field won’t be determined until Sunday. Thanks to their three wins over CWU, the Saints propelled themselves into second place at 14-8 woth six games to go. Western Washington sits third at 15-9 with four games to go and Northwest Nazarene is fourth at 13-11 with four games to go. Western Oregon is fifth at 11-11, but will play six games this weekend to close the regular season.

PURCHASE CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS NOW: Ticket sales are now open for the 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Softball Championships. The annual tournament will take place May 4-6 at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash.

Advance tickets can be purchased online through the GNAC’s EventBrite ticket ordering page now until May 3. Single session advance tickets are available for $9 for adults and $5 for seniors (65 years and older), high school and college students and children (3-14 years old). Children two years of age and younger are free. Full tournament passes purchased in advance are available for $16 for adults, $10 for seniors, high school and college students and children.

Tickets will be available at the tournament site on the day of games for an additional cost.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Makinlee Sellevold, Western Washington
P/IF • 5-4 •  Junior • Everett, Wash.

Sellevold batted .588 in six games for the Vikings as she went 10 for 17 with three doubles, two home runs, six runs and 14 RBIs as the Vikings went 4-2. She went 5 for 5 with four runs and five RBIs in Sunday’s doubleheader sweep of Concordia, which included a 3 for 3 effort in the opener. In addition, Sellevold posted a 1.79 earned run average in four pitching appearances and earned the win in Sunday’s opening game with Concordia.

Also Nominated: Jenna Kelly (Western Oregon), Corrie Wilson (Saint Martin’s), Chelsea Hotner (Simon Fraser), Bella Rovens (Montana State Billings), Kylie Orr (Northwest Nazarene).

PITCHER
Haley Fabian, Western Oregon
P • 5-9 •  Sophomore • East Wenatchee, Wash.

Fabian picked up all three of Western Oregon’s wins in the circle last week and compiled a 2.00 earned run average. She allowed eight runs. Six earned, on 18 hits with three walks and 16 strikeouts in 21 innings. She allowed one run on three hits and struck out six in the Wolves’ 6-1 win over Western Washington on Friday’s and then allowed six hits and a walk in Saturday’s 1-0 shutout of the Vikings.

Also Nominated: Lauren Maley (Saint Martin’s), Brooke Bonsen (Northwest Nazarene).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington is the only school to lock in a berth in the GNAC Championships thanks to its 9-5 opening game win over Saint Martin’s on Sunday. The Saints, however, stormed back to win the next three in the series and hand the Wildcats their longest losing streak of the season.

• Junior Celine Fowler led Central Washington in the four games by hitting .533 with eight hits, five runs and a RBI. She went 2 for 3 with a run in Sunday’s victory and then went 3 for 4 with a pair of runs in the nightcap.

• Senior Kailyn Campbell went 7 for 15 in the series with four doubles, a home run and four RBIs. She went 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles in Sunday’s nightcap and went 3 for 5 with a double and a homer in Monday’s opener. Campbell leads the GNAC and is fifth in Division II with a .497 batting average. In the Division II stats, Campbell also ranks second in doubles per game (0.53), third in total doubles (21) and seventh in slugging percentage (.858).

• Sophomore Kayla Smith paced the CWU pitchers with a 3.68 earned run average in two appearances, both losses. She allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits in six innings in Sunday’s 13-5 loss. Smith took the loss in Monday’s extra-inning game, allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits with six strikeouts in 7.1 innings of relief. Smith is fourth in the GNAC with a 2.82 earned run average.

• Having qualified for its fourth GNAC Championships, Central Washington will aim for its fourth GNAC regular season title this weekend.

• As a team, Central Washington leads the GNAC and is eighth in Division II with a .343 batting average. The team also leads the GNAC in pitching with a .284 earned run average. The Wildcats continue to lead Division II in double plays, turning an average of 0.68 per game.

• Central Washington closes the regular season with a doubleheader against Concordia on Saturday (in Hillsboro, Ore.) and Western Oregon on Sunday (in Corvallis, Ore.).

CONCORDIA
• Concordia split its weekend games, earning 9-3 and 7-4 wins at Simon Fraser on Friday before taking 6-4 and 12-4 losses at Western Washington on Sunday.

• The sweep of Simon Fraser allowed the Cavaliers just their second GNAC series victory this season.

• Senior Taylor Bussey led the way offensively with a .462 average, going 6 for 13 with three doubles, three RBIs and three runs. Her big game of the week came in Friday’s opener when Bussey went 3 for 4 with a double, two runs and two RBIs. Bussey enters the week with a .462 batting average.

• Senior Rylleigh Zbaraschuk and freshman Macy Besuyen each batted .417 in the four games, with Zbaraschuk adding a three-run homer in Friday’s 9-3 opening win over Simon Fraser.

• Senior Mattie Boucher earned the win in the opener as she allowed three runs on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts in Friday’s 9-3 win. She then took a no decision in Sunday’s opener with Western Washington, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits in 2.2 innings. Boucher leads the CU pitching staff with a 5.20 earned run average.

• As a team, Concordia enters the week with a .294 batting average and a 5.94 earned run average.

• Concordia concludes the season at home this weekend. The Cavaliers will host Central Washington on Saturday in Hillsboro, Ore., and close on Sunday by hosting Saint Martin’s.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped three of four weekend games at Northwest Nazarene. The Yellowjackets lost Friday’s opener 6-2 before taking the nightcap 12-6. The Crusaders collected both Saturday wins, 10-5 and 14-5.

• Senior Bella Rovens led MSUB offensively with a .571 average in the four games with eight hits and six runs. She went 2 for 4 with two runs in Friday’s opener and then had three hits, two runs and a RBI in the nightcap. Rovens enters the week with a .340 average.

• Senior Kelsey Delvin batted .462 with six hits, two doubles and two home runs in the series while junior Cameron Cassinelli and sophomore Vanessa Almario each hit .400 with six hits. Cassinelli enters the week with a .366 batting average, second best for the Yellowjackets.

• Junior Heather Tracy continues to lead MSUB and ranks third in the GNAC and 29th in Division II with a .451 batting average. Tracy also leads the league and is 13th in Division II with her 13 hits. Cassinelli leads the GNAC and is 15th in Division II with 13 home runs.

• As a team, Montana State Billings enters the week with a .305 batting average and 7.78 earned run average. The Yellowjackets and 34th in Division II in slugging percentage (.473) and ninth in home runs per game (1.04).

• Montana State Billings closes the regular season at home with a four-game series against Simon Fraser on Friday and Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene helped its GNAC Champonships chances by taking three of four games from Montana State Billings. The Crusaders split Friday’s twinbill, winning the opener 6-2 and losing the nightcap 12-6. The Crusaders swept the Saturday contests, 10-5 and 14-5.

• Sophomore Anna Olson led the Crusaders with a .545 batting average over the four games, going 6 for 11 with an RBI and two runs. She had two hits in Saturday’s games and went 2 for 3 with a RBI in the opener.

• Sophomore Kylie Orr batted .533 in the four-game series with two doubles, four runs and seven RBIs. She had two hits in each of Friday’s games, which included a pair of RBI singles in the nightcap, and went 3 for 4 with two runs and a RBI double in Saturday’s opener. Orr enters the week leading NNU with a .392 average and ranks 10th in Division II in toughest to strike out, having fanned just three times in 153 at bats.

• Senior Brooke Bonsen won both of her starts, allowing five runs, four earned, on 14 hits with 12 strikeouts in 12.2 innings. She went the distance in Friday’s opener, alowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits with seven strikeouts in the 7-2 victory. Bonsen then went 5.2 innings in Saturday’s opener, allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Bonsen enters the week with a 4.35 earned run average.

• As a team, Northwest Nazarene enters the week with a .308 batting average and a 4.95 earned run average. The Crusaders are one of three teams with 60 or more doubles on the season.

• Northwest Nazarene wraps a 16-game home stand and closes the regular season this weekend by hosting Western Washington for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s bolstered its GNAC Championships chances by taking three of four games from league-leading Central Washington.The Saints lost Sunday’s opener, 9-5, before coming back to take the nightcap, 13-5. Saint Martin’s won Monday’s opener, 10-6 in 10 innings, on a walk off grand slam by Alyssa French, and won the second game 7-1.

• Senior Mary Dettling and junior Kim Nelson each batted .429 in the four-game set, each notching six hits. Both had two hits in Sunday’s nightcap while Dewttling had the game-tying single in the 10th inning in the Saint’s 10-6 win on Monday. Dettling leads the Saints and is seventh in the GNAC with a .405 batting average. She is 22nd in Division II with 16 doubles.

• Junior Lindsay Miller picked up the win in long relief in Monday’s 10-inning game, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits with a strikeout in 8.2 innings of work. Sophomore Lauren Maley earned the win in Sunday’s second game as she allowed five runs, three earned, on 10 hits in the complete game effort. Nelson was a winner in Monday’s finale, allowing one unearned run on six hits.

• Nelson enters the week leading SMU and ranked seventh in the GNAC with a 3.1 earned run average. She is 36th in Division II with an average of 0.99 walks allowed per seven innings.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week second in the GNAC and 14th in Division II with a .340 batting average. The Saints are 12th in Division II in scoring (6.88 runs per game), 13th in doubles per game (1.76) and 24th in slugging percentage (.483).

• Saint Martin’s closes the regular season in the Willamette Valley. The Saints will play Western Oregon in doubleheaders on Thursday and Saturday, both in Corvallis, Ore. The Saints play at Concordia on Sunday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser opened last weekend with a big win, shutting out Western Oregon 4-0 on Sunday before losing the second game to the Wolves 8-7. The Clan then lost two games on Monday at Western Washington, 4-0 and 3-2.

• Of the Clan’s 26 losses on the season, 14 have come by just one run. In Sunday’s second game, the Clan succeeded by coming back from a six-run deficit thanks to a grand slam by freshman Chelsea Hotner and a solo shot by freshman Jada Yeo.

• Junior Taylor Lundrigan led Simon Fraser offensively with a .500 average in the four games, going 6 for 12 with three runs. She went 2 for 3 with two runs in Sunday’s nightcap with Western Oregon and went 2 for 3 in the second game with Western Washington. Lundrigan leads SFU and is fifth in the GNAC with a .423 average.

• Senior Tori Belton had one of her better weekends of the season in the circle, going 1-0 with a 1.27 earned run average in two appearances. She allowed just three hits and struck out four in Sunday’s shutout win over Western Oregon and then allowed two runs on two hits in four innings in Monday’s opener against Western Washington. Belton enters the week leading SFU with a 4.67 earned run average.

• As a team, Simon Fraser is batting .279 and is fifth in the GNAC with a 4.68 earned run average.

• Simon Fraser will close its 2017 season qwith a four-game series at Montana State Billings on Froday and Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon went 3-3 in six games last week to keep its GNAC Championships hopes alive. The Wolves split games at Western Washington on Tuesday, losing the opener 13-1 before taking the nightcap 6-1. In Friday’s rematch, the Vikings won the opener 6-5 before WOU took a 1-0 win in the nightcap. Western Oregon then split with Simon Fraser on FSaturday, losing the opener 4-0 before winning the nightcap 8-7.

• Sophomore Haley Fabian was named GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week after she picked up all three wins for the Wolves. She allowed eight runs. Six earned, on 18 hits with three walks and 16 strikeouts in 21 innings. She allowed one run on three hits and struck out six in the Wolves’ 6-1 win over Western Washington on Friday’s and then allowed six hits and a walk in Saturday’s 1-0 shutout of the Vikings. Fabian enters the week with 11 wins and a 3.62 earned run average.

• Sophomore Jenna Kelly led WOU offensively as she went 7 for 16 with a double, a home run and four RBIs. Kelly had two hits and a RBI single in Friday’s second game with WWU and went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s opener. Kelly then smashed a three-run homer to open scoring in Sunday’s 8-7 win over Simon Fraser.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .311 batting average and a 3.55 earned run average. The Wolves rank 29th in Division II with 0.43 double plays per game and 39th with 0.78 home runs per game.

• Western Oregon closes the regular season by hosting Saint Martin’s for a doublehewder on Saturday and Central Washington for two on Sunday. The games will be played at the Oregon State Softball Complex in Corvallis, meaning that WOU will conclude the season without having played a true home game.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington bolstered its GNAC Championships chances with six wins in eight games played over the last seven days. The Vikings opened with a splits with Western Oregon on both Thursday and Friday before scoring doubleheader sweeps of Concordia on Sunday and Simon Fraser on Monday.

• Junior Makinlee Sellevold was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she batted .588 in the six games last week with three doubles, two home runs, six runs and 14 RBIs as the Vikings went 4-2. She went 5 for 5 with four runs and five RBIs in Sunday’s doubleheader sweep of Concordia, which included a 3 for 3 effort in the opener. In addition, Sellevold posted a 1.79 earned run average in four pitching appearances and earned the win in Sunday’s opening game with Concordia. Sellevold is eighth in the GNAC with a .402 batting average and is fifth with a 2.87 earned run average.

• Over the last eight games, Sellevold batted .478 with 11 hits and 14 RBIs. Sophomore Shearyna Labasan batted .462 with 12 hits, a double and a pair of RBIs while junior Sarah Morrow batted .400 with 10 hits, two doubles and two triples.

• Western Washington enters the week with a .305 batting average and a 3.23 earnred run average. The Vikings lead the GNAC with a .961 fielding percentage. In the Division II statistics, junior Emily Benson is 42nd in Division II in batting average (.445) and 16th in slugging percentage (.802). Freshman Anna Kasner is ninth in Division II in strikeouts per seven innings (9.3), 34th in strikeouts (150) and 45th in shutouts (5).

• Western Washington closes the regular season with a four-game series at Northwest Nazarene on Friday and Saturday.