Monday, April 1, 2013
PORTLAND, Ore. - Western Oregon shortstop Blake Miller and Central Washington pitcher Tyler Roberts have been selected the GNAC Red Lion Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.
Also earning the weekly Red Lion honor were softball players Nicole Wilkerson of Montana State Billings, Maria Gau of Central Washington and Kelsie Hawkins of Simon Fraser; track and field athletes Dylan Anthony and Susan Bick of Alaska Anchorage, Chris Olsen of Western Oregon and Tayler Fettig of Central Washington, and golfer Mark Strickland of Western Washington.
Baseball: Player – Blake Miller, Western Oregon (SS, 6-2, 195, Sr., Salem, OR – South Salem) had seven hits in 13 at bats as the Wolves split four games with Central Washington to hold on to first place in the GNAC. Miller scored four runs and drove in three. He also had a pair of doubles and two stolen bases, including one to set up the game’s only run in Saturday’s 1-0, 10 inning victory. Pitcher – Tyler Roberts, Central Washington (5-10, Sr., Kennewick, WA – Southridge & WWCC) blanked Western Oregon 3-0 on two hits becoming the first pitcher to shutout the Wolves in Monmouth since 2007. He walked three and fanned seven in his masterpiece. Honorable Mention – A.J. Burke, Western Oregon; Joel Johnson, Central Washington; Bobby Twedt, Saint Martin’s; Chandler Tracy, Saint Martin’s.
Softball: Player – Nicole Wilkerson, MSU Billings (C, 5-6, Sr., Lincoln, CA – Southwestern Oregon CC) had four hits in seven at bats in Saturday’s doubleheader with Western Oregon, including a three-run home run in a 7-6 come-from-behind victory. The home run was her team-leading fifth of the season. Pitcher - Maria Gau, Central Washington (5-7, Jr., Woodinville, WA) and Kelsie Hawkins, Simon Fraser (5-8, Jr., Victoria, BC – Oak Bay) ... Both pitchers posted 3-0 records and sub 1.00 earned run averages leading their teams to 5-1 records during the week. Gau allowed just 12 hits and two runs in 19 innings. She walked four and fanned 20. She tossed a four-hitter in defeating Simon Fraser 2-0. Hawkins, who blanked CWU 6-0 on four hits to earn the Clan a split of Saturday’s twinbill, allowed just one run and 11 hits in 20 innings, walking four and striking out 21. Honorable Mention – Mary Grace Bywater, MSU Billings; Kaleigh Keating, Western Washington.
Men’s Track & Field: Track – Dylan Anthony, Alaska Anchorage (So., Kodiak, AK) and Chris Olsen, Western Oregon (So., Milwaukie, OR – Rex Putnam) ... Anthony ran the sixth fastest 10,000 meter time in Division II this spring finishing seventh overall in Friday’s San Francisco State Distance Carnival in a time of 29:53.28. He is just the fifth athlete in GNAC history to crack the 30 minute barrier and his time ranks fourth overall in GNAC history. Olson finished fourth in the B section of the 800 meters at the Stanford Invitational in a time of 1:51.43. His time also ranks fourth this spring among Division II athletes and ranks sixth on the GNAC all-time Top 10 chart. Honorable Mention – Joseph Patti, Saint Martin’s; Jeff Howard, Western Oregon; Will Harrison, Seattle Pacific.
Women’s Track & Field: Track – Susan Bick, Alaska Anchorage (Jr., Anchorage, AK) posted provisional national qualifying times in both the 800 (2:12.47) and 1500 (4:33.78) at Stanford and San Francisco State. Field – Tayler Fettig, Central Washington (So., Olympia), cleared 5-9 in the high jump in the Club Northwest Spring Break Open. Her leap is a CWU school record and ranks second all-time in GNAC history. Honorable Mention – Kelly Cronic, Saint Martin’s; Emma Collier, Western Oregon; Mary Owen, MSU Billings; Corrie Holm, MSU Billings; Joslyn Eugenio, Saint Martin’s; Sam Munger, Saint Martin’s.
Men’s Golf: Mark Strickland, Western Washington (So., Mukilteo, WA) finished second in the Cal Baptist Intercollegiate in Beaumont, Calif., with a 54-hole total of four-under par 212. Strickland had rounds of 70, 71 and 71 on the 6,993 yard layout. His 71 in the final round helped the Vikings rally from a four-shot deficit after 36 holes to win the team title. WWU finished four shots ahead of second-place Chico State.