Tuesday, March 20, 2018

WILDCATS CONTINUE TO ROLL: Central Washington seems to be unstoppable. The Wildcats added three wins to its ledger over the weekend to move to 7-0 in conference play and extended its win streak to nine games to earn Red Lion/GNAC Team of the Week honors.

The Wildcats went to the Willamette Valley last weekend and picked up three victories, scoring 3-0 and 7-0 victories over Concordia on Saturday and a 7-1 win over Western Oregon on Sunday. The second game with the Wolves was suspended due to rain with the Wildcats leading 4-0 in the second inning.

In the three games, Central Washington finished with a .333 batting average and amassed a 0.33 earned run average. The performance also netted the Wildcats a sweep of the GNAC Player of the Week awards. Sophomore Savannah Egbert was named the Softball Player of the Week after she batted .545 in the three games, finishing with two hits in each of the games to go with three RBIs and two runs. Freshman Lexie Strasser was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she won two games and allowed one run on nine hits with six strikeouts in 15 innings.

Central Washington enters the Tournament of Champions leading the GNAC and ranked 24th in Division II with a .330 batting average. The Wildcats also leads the league with their 3.30 earned run average.

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: The GNAC schedule takes its annual break this weekend as all eight teams travel to lovely Turlock, Calif., for the annual Tournament of Champions, hosted by Stanislaus State.

The annual tournament features 27 teams, including all but four of the programs that compete in the GNAC, CCAA and PacWest. Teams from the GNAC will play in 17 games on Friday. Seven programs will play two games while Northwest Nazarene will play three.

The GNAC enters the tournament having won 237 games in its 16 years of participation. The 2016 tournament marked the first time that all GNAC softball programs participated in the tournament. The GNAC has won 22 games in each of the last three editions.

In the 2017 Tournament of Champions, Central Washington led the GNAC with a 5-1 record while Western Oregon and Western Washington both finished with 4-2 records.

The tournament schedule could be affected by heavy rain expected in the days leading up to the event. Nearly a quarter-inch of rain is forecast for the normally dry Central Valley for Tuesday, with .84 inches forecast for Wednesday and .43 inches predicted for Thursday. Weather is expected to be dry for the tournament dates. Fans should check warriorathletics.com/toc for any updates.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Savannah Egbert, Central Washington
3B • 5-7 •  Sophomore • Connell, Wash.

Egbert finished with a .545 batting average in the Wildcats’ three wins in the Willamette Valley, going 6 for 11 with two runs and three RBIs. Egbert went 2 for 4 in both wins at Concordia on Saturday. She then went 2 for 3 in Sunday’s 7-1 win at Western Oregon, hitting an RBI single in the third and a two-run double in the fourth. Egbert has helped lift the Wildcats to a 7-0 GNAC mark and a nine-game win streak.

Also Nominated: Alexandria Steen (Concordia), Julia Lucas (Saint Martin’s), Tyler Creach (Western Oregon), Shearyna Labasan (Western Washington).

PITCHER
Lexie Strasser, Central Washington
P • 6-2 •  Freshman • Chehalis, Wash.

Strasser allowed one run on nine hits and struck out six in three appearances as she helped Central Washington extend its nine-game win streak. She threw a two-hit shutout in the Wildcats’ 3-0 win at Concordia in Saturday’s opener, allowing one walk while striking out three. She then threw one inning of scoreless relief in the nightcap. Strasser returned to earn her sixth win of the season in Sunday’s 7-1 win at Western Oregon, allowing one run on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts.

Also Nominated: Lauren Maley (Saint Martin’s), Alia Stachoski (Simon Fraser), Lizzet Dominguez (Western Oregon), Anna Kasner (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington extended its win streak to nine games with three wins in the Willamette Valley. The Wildcats swept Saturday games at Concordia, 3-0 and 4-0, and took Sunday’s game at Western Oregon, 7-1. The second game of Sunday’s doubleheader was suspended in the second inning due to rain. Central Washington led 4-0.

• The three-win effort led to Central Washington’s selection as the Red Lion/GNAC Team of the Week.

• Sophomore Savannah Egbert was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she batted .545 in the three games, going 6 for 11 with two runs and three RBIs in the victories. Egbert went 2 for 4 in both games against Concordia and then went 2 for 3 with an RBI single in the third and a two-RBI double in the fourth in the win over Western Oregon. Egbert is second in the GNAC and 11th in Division II with a .509 batting average.

• Freshman Lexie Strasser made it a CWU sweep as she was named GNAC Pitcher of the Week. Strasser won two games in three appearances, allowing one run on nine hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 15 innings. She won the opener against Concordia on Saturday, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out three. She also won Sunday’s game at WOU, allowing one run on six hits with three strikeouts. Strasser is seventh in the GNAC with a 3.34 earned run average and is tied for third in the league with her six hits.

• Junior Rachael Johnson batted .500 in the three games for the Wildcats. She had a hit in each of the games at Concordia and went 2 for 2 with a run at Western Oregon.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC and is 24th in Division II with a .333 batting average. The Wildcats also lead the league with a 3.30 earned run average. The Wildcats are 23rd in Division II in win/loss percentage, 25th in on-base percentage (.412) and 27th in scoring (6.72 runs per game).

• Central Washington’s schedule at the Tournament of Champions includes games against Concordia-Irvine, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State San Marcos, Notre Dame de Namur, Holy Names and Sonoma State.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia dropped three of four games at home. The Cavaliers lost both games to Central Washington on Saturday, 3-0 and 4-0. Concordia split against Saint Martin’s, dropping the opener 5-2 and winning the nightcap 6-2.

• Junior Alexandria Steen led Concordia offensively with a .462 average in the four games, going 6 for 13 with a run and an RBI. She went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s nightcap and then went 2 for 4 and had an RBI in Sunday’s second game. Steen enters the week with a .303 average.

• Sophomore Macy Besuyen batted .400 in the four games. She had three of her four hits in Sunday’s win over Saint Martin’s, which included a triple and a pair of runs. Besuyen leads Concordia and is seventh in the GNAC with her .397 batting average. She is second in the GNAC with 23 runs and leads the GNAC and is ninth in Division II with four triples.

• Freshman Kayla Lagerquist earned the one pitching win for the Cavaliers in relief, allowing one run with two walks and a strikeout in 2.1 innings.

• Concordia enters the week with a .285 batting average and is third in the GNAC with a 3.68 earned run average. The Cavaliers share the GNAC lead with 28 stolen bases.

• The Cavaliers will face Dominican (Calif.), Cal State Monterey Bay, Humboldt State, Chaminade, San Francisco State and Stanislaus State at the Tournament of Champions.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings did not play last weekend. The Yellowjackets will take on San Francisco State, Stanislaus State, Chico State, Sonoma State, Dominican (Calif.) and Cal State Monterey Bay at the Tournament of Champions.

• Senior Heather Tracy leads the GNAC and is among the top-10 in Division II with a .517 batting average. She leads the GNAC and is second in Division II with 46 hits and also leads the league with 27 runs scored.

• Sophomore Maddy Lincoln leads the MSUB pitching staff with a 6-7 record and a 3.61 earned run average. In a GNAC-leading 71.2 innings, Lincoln has allowed 53 runs, 37 earned on 68 hits and has struck out 36. Her 18 appearances lead the GNAC.

• Montana State Billings enters the week third in the GNAC with a .315 batting average and owns a 4.79 earned run average. The Yellowjackets lead the league with 25 home runs and are ranked 26th in Division II with 1.00 home runs per game.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene did not play last week. The Nighthawks will take on Humboldt State, Hawaii Hilo, Azusa Pacific, Dominican (Calif.) and Academy of Art at the Tournament of Champions.

• Freshman Jordan Adams enters the week as the GNAC’s pitching leader with a 2.29 earned run average and a 7-4 record. In 12 appearances and 58 innings, Adams has allowed 28 runs, 19 earned, on 49 hits and has struck out 53. Adams also leads the GNAC with a .227 opponent batting average and is ranked 26th in Division II with her three strikeouts.

• Junior Cassidy Fifield leads NNU on offense and is ninth in the GNAC with a .391 batting average. She has 25 hits and 18 RBIs in 20 games which includes five doubles and four home runs.

• Junior Kylie Orr leads the GNAC with her 23 RBIs while junior Abigail Otto leads the league with nine doubles. Senior Lisa Sylvester is tied for 17th in Division II with three sacrifice flies.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week second in the GNAC with a .319 batting average and has a 4.43 earned run average. The Nighthawks lead the league with 225 hits and 147 runs. They are also eighth in Division II with 0.64 double plays turned per game and 13th with 1.88 doubles per game.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• The Saints finished with a split of their doubleheaders in the Willamette Valley. Saint Martin’s lost its Saturday opener with Western Oregon, 4-3, and won the nightcap 9-3. The Saints then took game one on Sunday from Concordia, 5-2, and lost the second game 6-2.

• Senior Tessani Dixon and junior Lauren Diuco each went .462 in the four games with both players going 6 for 13. Dixon had two hits in the second game with WOU and two hits in Sunday’s opener at CU, including a two-RBI double that opened scoring. Diuco had three hits with two runs and an RBI single in the fifth of the second game vs. WOU. Diuco leads the Saints with a .345 batting average while Dixon has a .304 batting average.

• Junior Lauren Maley took the pitching decision in all four games. She earned the win on Saturday at WOU in relief, allowing one run on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings. She also scored the relief win against Concordia on Sunday, allowing two unearned runs on five hits with a walk in five innings. Maley leads SMU and is fifth in the GNAC with a 3.02 earned run average.

• Senior Kim Nelson did not play in the weekend series. She is sixth in the GNAC with a 3.24 earned run average.

• The Saints enter the week with a .257 batting average and are second in the GNAC with a 3.33 earned run average. Saint Martin’s is one of three teams in the GNAC with 28 stolen bases.

• Saint Martin’s six games at the Tournament of Champions will include matchups with Azusa Pacific, Cal State San Marcos, San Francisco St., Chaminade, Humboldt State and Dominican (Calif.).

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser won three of four games over Western Washington in last weekend’s border battle. The Clan took both games in Bellingham on Saturday, 2-0 and 5-3. The Vikings won the first game in Burnaby on Sunday, 2-0, before SFU took the nightcap 4-2.

• Senior Alia Stachoski had a great weekend in the circle, going 1-1 and picking up a pair of saves. She had a 1.26 earned run average in 16.2 innings and struck out 22 in the four games. Stachoski had the complete-game win in Saturday’s opener, allowing one hit and striking out 11. She pitched the seventh inning in the nightcap for the save and also had the save in Sunday’s second game, allowing two hits and striking out two in 1.2 innings. Stachoski is 7-4 on the season and fourth in the GNAC with a 3.00 earned run average. She leads the GNAC and is seventh in Division II with four saves.

• Senior Taylor Lundrigan led the Clan offensively with a .417 batting average in the four games, going 5 for 12 with two runs and five RBIs. She went 3 for 4 in Saturday’s second game and had an RBI single in the Clan’s three-run seventh inning. She then went 2 for 3 with two runs and scored in the first when she tripled and then came home on the throw. Lundrigan is sixth in the GNAC with a .404 batting average. She is second in the GNAC with eight doubles and is ninth in Division II with 0.53 doubles per game.

• In the national statistics, senior Victoria Saunders is fifth in Division II with 0.47 sacrifice hits per game. She has seven on the season, which leads the GNAC.

• Simon Fraser enters the week fifth in the GNAC with a .292 batting average and fourth with a 3.37 earned run average. The Clan leads the GNAC and Division II with a .991 fielding percentage, making four errors in 15 games. The Clan is also 24th in Division II with 1.73 doubles per game.

• Simon Fraser will face Azusa Pacific, Humboldt State, Dominican (Calif.), Stanislaus State, Notre Dame de Namur and Chico State at the Tournament of Champions.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon dropped two of three games in its home openers. The Wolves split with Saint Martin’s on Saturday, winning the opener 4-3 and dropping the nightcap 9-3. Western Oregon lost Sunday’s opener to Central Washington, 7-1. The second game was suspended in the second inning due to rain.

• Freshman Tyler Creach led the Wolves offensively with a .600 batting average in the three games. She went 6 for 20 with three runs and a double as the Wolves’ leadoff hitter. She went 3 for 3 in Saturday’s opener, scoring runs in the third and the fifth. Creach then went 2 for 4 in the nightcap and scored a run. Creach enters the week fifth in the GNAC with a .408 batting average. She is fifth in the GNAC with her 29 hits on the season and fourth with a .517 on-base percentage.

• Junior Ryanne Huffman went 4 for 4 in Saturday’s second game, all singles, and finished the weekend with a .400 batting average. Huffman leads the Wolves and is fourth in the GNAC with a .413 batting average.

• Senior Lizzet Dominguez earned the win in the circle in Saturday’s opener, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits with seven walks and a strikeout. She enters the week with a 6-3 record and a 3.71 earned run average.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .303 batting average and a 4.46 earned run average. The Wolves are also second in the GNAC with a .967 fielding percentage. Western Oregon is fifth in Division II in hit batters, having hit just two in 24 games.

• Western Oregon’s six games at the Tournament of Champions includes games against Dominican (Calif.), Stanislaus State, Holy Names, Cal State Monterey Bay, San Francisco State and Chico State.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington dropped three of the four games in its border battle with Simon Fraser. The Clan won both games in Bellingham on Saturday, 2-0 and 3-1. The Vikings won the opener in Burnaby on Sunday, 2-0, and dropped the nightcap 4-2.

• Junior Shearyna Labasan led the Vikings offensively with a .429 batting average in the four games, going 6 for 14 with two runs. She went 3 for 3 in Saturday’s second game and scored the Vikings’ lone run in the seventh. She then went 2 for 4 in Sunday’s opener. Labasan leads WWU and is third in the GNAC with a .455 batting average. She leads the GNAC and is 18th in Division II with her .561 on-base percentage. Despite taking two losses in the circle, Labasan is eighth in the GNAC with her 3.40 earned run average in 12 games.

• Sophomore Anna Kasner had a solid weekend in two pitching appearances, allowing two unearned runs on eight hits and struck out 13 in 14 innings. She earned the win in Sunday’s opener, allowing four hits and striking out four in the complete-game shutout. In Saturday’s opener, Kasner allowed two unearned runs on four hits and struck out nine in the loss. Kasner enters the week with a 3.67 earned run average and leads the GNAC with 73 strikeouts.

• Western Washington enters the week with a .258 batting average and is fifth in the GNAC with a 4.08 earned run average. In the Division II statistics, senior Carlie Richards is 25th with 0.33 times hit by pitch per game while freshman Rylie Wales is 19th with 0.81 walks drawn per game.

• Western Washington will take on Sonoma State in a single-game on Thursday prior to the Tournament of Champions. The tourney slate for the Vikings includes Cal State Monterey Bay, Hawaii Hilo, Cal State San Bernardino, San Francisco State, Academy of Art and Cal State East Bay.