Tuesday, March 6, 2018

WESTERN WASHINGTON’S VIKTORIOUS WAYS: After going 3-8 through the month of February, Western Washington found its winning way not at home to start the conference portion of the schedule.

The Vikings topped an abbreviated GNAC opening weekend by taking three of four games from Northwest Nazarene in a series that was moved to Thursday and Friday in order to avoid inclement weather. After dropping the opener by a 4-1 score on Thursday, the Vikings sailed back to win the nightcap 4-3. Western Washington then swept Friday’s doubleheader by scores of 4-1 and 3-2.

The games did not come without its share of dramatics. The Vikings led Thursday’s second game 4-1 before the Nighthawks scored two in the third to come within one run. They had runners in scoring position in both the fifth and sixth, but did not score.

In Sunday’s second game, Cassidy Fifield tied the game at 2-2 for NNU with a two-run homer to left field in the sixth inning. The Vikings had one on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh when Carlie Richards delivered a single to center field, scoring Lauren Lo for the winning run.

Pitcher Shearyna Labasan was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week after she won both second games each day of the series. She allowed a total of five runs on 13 hits in 14 innings. She also batted .400 in the series.

THE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE REALLY BEGINS: The entire GNAC gets into the conference schedule this week with all eight teams in action. Western Washington and Simon Fraser stay at home to host Western Oregon and Concordia. Northwest Nazarene will be at Saint Martin’s for a four-game series while Montana State Billings will play a four-game set at Central Washington.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON PICKED TO REPEAT AS CHAMPIONS: With two straight regular-season championships under its belt, Central Washington has been selected to win the conference in the 2018 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Wildcats, under third-year head coach Mike Larabee, received six of eight first-place votes to finish with 59 points in the poll. Central Washington used a solid start to the season to claim the regular season crown, winning 15 of its first 16 conference games. The magic faded at the end, however, with the Wildcats losing five of their last six and fell in the GNAC Championships consolation bracket to Western Oregon.

Western Washington, which used a strong finish to the season to win the GNAC Championships and earn the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Softball Championship, is picked second with 51 points. The Vikings finished the 2017 regular season on an eight-game win streak and swept through the GNAC Championships.

Coaches expect a tight race for the final two tournament positions with three teams tied in the poll with 42 points. Saint Martin’s was picked to repeat in third while Northwest Nazarene and Western Oregon each received one first-place vote.

Following the third-place logjam was Montana State Billings (sixth, 21 pts.), Concordia (seventh, 16 pts.) and Simon Fraser (eighth, 15 pts.).

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Myrissa Prince, Montana State Billings
2B • 5-8 •  Senior • Sparks, Nev.

Prince led the Yellowjackets by hitting .538 in a four-game series at Simon Fraser, going 7 for 13 with five runs, four RBIs, three doubles and a home run with a 1.000 slugging percentage. She went 2 for 4 with a solo home run to win Saturday’s opener, 10-0, and then went 2 for 2 with two runs, two RBIs and a double in Sunday’s opener and went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles in the nightcap.

Also Nominated: Victoria Saunders (Simon Fraser), Carlie Richards (Western Washington).

PITCHER
Shearyna Labasan, Western Washington
P/UT • 5-3 •  Junior • Mililani, Hawaii

Labasan went 2-0 against Northwest Nazarene as she allowed five runs on 13 hits and struck out six in two complete-game efforts. In the second game on Thursday, Labasan allowed three runs on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts in a 4-3 victory. She then allowed two runs on three hits and struck out three in the series finale on Friday as the Vikings won 3-2. In addition to her pitching, Labasan batted .400 in the series.

Also Nominated: Haley Couch (Montana State Billings), Alia Stachoski (Simon Fraser).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington has not played since a five-game trip to Hawaii which ended on Feb. 18. The Wildcats open conference play this weekend, hosting Montana State Billings for a four-game series.

• Sophomore Savannah Egbert is the WIldcats’ leading hitter, ranking second in the GNAC and 18th in Division II with a .531 batting average. The CWU leadoff hitter has gone 17 for 32 with 13 runs and three RBIs.

• Senior catcher Jacie McDaniels has a .429 batting average in eight games and has gone 12 for 28 with seven runs, three doubles and eight RBIs.

• Sophomore Taylor Williams leads the CWU pitching staff with a 2.71 earned run average, which ranks fourth in the GNAC. She is 2-0 on the season and has allowed four runs on nine hits in 10.1 innings. Junior Kayla Smith has a 4.12 earned run average in six games and is also 2-0 on the season.

• Central Washington enters the week second in the GNAC with a .333 batting average and ranks fifth in the league with a 4.86 earned run average.

CONCORDIA
• The Cavaliers have not played since hosting the Cavalier Classic on Feb. 25. Concordia will open GNAC play this weekend with a doubleheader at Simon Fraser on Saturday and a doubleheader at Western Washington on Sunday.

• Sophomore Elena Cook leads Concordia entering conference play with a .444 batting average, which ranks fifth in the GNAC. She has gone 24 for 54, is tied for second in the GNAC with six doubles, is tied for fourth with 17 RBIs and fifth with 15 runs scored.

• Sophomore Macy Besuyen is 10th in the GNAC with a .404 batting average, going 21 for 52 with 17 runs scored and seven extra-base hits. She leads the GNAC and is eighth in Division II with her three doubles and she is tied for second in the GNAC in runs scored.

• Junior Mackenzie Smith leads the Concordia pitching staff and ranks third in the GNAC with a 2.31 earned run average. At 4-1 this season in eight appearances, Smith has allowed 24 runs, 14 earned, on 36 hits in 42.1 innings. She is third in the GNAC with 41 strikeouts.

• Concordia enters the week with a .311 batting average and is second in the GNAC with a 3.78 earned run average. The Cavaliers are ranked 23rd in Division II with 1.88 doubles per game and leads the GNAC with 25 stolen bases.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• The Yellowjackets evened its overall record at 10-10 as they opened GNAC play with a split of a four-game series at Simon Fraser. Montana State Billings won Saturday’s opener, 10-0, and the final game on Sunday, 4-1.

• Senior Myrissa Prince was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she hit .538 in the four games, going 7 for 13 with five runs, three doubles, a home run and four RBIs.  She went 2 for 4 with a solo home run to win Saturday’s opener, 10-0, and then went 2 for 2 with two runs, two RBIs and a double in Sunday’s opener and went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles in the nightcap. Prince enters the week with a .279 batting average.

• Senior Heather Tracy batted .588 in the four games as she went 10 for 17 with a double, a home run and eight RBIs. She went 4 for 4 in Saturday’s opener, which included a two-run homer. She then went 2 for 4 with three RBIs in Saturday’s second game and went 3 for 5 in Sunday’s opener with three RBIs. Tracy leads the GNAC and is 13th in Division II with a .566 batting average. She leads Division II with 45 hits and 65 total bases.

• Sophomore Maddy Lincoln went 1-1 in three appearances in the circle. She earned the win in Saturday’s opener, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out eight. Lincoln is sixth in the GNAC with a 3.09 earned run average in 16 appearances. She is 25th in Division II with two shutouts.

• Montana State Billings enters the week third in the GNAC with a .331 batting average and a 4.21 earned run average. The Yellowjackets lead the GNAC with 24 home runs and are 14th in Division II with 1.20 home runs per game. Montana State Billings is also 21st in Division II with four shutouts and 28th with a .508 slugging percentage.

• The Yellowjackets are in Ellensburg, Wash., this weekend for a four-game GNAC series against Central Washington.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• The Nighthawks dropped three of four games at Western Washington to open GNAC play. Northwest Nazarene won the opener on Thursday, 4-1. Two of the three losses came by one run.

• Junior Shelbie Martinez led the Nighthawks as she hit .400 in the four games, going 4 for 10 with a double and two RBIs. She went 1 for 2 in Thursday’s victory and had RBIs on a sacrifice fly and a single. She then went 2 for 3 with a double in Friday’s opener. Martinez had four of her nine hits on the season in the series.

• Junior Kylie Orr went 5 for 14 for NNU in the series. She went 3 for 3 in Friday’s opener to cap her week. Orr enters the week ranked third for the Nighthawks with a 338 batting average. Junior Anna Olson had hits in the four-game series and leads NNU with a .439 batting average.

• Freshman Jordan Adams earned the lone win in the circle for the Nighthawks and went 1-1 in the series. She allowed one run on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts to earn the 4-1 win on Thursday. She took the loss in Friday’s opener as she allowed four runs, one earned, on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Adams leads NNU and is fifth in the GNAC with a 3.02 earned run average.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week with a .308 batting average and is fourth in the GNAC with a 4.85 earned run average. The Nighthawks have played the most innings of any GNAC team (134.1), leads the league in runs scored (115) and is second in hits (180).

• Conference play continues on the road for NNU this weekend with the Nighthawks traveling to Saint Martin’s for games on Friday and Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s has not played since its two games at the Cavalier Classic on Feb. 24. The Saints will open GNAC play by hosting Northwest Nazarene for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

• Junior Lauren Diuco is the Saint’s leading batter with a .361 batting average. In 11 games, she has gone 13 for 36 with two doubles, five runs and one RBI as the team’s leadoff hitter.

• Senior Lindsay Miller is right behind Diuco with a .359 batting average, having gone 14 for 29 in the 11 games with nine runs scored.

• Saint Martin’s leads the GNAC and is 12th in Division II with a 1.70 team earned run average. Junior Lauren Maley leads the GNAC individually with a 1.59 earned run average, having allowed 13 runs, six earned, on 25 hits with 13 strikeouts in 26.1 innings. Senior Kim Nelson is second with a 1.75 earned run average, having allowed 15 runs, 10 earned, on 31 hits with 10 strikeouts in 40 innings. Nelson is 18th in Division II with 0.53 walks allowed per seven innings.

• The Saints enters the week with a .266 batting average in 11 games and ranks fourth in the GNAC with a .948 fielding percentage.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser opened GNAC play at home with a split of a four-game series with Montana State Billings. The Clan collected a 7-5 win in Saturday’s second game and opened on Sunday with a 9-8 victory in nine innings.

• Senior Dallas Tilley led the Clan with a .400 batting average in the four games as she went 4 for 10 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run. She went 2 for 4 in Sunday’s opener, which included an RBI double in the seventh. Tilley enters the week with a .421 batting average, ranking her seventh in the GNAC.

• Senior Taylor Lundrigan had five hits in the four-game set and finished with a .357 batting average with three RBIs and three doubles. She went 2 for 3 in Sunday’s win with two walks, two runs and an RBI double that opened the Clan’s two-run eighth inning. She also had two hits in Sunday’s nightcap. Lundrigan enters the week with a .333 average and is fourth in Division II with 0.71 doubles per game.

• Senior Alia Stachoski earned a win and a save in three appearances in the circle. Her save came in Saturday’s nightcap as she allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work. She came back to win the opener on Sunday in relief, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Stachoski leads SFU with a 4.42 earned run average in seven appearances.

• Simon Fraser leads the GNAC and is 22nd in Division II with a .343 batting average. The Clan is also third in Division II with a .984 fielding percentage (three errors in seven games) and third with 2.43 doubles per game. Simon Fraser is also 28th in Division II with 6.68 runs per game. The Clan enters the week with a 5.71 earned run average.

• The Clan will host the Oregon schools this weekend, welcoming Concordia on Saturday and Western Oregon on Sunday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon has not played since its three games at the Cavalier Classic in Portland, where the Wolves went 3-0. Western opens conference with two games at Western Washington on Saturday and two at Simon Fraser on Sunday.

• Freshman Tyler Creach is Western Oregon’s leading hitter with a .415 batting average in 14 games. She has gone 17 for 41 with nine runs, a double and three RBIs. Creach has also drawn 10 walks, tying her for fifth in the GNAC.

• Senior Lizzet Dominguez leads the WOU pitching staff with a 4-1 record and a 3.57 earned run average. In six appearances, Dominguez has allowed 20 runs, 18 earned, on 31 hits with five strikeouts in 35.1 innings.

• The Wolves swept the GNAC Player of the Week awards for the week of Feb. 19-25. Freshman Ayanna Arceneaux was named the Player of the Week after she went 5 for 8 with two runs, three RBIs and a home run in WOU’s three wins at the Cavalier Classic. Junior Haley Fabian was named the Pitcher of the Week she picked up a win and a save, allowing one unearned run in nine innings of work.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .309 batting average and a 4.88 earned run average. The Wolves are second in the GNAC with a .971 fielding percentage and are tied for 20th in Division II with just two hit batters.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• After struggling to open the season with a 3-8 record, Western Washington went 3-1 in the first weekend of GNAC play. The Vikings took three games from Northwest Nazarene, winning Thursday’s second game, 4-3, before taking both ends of Friday’s doubleheader, 4-1 and 3-2.

• Junior Shearyna Labasan was named the GNAC Pitcher of the Week after she won two of the three games for the Vikings in the circle. She won Thursday’s nightcap by allowing three runs on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts. She then won Friday’s second game by allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts. Labasan doubled her win total in the series and enters the week with a 4-3 record and a 4.07 earned run average that is good enough for ninth in the GNAC. In addition, Labasan is third in the GNAC and 21st in Division II with a .523 batting average and is tied for second in the league with six doubles.

• Sophomore Anna Kasner also had a good weekend in the circle as she went 1-1 with a 2.50 earned run average. She allowed four runs on nine hits with 11 strikeouts in Thursday’s opener and came back on Friday to allow one run on nine hits with three strikeouts for a 4-1 victory. Kasner enters the week with a 5.16 earned run average and is second in the GNAC with 42 strikeouts.

• Senior Carlie Richards led the Vikings at the plate with a .500 batting average, going 4 for 8 with two runs and three RBIs in the series. She went 3 for 3 in the final game on Friday, which included a single to center field in the seventh that pushed across the winning run. Richards enters the week with a .424 batting average in 13 games.

• Western Washington enters the week with a .276 batting average and a 4.86 earned run average. The Vikings are tied for 20th with two hit batters and 26th with 1.00 home runs per game.

• The Vikings host the Oregon schools this weekend with Western Oregon coming to town on Saturday and Concordia visiting on Sunday.