Wednesday, April 11, 2018

SOFTBALL IS NOT AN ALL-CONDITIONS SPORT: “Nor snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” might work well for the U.S. Postal Service, but it certainly does not fit softball in the Pacific Northwest.

A myriad of weather conditions forced teams to schedule around rain and wind over the weekend. As a result, no games were played on Saturday and Sunday, but more series were completed on Friday and Monday.

One series between Concordia and Montana State Billings, in Billings, Montana, was canceled due to snow and the inability to find a playable field. The two teams will try to make-up the four games later this month.

A couple of the teams that got games in made the most of the moment, solidifying their spots in the GNAC Championships race. Northwest Nazarene, which played on Thursday and Friday, made a statement by taking three of four games from Western Oregon and sole possession of second place in the conference standings.

The series victory also yielded a pair of conference weekly awards for the Nighthawks. Brittany Genaurdi was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she went 6 for 14 in the four games with seven RBIs. Jordan Adams was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she allowed just two runs in 17.1 innings of work, earning all three victories.

Saint Martin’s staked its claim to a championships’ spot, moving into third place by taking three of four games against the border schools. The Saints split with Simon Fraser on Friday and then swept Western Washington in a pair of one-run games on Monday.

Central Washington, meanwhile, took three of four games over the weekend to increase its lead in the standings. The Wildcats split with Western Washington on Friday and then swept Simon Fraser on Monday, winning the final game 8-7 in nine innings.

Six of the league’s eight teams will play this week, with Simon Fraser and Western Washington taking a bye weekend.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Brittany Genuardi, Northwest Nazarene
C/3B • 5-6 •  Sophomore • Spanaway, Wash.

Genuardi led the Nighthawks to a series victory over Western Oregon with a .429 batting average, going 6 for 14 with four runs, seven RBIs, a triple and a home run. After going 1 for 3 in Thursday’s nightcap, Genuardi put the cherry on top of Friday’s 7-0 game one victory with a three-run triple in the sixth. She closed the series by going 4 for 5 in the nightcap, opening scoring for NNU with an RBI single in the first, tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth and won it with a solo home run in the ninth.

Also Nominated: Lindsay Miller (Saint Martin’s), Zoe Clark (Western Oregon), Kira Doan (Western Washington).

PITCHER
Jordan Adams, Northwest Nazarene
P/1B • 5-8 •  Freshman • Gig Harbor, Wash.

Adams was the winning pitcher in all three of the Nighthawks’ victories over Western Oregon. In 17.1 innings, Adams amassed a 0.81 earned run average as she allowed two runs on 15 hits with 17 strikeouts and did not allow a walk. Adams earned the game one victory on Thursday by allowing her only two runs of the series on seven hits while striking out 10. She went the distance in a five-hit shutout in Friday’s opener, striking out four, before throwing the final 4-1 innings in the 7-6, nine-inning second game win as she allowed just three hits and struck out three.

Also Nominated: Lauren Maley (Saint Martin’s), Shearyna Labasan (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington took three of four weekend games to extend its GNAC lead. The Wildcats split with Western Washington on Friday, taking the opener 5-3 in eight innings and losing the nightcap 8-0 in five innings. On Monday, CWU succeeded in a sweep at Simon Fraser, winning 5-1 and 8-7 in nine innings.

• Sophomore Savannah Egbert continued to be a hot bat for the Wildcats, finishing with a .571 batting average in the four games. She went 8 for 14 with three runs and two RBIs. Egbert went 2 for 3 and scored the opening run in Friday’s opener. At SFU, Egbert went 2 for 4 in the opener with a run and an RBI and then went 4 for 6 in the nightcap, which included a two-run single in the ninth that scored the winning run. Egbert enters the week second in the GNAC and 18th in Division II with a .486 batting average. She is also second in the GNAC with 54 hits and tied for third with 29 runs scored.

• Freshman Katie Kastning had the best weekend of her young career, going 6 for 12 with a run, an RBI and three doubles. She went 2 for 4 in Friday’s opener at WWU. Kastning went 3 for 3 in Monday’s second game at SFU. Kastning enters the week second for the Wildcats with a .368 batting average in 32 games.

• Freshman Lexie Strasser threw in all four games and finished with three wins. In 19.2 innings, she allowed 10 runs on 20 hits and struck out 10. Strasser earned the complete-game win in Friday’s opener, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts. She then won both games over Simon Fraser on Monday. She allowed one unearned run on three hits and struck out two in the opener. In the nightcap, Strasser allowed three runs in the first inning, left the game, and then returned in the seventh and managed to allow one run on three hits for the win. Strasser is second in the GNAC with a 2.41 earned run average. She leads the GNAC and is 21st in Division II with 15 wins.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC with a 2.93 earned run average and second in the league with a .312 batting average. The Wildcats are 25th in Division II with a .750 win percentage and leads the league with 59 stolen bases.

• The Wildcats travel to Northwest Nazarene for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia had its four-game series at Montana State Billings called off due to snow. The two teams will work to find a make-up date for the games later this month. The Cavaliers host Western Oregon for four games on Friday and Sunday.

• Sophomore Macy Besuyen led the Cavaliers and is sixth in the GNAC with a .398 batting average. She is fourth in Division II with six triples on the season and is 12th with 0.19 triples per game.

• Junior Mackenzie Smith leads the Concordia pitching staff. She is fourth in the GNAC with a 2.54 earned run average, having allowed 46 runs in 91 innings. She is also third in the GNAC with a .234 opposing batting average.

• Concordia enters the week with a .281 batting average and is third in the GNAC with a 3.73 earned run average.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Thanks to snow, Montana State Billings had its four-game home series with Concordia called off. The two teams will try to find make-up dates for the games later this month. The Yellowjackets will host Saint Martin’s for four games on Saturday and Sunday.

• Senior Heather Tracy is one of the top hitters in Division II. She leads the GNAC and is ranked sixth in Division II with a .513 batting average. She leads the conference and is third in Division II with 60 hits and is 28th in Division II with a .529 on-base percentage.

• Sophomore Maddy Lincoln leads the Yellowjackets’ pitching staff with eight wins and a 3.84 earned run average. She has allowed 70 runs in 96.2 innings.

• Montana State Billings enters the week third in the GNAC with a .311 batting average and a 4.52 earned run average.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene secured sole possession of second place in the GNAC by taking three of four games from Western Oregon. The Nighthawks won Thursday’s opener, 10-2, before falling in the nightcap 11-5. Northwest Nazarene won both of Friday’s games, 7-0 and 7-6 in nine innings.

• Sophomore Brittany Genuardi was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she hit .429 in the four games with four runs and seven RBIs. She closed the series by going 4 for 5 in Friday’s second game, knocking home the Nighthawks’ opening run, the tying run in the sixth and hitting the game-winning home run in the ninth in the 7-6 extra-innings win. Genuardi is eighth in the GNAC with a .377 batting average. She is second in the league with a .642 slugging percentage and 25th in Division II with 0.70 walks per game.

• Freshman Jordan Adams was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week after she earned all three of NNU’s wins in the circle. She went the distance in Thursday’s opener, allowing her only two runs of the series on seven hits while striking out 10. Adams then threw a five-hit shutout in Friday’s opener and allowed three hits in 4.1 innings of relief in the nightcap to earn the win in extra-innings. In the three games, Adams allowed the two runs on 15 hits, struck out 17 and did not allow a walk. She leads the GNAC with a 1.64 earned run average and is 18th in Division II with five shutouts.

• Junior Kylie Orr also went on an offensive tear as she finished with a .692 batting average, going 9 for 13 with three runs, three RBIs, two doubles and a home run in the four games. Orr went 3 for 4 in Thursday’s opener, which included a two-run double, and went 2 for 3 with a solo home run in the nightcap. Orr then went 3 for 3 in Friday’s opener. Orr is second for the Nighthawks with a .376 batting average and leads the GNAC with 31 RBIs.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week leading the GNAC with a .324 batting average and owns a 3.92 earned run average. The Nighthawks are 17th in Division II with 0.49 double plays per game and 28th with 1.70 doubles per game.

• The Nighthawks close a 12-game home stand and the 2018 home schedule this weekend, hosting Central Washington on Friday and Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s rebounded from a 10-7 first-game loss to Simon Fraser on Friday to win three straight. The Saints took the second game from the Clan, 6-4, and then swept Western Washington on Monday, 2-1 and 3-2.

• Senior Lindsay Miller paced the Saint Martin’s offense with a .571 batting average in the four games, going 8 for 14 with five runs, five RBIs and two doubles. Miller went 4 for 4 in Friday’s opener, which included a three-run double, and then went 2 for 4 with a run in the nightcap. At Western Washington, Miller went 2 for 4 in the opener and 1 for 3 in the second game. Miller is 10th in the GNAC and leads the Saints with a .373 batting average. She is also tied for second in the GNAC with 29 runs scored.

• Junior Lauren Diuco batted .500 in the four games, going 8 for 16 with four runs and two doubles. She went 2 for 4 and had two runs in Friday’s second game at SFU. Diuco then had three hits and scored the winning run in Monday’s opener at WWU before going 2 for 4 in the nightcap, which included a single that brought home the winning run. Diuco enters the week with a .333 batting average.

• Junior Lauren Maley earned the decision in three games, going 2-1 while amassing a 2.62 earned run average in the games. After taking the loss in relief on Friday, Maley rebounded to allow four runs, three earned on seven hits with two strikeouts to win the nightcap. Maley earned the save in Monday’s opener at WWU, throwing two perfect innings, and then won the second game in relief after she allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits in 5.1 innings. Maley is third in the GNAC with a 2.53 earned run average and is second in the league with 13 wins.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week with a .281 batting average and is second in the GNAC with a 3.30 earned run average. The Saints have issued the fewest walks in the GNAC (57) while senior Kim Nelson is ninth in Division II with 0.69 walks allowed per seven innings.

• Saint Martin’s will finish an eight-game road trip with a four-game series at Montana State Billings on Saturday and Sunday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser dropped three of four games in its final home weekend. The Clan won Friday’s opener over Saint Martin’s, 10-7, and took a 6-4 loss in the nightcap. Simon Fraser lost both of Monday’s games to Central Washington, 5-1 and 8-7 (9 inn.).

• Senior Taylor Lundrigan led the Clan with a .583 batting average in the four games, going 7 for 12 with two runs, three RBIs and two doubles. She went 2 for 4 in Friday’s opener and went 3 for 4 in Monday’s second game, including an RBI double in the first. Lundrigan leads the Clan with a .363 batting average and leads the GNAC with 11 doubles.

• Freshman Kate Fergusson had six hits in the four games with five runs scored. She went 2 for 4 in Friday’s opener, scoring what would eventually be the winning run, and finished the week by going 3 for 5 with two runs in Monday’s nightcap. Fergusson enters the week second for the Clan with a .330 batting average.

• Senior Alia Stachoski earned the lone pitching win of the week for SFU in Friday’s opener. She allowed seven runs on 11 hits with five walks and eight strikeouts in six innings before yielding to Jessica Tate, who earned her first save of the year. Stachoski has nine wins and leads the SFU staff with a 3.85 earned run average. Her five saves ranks fifth in Division II.

• Simon Fraser enters the week with a .265 batting average and 4.32 earned run average. The team’s .978 fielding percentage is third in Division II.

• Simon Fraser will not play this weekend, returning to action on Apr. 21 with a doubleheader at Central Washington.

WESTERN OREGON
• Northwest Nazarene got the best of Western Oregon in a four-game series last weekend in Nampa, The Wolves dropped Thursday’s opener, 10-2, before taking an 11-5 win in the nightcap. Western Oregon was on the losing end of Friday’s games, 7-0 and 7-6 in nine innings.

• Freshman Tyler Creach went on an offensive tear, hitting .625 in the series as she went 10 of 16 with five runs, one RBI, a double and two triples. She went 3 for 3 with a triple in Thursday’s opener and 3 for 5 in the nightcap with two runs. Creach finished the weekend by going 3 for 5 in Friday’s second game, which included an RBI single, a double and a triple. Creach enters the week fourth in the GNAC with a .411 batting average, is tied for second with four triples and is for third with 15 walks.

• Junior Ryanne Huffman went 7 for 15 in the four-game set with three runs. She went 4 for 5 and scored a pair of runs in Thursday’s victory and went 2 for 4 in Friday’s second game. Huffman enters the week third in the GNAC with a .419 batting average and 52 hits.

• Senior Zoe Clark smashed three home runs during the four games. She hit a solo shot in Thursday’s opener and hit a pair of homers in the game two, including a three-run strike in the third and a two-run shot in the seventh. Clark also had a triple in the contest.

• Senior Lizzet Dominguez earned the pitching win for the Wolves on Thursday, allowing five runs, four earned, on 12 hits with three walks to improve to 11-3 on the season. Dominguez leads the WOU pitching staff and is ninth in the GNAC with a 3.45 earned run average.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .299 batting average and a 4.16 earned run average. The Wolves are ranked seventh in Division II with 0.57 double plays per game.

• Western Oregon will travel north to Concordia for a four-game series on Friday and Sunday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• The Vikings dropped three of four games in their final scheduled home weekend. Western Washington split with Central Washington on Friday, losing the opener 5-3 in eight innings before winning 8-0 in five innings. The Vikings then dropped two to Saint Martin’s on Monday, 2-1 and 3-2.

• Junior Shearyna Labasan led the Vikings both at the plate and in the circle. Offensively, Labasan hit .500 in the four games, going 5 for 10 with three runs, three RBIs and three doubles. She had a hit in each game of the CWU twinbill, which included a sacrifice fly that opened scoring in the win, and went 2 for 3 in Monday’s finale with an RBI single that brought WWU within one in the fifth. At pitcher, Labasan had a 0.58 earned run average in two appearances, allowing three runs, one earned, on 12 hits with eight strikeouts. She earned the win on Friday by allowing just two hits and striking out five. Labasan is fifth in the GNAC with a .405 batting average and is second with 10 doubles. In the circle, Labasan is seventh in the GNAC with a 3.36 earned run average.

• Freshman Kira Doan also proved a two-way threat, batting .463 in the four games and amassing a 2.80 earned run average in two starts. Doan went 2 for 3 in both games against CWU, including an RBI double, and had a hit in each of the SMU games. Doan enters the week with a .280 batting average and 4.81 earned run average.

• The Vikings enter the week with a .251 batting average and 3.75 earned run average. They are ranked 20th in Division II with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.09.

• Western Washington will finish the regular season with eight games on the road. The Vikings do not play against until a doubleheader at Saint Martin’s on Apr. 21.