Wednesday, February 20, 2019

WEATHER OR NOT: The second week of GNAC play proved to be a game of whether teams could dodge the weather.

For Simon Fraser and Saint Martin’s, the conditions proved favorable as both teams played their full complement of games at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz. The Clan made the most of the trip, going 5-1 in the team’s season-opening games. The ledger included a pair of shutouts, 9-0 over UT-Permian Basin and 4-0 over Black Hills State on Friday, and a wild 13-12 victory over No. 21 Colorado Mesa on Saturday.

Saint Martin’s went 2-3 in the tournament, improving to 4-4 overall on the season. The Saints collected a 4-3 win over Fort Lewis on Friday and a 12-1, five-inning victory over Black Hills State on Saturday.

Concordia had to dodge early rain in southern California to get four its six games in. The Cavaliers dropped both ends of a doubleheader at Concordia Irvine on Saturday and split a twinbill at Cal State San Marcos on Sunday. A scheduled Sunday doubleheader with Saint Katherine was canceled and replaced with the Cal State San Marcos games which had been originally scheduled for Friday.

Montana State Billings also got through some weather to play three of its four scheduled games in Denver. The Yellowjackets took a pair of losses to MSU Denver on Saturday and lost to Colorado Mines on Sunday before the second game against the Orediggers was canceled.

Western Oregon was not as lucky. The Wolves saw all five of its games at the Dixie State Classic canceled as well as a make-up doubleheader against Dixie State on Monday. Western is not scheduled to play again until the PFX Athletics Tournament, Mar. 1-4 in Orlando, leaving the Wolves with nearly a month between games.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Amanda Janes, Simon Fraser
C • 6-0 • Junior • Brampton, Ont.

Janes led Simon Fraser’s season-opening effort at the Cactus Classic by hitting .318, going 7 for 22 with four runs, 10 RBI, two doubles, a triple and two home run as the Clan went 5-1. Janes opened the season with a solo home run in Friday’s 8-0 win over UT-Permian Basin. She then went 2 for 4 with a run and a two-RBI double in Saturday’s 7-1 win over Biola and followed by going 3 for 5 with an RBI triple and a two-run homer in Saturday’s 13-12 win over Colorado Mesa.

Also Nominated: Devyn Connolly (Saint Martin’s).

PITCHER
Jessica Fasolino, Simon Fraser
P • 5-2 •  Sophomore • Surrey, B.C.

Fasolino went 4-0 to lead the Clan to a 5-1 record in the team’s season-opening games at the Cactus Classic. In 19 innings, she allowed 10 runs, nine earned, on 18 hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Fasolino opened her SFU career with six innings in Friday’s 9-0 complete-game win over UT-Permian Basin, allowing two hits and striking out one. She also picked up wins in relief over Biola on Saturday and Fort Lewis on Sunday and earned the win in a start in Saturday’s 13-12 win over Colorado Mesa.

Also Nominated: Brandi Schoessler (Saint Martin’s).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington’s scheduled home-opening doubleheader against Division III Pacific Lutheran was canceled due to snow. The Wildcats return to action this weekend at the Cavalier Classic with games against Simpson (Calif.) on Friday, Eastern Oregon and Simpson on Saturday and Corban on Sunday.

• The previous week, Central Washington went 3-2 at the Courtyard Dixie State Classic. The Wildcats picked up wins over Metro State, Hawaii Pacific and Fort Lewis.

• Junior Savannah Egbert led the CWU offense, hitting .467 in the five games as went 7 for 15 with five runs and three RBI. Her best effort came against Fort Lewis on Friday where she went 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBI, including one on a two-out single in the fourth. Egbert has a .455 batting average through eight games, third in the GNAC, and shares the GNAC lead with six stolen bases.

• Freshman pitcher Samantha Stanfield earned two of the Wildcats’ three wins in the circle. She allowed seven runs, one earned, on five hits with nine strikeouts to beat Hawaii Pacific on Thursday and then earned the win in relief over Fort Lewis on Friday, allowing two runs on seven hits in four innings. Stanfield has a 4.72 earned run average in four appearances.

• Central Washington enters the week with a .253 batting average and a 4.58 earned run average.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia went 1-3 on a weekend road trip to Southern California. The Cavaliers took 7-0 and 3-1 losses to Concordia Irvine on Saturday and a 5-4 loss to Cal State San Marcos on Sunday before beating Cougars 5-2 in the nightcap.

• Junior Macy Besuyen finished with two hits, two runs scored and a double in the four games. Her week was topped a 1 for 2 effort in Sunday’s win over Cal State San Marcos which included a run scored and an RBI double. Besuyen enters the week with a .240 batting average.

• Junior Chelsea Sligh and sophomore Payton Willoughby each went 2 for 8 in three games on the road trip. Sligh’s line included an RBI double in Sunday’s opener against Cal State San Marcos.

• Senior Mckenzie Smith earned the lone pitching win over the weekend, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts in the shortened five-inning game. It was Smith’s first win of the season.

• Concordia enters the week with a .268 batting average and a 6.06 earned run average. The Cavaliers are fifth in Division II with 0.78 double plays turned per game and 25th with a .522 slugging percentage. Individually, senior Ali Steen is eighth in Division II with four home runs and ninth with 0.57 home runs per game. Junior Sally Bowles is 28th with a 6.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio,

• Concordia will host its own Cavalier Classic at Porter Park this weekend. Concordia will play Eastern Oregon and Corban on Friday, Northwest (Wash.) on Saturday and Simpson (Calif.) on Sunday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• The Yellowjackets dropped all three of their games in Denver over the weekend, taking 6-0 and 10-3 losses to MSU Denver on Saturday and a 4-3, eight-inning loss to Colorado Mines on Saturday. A Sunday game against Colorado Mines was canceled.

• Sophomore Britannee Fisher led the Yellowjackets offensively with a .400 batting average, going 4 for 10 with two runs two RBI and two doubles. Her week was topped by her 2 for 3 in Saturday’s second game against MSU Denver, which included an RBI double in the first inning. Fisher enters the week batting .342 and leads the team with 13 runs and a .605 slugging percentage.

• Freshman Cailee Morgan hit .300 in the three games, going 3 for 10. Her best games was on Sunday against Colorado Mines where Morgan went 2 for 3 with an RBI single in the sixth. Morgan enters the week with a .333 batting average, is tied for second in the GNAC with 14 hits and is fifth in Division II with 0.62 hit by pitch per game.

• Junior Maddy Lincoln took two of the three decisions in the circle, allowing 10 runs, six earned, on 19 hits and striking out 10 in 13.2 innings of work. She allowed six runs on 11 hits and struck out five in Saturday’s opener against MSU Denver and then allowed four unearned runs on eight hits and struck out five against Colorado Mines. Lincoln is eighth in the GNAC with a 3.32 earned run average and is 21st in Division II with 38 strikeouts.

• Montana State Billings enters the week with a .283 batting average and is second in the GNAC with a 3.72 earned run average.

• The Yellowjackets will not play this weekend, returning to action on Mar. 2 and 3 when they open conference play at Western Washington.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• After dropping two games to Dixie State last Monday, the Nighthawks did not play last weekend and will open their home schedule this weekend with games against Menlo and Carroll (Mont.) on Friday and Willamette and Carroll on Saturday.

• Northwest Nazarene went 3-2 at the Courtyard Dixie State Classic, picking up a 9-0 win over CSU-Pueblo and a 7-6 win over Chardon State on Thursday and a 6-2 win over Western New Mexico on Saturday.

• Sophomore Jordan Adams allowed just one run and struck out 14 in two wins. Adams threw the 24th no-hitter in GNAC history, and just the sixth seven-inning no-hitter by one pitcher, in the win over CSU-Pueblo. She allowed just one walk and struck out eight. Adams then allowed one run on five hits and stuck out six to beat Western New Mexico on Friday. Adams leads the GNAC with a 3-1 record and 0.88 earned run average.

• Sophomore Ivy Hommel batted .571 in the Courtyard Dixie State Classic, going 8 for 14 with a double, a home run, four runs, five RBI and six stolen bases. She went 2 for 3 with a home run and a pair of stolen bases against Chadron State and then went 2 for 3 with two more stolen bases in Friday’s 6-2 loss to Metro State. Hommel is batting .391 in 10 games this season.

• The Nighthawks enter the week second in the GNAC with a .293 batting average and own a 4.52 earned run average. The Nighthawks lead the GNAC with 81 hits and 14 stolen bases on 14 attempts. Individually, senior Anna Williams leads the GNAC and is 22nd in Division II with five doubles.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s went 2-3 at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz. The Saints scored a 4-3 win over Fort Lewis on Friday and a 12-1, five-inning win over Black Hills State on Saturday.

• Junior Kylie Lopez led the Saints with a .308 average in the five games, going 4 for 13 with two runs and two RBI. Lopez opened the tournament by going 2 for 2 against Fort Lewis and had the two-RBI double that accounted for the game-winning run. She also went 2 for 3 against Black Hills State with a run scored. Lopez enters the week with a .304 batting average and shares the team led with nine RBI.

• Senior Lauren Diuco batted 5 for 17 in the tournament with two runs, an RBI and a pair of doubles. Her week was highlighted by going 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI single in Saturday’s win over Black Hills State. Diuco is batting .379 for the Saints as the team’s leadoff hitter and leads the team with five stolen bases.

• Junior Brandi Schoessler earned the win in relief against Fort Lewis on Friday, allowing just three hits and striking out two in 4.2 innings of work. She went on throw three innings of relief against Biola, allowing three unearned runs on five hits. Schoessler is third in the GNAC with a 1.75 earned run average and is 3-0 on the season. Junior Jessica O’Toole earned the win against Black Hills State, allowing one run on four hits in three innings.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week with a .278 batting average and 4.71 earned run average. The Saints are 15th in Division II with a .568 slugging percentage.

• Saint Martin’s plays in the Cavalier Classic this weekend with games against Corban on Friday, Simpson (Calif.) on Saturday and Corban and Northwest (Wash.) on Sunday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser made the most of its trip to the Cactus Classic, going 5-1 to start the season. The Clan scored a 9-0 win over UT-Permian Basin and a 4-0 win over Black Hills State on Friday and collected a 7-1 win over Biola and a 13-12 victory over Colorado Mesa on Saturday. Simon Fraser beat Fort Lewis 6-3 on Sunday before taking a 10-3, eight-inning loss to St Mary’s (Texas).

• Junior Amanda Janes was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she hit .318 in the tournament, going 7 for 22 with four runs, 10 RBI, two doubles, a triple and two home runs. Janes opened the season with a solo home run against UT-Permian Basin. She then went 2 for 4 with a run and a two-RBI double against Biola and followed by going 3 for 5 with an RBI triple and a two-run homer against Colorado Mesa. Janes is tied for first in the GNAC 10 RBI and is 21st in Division II with 1.67 runs batted in per game.

• Sophomore Jessica Fasolino earned GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week honors as she went 4-0 in the tournament, allowing 10 runs, nine earned, on 18 hits in 19 innings. Fasolino opened her SFU career with six innings in Friday’s complete-game win over UT-Permian Basin, allowing two hits and striking out one. She also picked up wins in relief over Biola on Saturday and Fort Lewis on Sunday and earned the win in a start against Colorado Mesa.

• Sophomore Alex Ogg led the Clan offensively with a .556 average in the tournament, going 10 for 18 with five runs and six RBI. Her week was topped by her 5 for 5 performance against Colorado Mesa, which included a two-RBI single and a double.

• The Clan leads the GNAC with a .330 batting average and is third with a 3.74 earned run average. They are 29th in Division II with two shutouts and tied for 30th with seven runs scored per game.

• Simon Fraser does not play again until hosting Northwest Nazarene in both team’s GNAC opener on Mar. 1 and 2.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon’s trip to the Dixie State Classic wasn’t. All five games for the Wolves at the Dixie State Classic, and a rescheduled Monday twinbill against the Trailblazers on Monday were all canceled due to weather. The Wolves are scheduled to play again until traveling to the PFX Athletics Tournament in Orlando from Mar. 1-4.

• The Wolves opened the season by going 3-0 at the Desert Stinger on Feb. 1-3, scoring wins over Colorado Christian, Cal State Monterey Bay and Chico State.

• Freshman Maddie Mayer led the way in the circle, going 2-0 to be named to the Desert Stinger All-Tournament Team. She allowed five runs, three earned, on eight hits in 13 innings. Mayer threw all nine innings against Cal State Monterey Bay, allowing five runs, three earned, on eight hits with five strikeouts. Mayer then threw four innings of hitless relief with four strikeouts on Sunday to earn the win over Chico State. Mayer is second in the GNAC with a 1.62 earned run average.

• Sophomore Tyler Creach was also named to the All-Tournament Team after she hit .500 in the tournament, going 7 for 14 with two runs and two RBI. She went 4 for 4 in the opener with Colorado Christian and scored a run. Creach then went 2 for 5 with two RBI on a triple in the seventh against Cal State Monterey Bay and had one hit against Chico State.

• Senior Ryanne Whitaker hit .417 in the Desert Stinger, going 5 for 12 with three runs and a pair of triples. She hit one her triples and scored two runs against Colorado Christian and then went 3 for 5 with an RBI center against Colorado Christian.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .287 batting average and leads the GNAC with a 2.43 earned run average and are 24th in Division II with a .972 fielding percentage. The Wolves are also 30th in Division II with seven runs scored per game.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington did not play last weekend. The Vikings return to action at the Cavalier Classic this weekend with games against Eastern Oregon and Simpson (Calif.) on Friday and Corban and Northwest (Wash.) on Saturday.

• Western Washington went 3-2 at the Courtyard Dixie State Classic, scoring an 11-9 win over Western New Mexico on and a 3-2 win over MSU Denver on Feb. 7 and a 7-1 win over Fort Lewis on Feb. 8.

• Senior Mackinlee Sellevold was solid in the circle in the Vikings, earning the decision in all five games of the tournament and finished with 27 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched. She claimed the win in 3.1 innings in relief against Western New Mexico and went the distance against MSU Denver, allowing two runs, one earned, while striking out nine. Sellevold did the game thing against Fort Lewis, allowing one run on six hits while striking out nine more. Sellevold is 4-4 on the season and ranks sixth in the GNAC 3.07 earned run average.

• Senior Emily Benson led the WWU offense as she hit .462 in the five games, going 6 for 13 with five runs, six RBI, a double and two home runs. She provided the winning run with a solo home run in the seventh inning to beat MSU Denver and then went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a double against Fort Lewis. On Sunday, Benson went 2 for 4 against Dixie State with a two-run homer and an RBI single in the ninth. Benson enters the week with a .400 batting average in eight games.

• Western Washington enters the week with a .271 batting average and is fourth in the GNAC with a 4.47 earned run average.