Wednesday, February 8, 2017

HOT START FOR KASNER: There’s nothing that a freshman wants more than to make a great first impression to start their college career. That start for Western Washington freshman pitcher Anna Kasner certainly fits the bill.

Kasner was named both the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week and the NFCA Division II Pitcher of the Week after opening her career off in awesome fashion in two games in Hawaii. The Milton, Wash., native opened by throwing a complete-game one hitter in a 2-0 win over Chaminade on Sunday. She allowed just one walk in the game and struck out 13 batters, the most by a GNAC pitcher since Montana State Billings’ Jessyka MacDonald struck out 14 batters against Western Oregon on Mar. 25, 2012. Kasner came back to throw three innings of no-hit relief in the nightcap, which the Vikings lost 7-4.

Kasner is now on her way to putting herself in the mix for a second shot at both honors. She repeated her 13-strikeout performance in a 7-3, eight-inning win at BYU-Hawaii on Tuesday, allowing two earned runs on six hits. In three appearances this season, Kasner owns a 0.78 earned run average in 18 innings pitched with 32 strikeouts.

THE TEAM TO WATCH: After their run through the GNAC Championships into the NCAA Division II Super Regional, Central Washington will be the team to beat in the GNAC in 2017.

The Wildcats were picked by conference coaches to repeat as GNAC champion in the annual coaches’ preseason poll, which was released on Jan. 27. Central Washington received six of eight possible first place votes to finish with 61 points, well ahead Western Oregon, which was picked second with 50 points.

In addition to the conference prognostication, Central Washington is No. 14 in the NFCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll. The Wildcats finished in that position in the 2016 poll.

Central Washington went 3-2 at the MSUB Desert Stinger to open the 2017 season. The Wildcats opened with an 11-7 win over Cal Baptist on Friday before blistering Cal State Dominiguez Hills on Saturday, 21-3 in five innings. Central hammered out 24 hits, three doubles and two home runs and finished with 20 RBIs in the contest.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Mary Dettling, Saint Martin’s
OF • 5-0 •  Senior • Sparks, Nev.

Dettling batted .615 in four games, going 6 for 10 with five doubles, six RBIs and two runs at the Saints split their weekend openers. She went 3 for 4 with a run, two doubles and three RBIs in Saturday’s 11-6 win over Dominican (Calif.) and went 3 for 3 with a run, a double and two RBIs in Sunday’s matchup with the Penguins.

Also Nominated: Emily Benson (Western Washington), Jacie McDaniels (Central Washington), Meghan Luebbert (Concordia), Kylie Orr (Northwest Nazarene).

PITCHER
Anna Kasner, Western Washington
P • 5-8 •  Freshman • Milton, Wash.

Kasner opened her collegiate career by allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out 19 in 10 innings of work. She opened Sunday’s doubleheader with Chaminade by throwing a one-hit shutout with one walk and 13 strikeouts, the most by a GNAC pitcher since 2012. She then threw three no-hit innings of relief as the Vikings dropped the nightcap 7-4.

Also Nominated: Sammi Cadwallader (Western Oregon), Kim Nelson (Saint Martin’s), Brooke Bonsen (Northwest Nazarene).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• The defending GNAC champions opened the season going 3-2 at the MSUB Desert Stinger. The Wildcats picked up wins over Cal Baptist (11-7), Cal State Dominguez Hills (21-3, 5 inn.) and Mary (6-1).

• Against Cal State Dominguez Hills, the Wildcats hammered out 24 hits, three doubles and two home runs with 20 RBIs. Samantha Gorman finished with four RBIs in the game and Molly Nutt finished with three. Kailyn Campbell, Jacie McDaniels, Taelor Griffin, Savannah Egbert and Paige Likala all had three hits in the contest.

• McDaniels was Central Washington’s leading hitter in the five-game set, batting .500 (9 for 18) with three runs, 10 RBIs and three doubles. Egbert hit .438 (7 for 16) with three runs and three RBIs.

• Pitcher Kayla Smith went 2-2 in the five games, compiling a 0.49 earned run average in 14.1 innings of work. She allowed just one earned run in the set with 13 strikeouts. Smith earned both wins in relief and opened the season by throwing four innings of three-hit relief in Friday’s win over Cal Baptist.

• Central Washington was picked by GNAC coaches to repeat as conference champion in the 2017 GNAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll. The Wildcats received 61 points, including six of eight first place votes. In addition, the Wildcats opened the season No. 14 in the NFCA Preseason Coaches Poll, mirroring their finish in the poll in 2016.

• First baseman Kailyn Campbell was one of two GNAC players named to the NFCA’s watch list for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II Player of the Year.

• Central Washington enters the week leading the GNAC with a .357 batting average with 60 hits and 42 runs. The Wildcats’ 2.06 earned run average is second in the league.

• The Wildcats will play five games this weekend at the Dixie State Tournament: Colorado State Pueblo and UC Colorado Springs on Thursday, Western New Mexico and St. Edward’s on Friday and Hawaii Hilo on Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia opened the season by going 2-3 at the MSUB Desert Stringer. The Cavaliers scored a 4-3 win over Augustana (S.D.) on Saturday and a 9-5 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sunday.

• Defending GNAC Player of the Year Meghan Luebbert led the Cavaliers offensively in the five games, batting .556 (10 for 18) with five runs, a double, a triple and two RBIs. The week was capped by a 3 for 5 effort against Cal State Dominguez Hills, which included a double and two runs. Lubbert was one of two GNAC players named to the NFCA’s watch list for Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II Player of the Year.

• Pitcher Matti Boucher picked up both wins for Concordia in the circle, both of which came in relief. She allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts in four innings in the win over Augustana (S.D.) and allowed four runs on 12 hits in 4.2 innings against Cal State Dominguez Hills. Boucher is tied for second in the GNAC with 13 strikeouts.

• After finishing tied for second in the regular season standings last year, Concordia was picked fifth in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll with 34 points.

• Concordia enters the week batting .263 with 36 hits, 23 runs and seven extra-base hits. The Cavaliers’ pitchers own a 6.27 earned run average, allowing 38 runs, 29 earned, in 32.1 innings.

• Concordia will play five games this weekend at the Dixie State Tournament. The Cavaliers will face UC Colroado Springs and Western New Mexico on Thursday, Cal State San Bernardino and Colorado St. Pueblo on Friday and Dixie State on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• The Yellowjackets opened the season by going 1-4 at their own Desert Stinger in Las Vegas. Their lone win was a 15-2 win over Mary on Saturday that saw MSUB score 10 runs in the seventh inning. Montana State Billings continued with two losses at Dixie State on Monday.

• In the win over Mary, MSUB broke the game open with 10 runs on eight hits in the top of the seventh and capitalized on one Marauders’ error. The rally included a two-run double by Bella Rovens and two-run homers by Kelsey Devlin and Myrissa Prince. The Yellowjackets finished with 16 hits, five doubles and 14 RBIs in the game.

• Rovens is the Yellowjackets’ early offensive leader, batting .395 (10 for 26) in the seven games with a double, six runs and four RBIs. Tracy is batting .370 (10 for 27) with a double, a triple, five runs and two RBIs.

• Pitcher Megan Dettling compiled a 3.42 earned run average in three appearances in the circle, allowing 14 runs, seven earned, in 14.1 innings of work. She went the distance in the opener against Sioux Falls, allowing six runs, three earned, on seven hits with five strikeouts. Maddy Lincoln earned the Yellowjackets’ lone win, allowing two runs on five hits against Mary.

• Montana State Billings enters the week batting .295 with 61 hits, 24 runs, 10 doubles and a GNAC-leading seven home runs. The Yellowjackets have a 7.32 earned run average, allowing 67 runs on 44 innings.

• Under first year coach Jessica Rayman, the Yellowjackets were picked eighth in the GNAC Preseason Poll with 13 points.

• Montana State Billings will play two games on Wednesday against UC Colroado Springs and St. Edward’s before playing five games in the Dixie State Tournament. The Yellowjackets will face Cal Baptist and Cal State San Bernardino on Thursday, Concordia Irvine and UC Colorado Springs on Friday and Hawaii Hilo on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene picked up two wins in seven games over the opening weekend, including a 2-3 record at the Desert Stinger. The Crusaders picked up a 13-6 win over New Mexico Highlands on Friday and a 4-3 win over Minot State on Saturday.

• Kylie Orr, last year’s GNAC Freshman of the Year, opened her sophomore campaign by batting .435 (10 for 23) in the seven games with 1 triple, three home runs, five runs and six RBIs. She went 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs against Hawaii Hilo on Friday.

• Freshman Brittany Genuardi opened her career by batting .385 (10 for 26) in the seven games. She went 2 for 4 against Dixie State on Wednesday and went 2 for 5 in the win over New Mexico Highlands on Friday.

• Brooke Bonsen was the Crusaders’ leader in the circle, compiling a 3.16 earned run average while picking up both of NNU’s wins in five appearances. She allowed five runs, two earned, on seven hits in five innings in the win over New Mexico Highlands and allowed three unearned runs on six hits in six innings in the win over Minot State.

• The Crusaders enter the week with a .265 team batting average with 49 hits, 29 runs, six doubles and six home runs. Northwest Nazarene pitching has compiled a 5.09 earned run average, allowing 53 runs, 32 earned, in 44 innings.

• Northwest Nazarene was picked sixth in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll with 23 points.

• The Crusaders will continue with three doubleheaders in the Bay Area. They play at San Francisco State on Thursday, Academy of Art on Friday and Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s opened the season by going 2-2 in games in La Jolla, Calif. The Saints lost both games to UC San Diego, 5-4 on Friday and 4-3 on Saturday, and took both games from Dominican (Calif.), 11-6 on Friday and 8-0 on Saturday.

• Mary Dettling was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she hit .615 (8 for 13) in the four games with five doubles, two runs and six RBIs. She went 3 for 4 with two doubles, a run and three RBIs in Saturday’s win over Dominican and went 3 for 3 with a double, a run and two RBIs in Friday’s win.

• Lauren Diuco had a solid hitting weekend as well, going .538 (7 for 13) with two doubles, seven hits, five runs and two RBIs. Lindsay Miller finished going .500 (5 for 10) with five runs and two RBIs. Miller went 3 for 3 with three runs and two RBIs in Saturday’s win.

• Pitcher Jessica O’Toole compiled a 2.33 earned run average in six innings of work to lead the Saints. She earned the win in Friday’s game against Dominican in 4.1 innings of relief, allowing two runs on three hits. Kim Nelson compiled a 2.80 earned run average in two starts, allowing 13 runs, four earned, in 10 innings. She was the winner in Saturday’s game, allowing just two hits in five relief innings

• The Saints are second in the GNAC with a .324 team batting average with 35 hits, 26 runs and a GNAC-leading 12 doubles. The Saints own a 3.92 team earned run average.

• After finishing fourth in the regular season standings last year, Saint Martin’s is picked to finish third in the GNAC Preseason Poll with 46 points.

• The Saints will not play this weekend and will return to action on Feb. 18 with a doubleheader against Division III Pacific Lutheran.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser will open its 2017 season this weekend in Hawaii. The Clan will play a doubleheader on Friday at BYU-Hawaii and a doubleheader at Hawaii Pacific on Saturday. The Clan will play six more games in the islands next week.

• Simon Fraser was picked to finish seventh in GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving 20 points. The Clan finished sixth in the standings in 2016 at 12-16 and finished 26-24 overall.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon went 2-3 at the Desert Stinger to open the 2017 season. The Wolves picked up a 5-4 win over Minot State on Saturday and closed their tourney run with a 1-0 shutout of Cal State Monterey Bay on Sunday.

• Ryanne Huffman led the Wolves offensively, going .444 in the five games (8 for 18) with two runs and two RBIs. She went 2 for 3 with a RBI in the season opener against Azusa Pacific on Friday and went 3 for 4 with a run against Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday.

• Sammi Cadwallader made four appearances for Western Oregon in the circle, compiling a 1.70 earned run average in 12.1 innings. She started against Minot State on Saturday, allowing two runs on one hit in three innings of work. She earned the win against Cal State Monterey Bay on Sunday, allowing just two hits in six innings.

• The Wolves enter the week with a .227 batting average with 30 hits, 15 runs, two doubles and a home run. Western Oregon has a 2.24 team earned run average, allowing 19 runs, 11 earned, in 34.1 innings.

• Western Oregon was picked second in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll, earning 50 points and two first place votes. The Wolves tied for second in the regular season standings at 17-11 and finished 31-24 overall, losing to Central Washington in the GNAC Championships final.

• Western Oregon is off this weekend and will travel to Hawaii. The Wolves will play a twinbill at Hawaii Pacific on Feb. 13, a doubleheader at Chaminade on Feb. 15 and a twinbill at BYU-Hawaii on Feb. 17.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington opened the season in Hawaii and went 5-1 in six games in the islands. The Vikings swept a twinbill with Hawaii Pacific on Saturday, 4-1 and 3-2. They split a doubleheader with Chaminade on Sunday, winning 2-0 before losing 7-4, and took both ends of a doubleheader with BYU-Hawaii on Tuesday, 4-2 and 7-3.

• Freshman pitcher Anna Kasner was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week and was selected as the NFCA Division II Pitcher of the Week after she picked up a complete-game one-hit win against Chamiande on Sunday. She struck out 13 batters in the game, the most by a GNAC pitcher since 2012. Kasner then repeated the effort against BYU-Hawaii on Tuesday, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits with 13 more strikeouts in eight innings. In three appearances, Kasner has compiled a 0.48 earned run average, allowing three runs, two earned, and has struck out 32 in 18 innings.

• Emily Benson is leading Western Washington offensively, batting .529 (9 for 17) with one double, one triple, eight runs and seven RBIs. She went 3 for 3 with a run in the nightcap against Hawaii Pacific and went 2 for 3 with two runs in the opener against BYU-Hawaii.

• Makinlee Sellevold batted .438 (7 for 16) in the six games with three runs and one RBI. She had six hits alone in the twinbill with BYU-Hawaii, including four hits, one run and one RBI in the nightcap.

• Western Washington has a .311 team batting average with 55 hits, 24 runs, five double, three triples and four home runs. The Vikings lead the GNAC with a 1.83 earned run average, allowing 15 runs, 11 earned, on 30 hits with 48 strikeouts in 42 innings.

• After just missing the GNAC Championships last year, the Vikings were picked fourth in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll with 41 points.

• Western Washington will compete at the Dixie State Tournament this weekend. The Vikings will face Cal Baptist and Western New Mexico on Thursday, Hawaii Hilo and Cal State San Bernardino on Friday and Colorado Mesa on Saturday.