Thursday, February 22, 2018

YELLOWJACKETS FLY INTO RECORD TERRITORY: While Montana State Billings didn’t get the results in the win column it would have wanted, it made up for that with a pair of school record marks.

Senior Heather Tracy became MSUB’s all-time hits leader when she knocked her 216th hit in the fifth inning of Saturday’s opening game at Metro State. She broke the career-record of 215 that was set by former teammate Bella Rovens last year. Tracy finished the weekend with seven hits and now has 221 for her career, placing her No. 11 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Senior Cameron Cassinelli, meanwhile, tied the MSUB career record for runs batted in as she knocked in her 136th runner during Sunday’s doubleheader at Colorado Mines. She matched the mark set by Emily Osborn in 2015 and tied her for No. 12 on the GNAC All-Time List.

This is the third time this season that Montana State Billings has had to tweak the record book. On Feb. 8, senior Megan Dettling set a GNAC single-game record with 18 strikeouts to lead the Yellowjackets to a 1-0 victory. She broke the long-standing record of 17 strikeouts set by Humboldt State’s Lizzy Prescott in 2006.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON PICKED TO REPEAT AS CHAMPION: 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
Jacie McDaniels, Central Washington
C • 5-6 •  Senior • Walla Walla, Wash.

McDaniels led the Wildcats to a 3-2 Hawaii road trip as she hit .500 in four games, going 7 for 14 with four runs, four RBIs and two doubles. McDaniels went 3 for 4 in the with a run and an RBI in Saturday’s 5-4 win over Hawaii Pacific before going 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBIs and a pair of doubles, including a two-RBI double in the second, in Sunday’s 8-4 win over Chaminade.

Also Nominated: Elena Cook (Concordia), Heather Tracy (Montana State Billings), Taylor Gillis (Simon Fraser).

PITCHER
Alia Stachoski, Simon Fraser
P • 5-10 •  Senior • Port Coquitlam, B.C.

Making a stop in Hawaii on the way from their Australia trip, Stachoski led the Clan to a pair of wins over Chaminade on Saturday. She went the distance in the 9-2 win in the opener, allowing two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out six. Stachoski then earned the win in relief in the 14-6, six-inning game two win, allowing one run on two hits while striking out two over 2.1 innings.

Also Nominated: Samantha Byron (Concordia).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• The Wildcats went 3-2 last week in Hawaii. Central Washington beat Hawaii Hilo on Friday, 7-4, Hawaii Pacific on Saturday, 5-4, and Chaminade on Sunday, 8-4.

• Senior catcher Jacie McDaniels was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she hit .500 in four games, going 7 for 14 with four runs, four RBIs and two doubles. She went 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI in Saturday’s win over HPU and then went 2 for 4 with two doubles and a two-RBI double in the second on Sunday against Chaminade. McDaniels enters the week with a .429 batting average.

• Sophomore Savannah Egbert also batted .500 in five games, going 7 for 14 with four runs and an RBI. She went 2 for 3 and drew a bases-loaded walk against Hawaii Hilo on Friday and went 2 for 2 with a run scored against Chaminade. Egbert is fourth in the GNAC and leads CWU with a .531 batting average and is fourth in the GNAC with 13 runs scored.

• Sophomore Taylor Williams led CWU in the circle as she went 2-0 and compiled a 2.71 earned run average, allowing four runs on nine hits with two strikeouts. She earned Friday’s win over Hawaii Hilo in relief, allowing three hits in five innings. Williams earned the win in a start against Hawaii Pacific, allowing four runs on six hits with two strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Williams is currently fifth in the GNAC with that 2.71 ERA.

• Central Washington enters the week second in the GNAC and 32nd in Division II with a .333 batting average. The Wildcats are fifth in the GNAC with a team 4.86 earned run average.

• The Wildcats are off for the next two weekends, returning to the field on Mar. 10 for a four-game GNAC series with Montana State Billings.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia was one of two GNAC teams to play a home game last weekend, splitting with NAIA rival Northwest Christian on Saturday. The Beacons won the opener 13-11 and the Cavaliers took the nightcap 7-1.

• Sophomore Elena Cook led Concordia with a .625 batting average in the two games, going 5 for 8 with five runs. four RBIs, two doubles and a home run. She went 3 for 4 with three runs and a pair of doubles in the opener before going 2 for 3 in the nightcap, with both hits coming on home runs. Cook enters the week fifth in the GNAC with a .500 batting average. She is tied for ninth in Division II with 21 hits.

• Sophomore Macy Besuyen and senior Kelsie Merritt each went 3 for 7 in the twinbill. Both players went 2 for 4 in the opener, with Beyusen smashing a two-run triple in the third inning.

• Junior Samantha Byron earned the win in the circle in the second game, allowing one run on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Bryon is fourth in the GNAC with a 2.33 earned run average and a 3-1 record. Junior Mackenzie Smith leads the GNAC with a 1.87 ERA in six appearances and is also 3-1 on the season.

• Concordia enters the week with a .314 batting average and is second in the GNAC with a 3.26 earned run average. The Cavaliers are ranked 25th in Division II with 1.85 doubles per game and lead the GNAC with 22 stolen bases.

• Concordia hosts the Cavalier Classic at Porter Park this weekend. The Cavaliers face Corban and Northwest (Wash.) on Saturday and Northwest (Wash.) and Eastern Oregon on Sunday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• The Yellowjackets went 1-3 last week in the Mile High City. Montana State Billings’ lone win was a 6-3 victory over Metro State on Saturday.

• Senior Heather Tracy batted .500 in the four games, going 7 for 14 with two runs, two RBIs, a double, a triple and a home run. In the first game against Metro State, Tracy became the MSUB all-time hits leader as she knocked her 216th hit in the fifth inning. She went 2 for 4 with a homer in that game and then went 3 for 4 with a double in the nightcap. Tracy is second in the GNAC and 24th in Division II with a .559 batting average and is first in Division II with 33 hits.

• Senior Cameron Cassinelli tied an MSUB career record when she picked up her 136th RBI during the twinbill against Colorado Mines on Sunday. She went 3 for 6 in the two games and had all three RBIs for the Yellowjackets on the day. Cassinelli finished the weekend with a .385 batting average and enters the week with a .333 average on the season.

• Sophomore Maddy Lincoln earned the pitching win over Metro State on Saturday, allowing three runs on six hits in 6.1 innings of work. Senior Megan Dettling entered in the seventh to earn her first save of the season. Lincoln leads MSUB and is sixth in the GNAC with a 3.31 earned run average and leads the GNAC and ranks 15th in Division II with five wins.

• Montana State Billings is tied for third in the GNAC with a .333 batting average and third with a 4.31 earned run average. The Yellowjackets are 15th in Division II with three shutouts in their five wins.

• Montana State Billings is off this weekend and will open GNAC play on Mar. 3 as they travel north for a four-game series at Simon Fraser.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene opened its home schedule with a split against NAIA rival Eastern Oregon. The Nighthawks took the first game of both doubleheaders, winning 13-8 on Friday and 11-5 on Saturday.

• Senior Lisa Sylvester led the Nighthawks offensively as she hit .500 in the four games, going 5 for 10 with three runs and an RBI. Her big game was the opener on Saturday as she went 3 for with three runs. Sylvester enters the week with a .320 batting average.

• Sophomore Brittany Genuardi went 6 for 14 in the four games with three runs, five RBIs, a double and two home runs. She went 3 for 4 in Friday’s opening win, which included a solo home run in the fifth inning. She then went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s win, which included a two-run homer in the third inning. Genuardi leads NNU with a .360 batting average. She is tied for the GNAC lead with four home runs.

• Freshman Jordan Adams earned both pitching wins for the Nighthawks. On Friday, Adams allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts in four innings of work. She threw five innings in Saturday’s win as she allowed five runs, four earned, on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Adams is seventh in the GNAC with a 3.84 earned run average and is fourth in the GNAC with four wins.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week with a .316 batting average and a 5.41 earned run average. The Nighthawks are eighth in Division II with 0.76 double plays turned per game, 20th with 1.18 home runs per game and 26th with a .515 slugging percentage.

• The Nighthawks are off this weekend. They will open GNAC play on Fri., Mar. 2, with a doubleheader at Western Washington.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s saw its only scheduled games last week, a home doubleheader with Pacific Lutheran on Saturday, canceled. The Saints will play four games at the Cavalier Classic this weekend, facing Corban and Eastern Oregon on Saturday and Northwest (Wash.) and Corban on Sunday.

• The Saints enter the week with two of the top pitchers in the GNAC in terms of earned run average. Senior Kim Nelson is second in the GNAC with a 2.12 earned run average with a 2-2 record, allowing 14 runs, 10 earned, in 33 innings. She is 10th in Division II with 0.21 walks allowed per seven innings. Junior Lauren Maley is third in the GNAC with a 2.17 ERA, allowing 13 runs, six earned, on 22 hits in 19 innings.

• Junior Lauren Diuco is the Saint’s leading batter with a .419 batting average with four runs and two doubles.

• The Saints enters the week with a .267 batting average in nine games. The Saints lead the GNAC and are 30th in Division II with a 2.10 earned run average.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser returned from its Australia trip to take two wins on a Hawaii stopper, beating Chaminade 9-2 and 16-6 on Saturday. A Sunday twinbill against Hawaii Pacific was canceled due to weather.

• Senior pitcher Alia Stachoski was named the GNAC Pitcher of the Week after she earned both wins at Chaminade. In the opener, Stachoski went the distance as she allowed two runs on four hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. She then earned the win in relief in the nightcap, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings. Stachoski has pitched in all three of the Clan’s games this season and enters the week with a 4.50 earned run average.

• Senior Taylor Gillis went 6 for 9 in the two games with two runs, four RBIs and a double to lead SFU at the plate. She went 2 for 4 in the opener, which included a two-RBI single in the fifth inning, and went 4 for 5 in the nightcap with a double. Gillis has a .615 batting average in the Clan’s three games.

• Simon Fraser enters the week with a .419 batting average with 39 hits and 41 runs. The Clan pitching staff boasts a 4.55 earned run average and a .976 fielding percentage, committing just two errors in the three games.

• The Clan is off this weekend and will return to action on Sat., Mar. 3 and Sun., Mar. 4, with a four-game home GNAC series against Montana State Billings.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon went 1-4 in a weather-abbreviated run at the Tucson Invitational. The Wolves’ one win was an 11-4 win over Franklin Pierce on Sunday.

• Freshman Tyler Creach batted .500 and went 7 for 14 with two runs and a double in four games (stats from the game against Fort Lewis are not available). She went 2 for 3 and had her double on Saturday against Southern Nazarene and then went 3 for 4 with two runs scored against Franklin Pierce. Creach enters the week batting .500.

• Junior Jenna Kelly went 7 for 15 in those four games with three runs, a double and a home run. Her home run was a solo shot on Saturday against Southern Nazarene, went 2 for 4 against Dixie State and was 3 for 5 against Franklin Pierce. Kelly enters the week enters the week with a .364 batting average.

• Western Oregon enters the week tied for third in the GNAC with a .322 batting average and owns a 5.85 earned run average. The Wolves are third in the GNAC with 119 hits and are first in Division II with one hit batter in 14 games.

• Western Oregon continues play this weekend at the Cavalier Classic, facing Northwest (Wash.) and Eastern Oregon on Saturday and Eastern Oregon and Corban on Sunday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington is in the midst of a two-week break from play. The Vikings open GNAC play on Mar. 2 and 3 as they host Northwest Nazarene for a four-game series.

• Junior Shearyna Labasan leads the Vikings and is tied for second in the GNAC with a .559 batting average. In 11 games, Labasan has gone 19 for 34 with 10 runs and four RBIs. She is tied for third in the GNAC with five doubles. Labasan also leads the WWU pitching staff with a 4.83 earned run average, allowing 29 runs, 20 earned, on 45 hits in 29 innings.

• Senior Carlie Richards is batting .400 for the Vikings with 10 hits, seven runs and seven RBIs in nine games.

• Western Washington enters the week with a .284 batting average and a 6.49 earned run average. The Vikings are third in the GNAC with 60 batters struck out.