Tuesday, February 18, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. - Five GNAC players earned all-tournament honors in the fifth annual MSUB Las Vegas Desert Stinger which was conducted early this month in Las Vegas.

First team honors went to Western Washington first baseman Jordan Walley, who batted .600 (9-of-15), and Central Washington pitcher Kiana Wood, who allowed just two runs - both on solo home runs - in 24 2/3 innings in posting a 3-0 record.

Wood led the Wildcats to a perfect 5-0 record.  CWU was one of five teams among the 32 to win all five of their games.  Cal Baptist was declared the tournament champion based on a point system involving run differential.

Three players were voted to the second team all-tournament team - Montana State Billings second baseman/shortstop Aubrey Conceicao, Western Oregon first baseman Ashlie Gardner and WOU outfielder Amanda Evola.

Conceicao had eight hits in 15 at bats.  Evola had nine hits in 19 at bats, including a pair of doubles and a pair of home runs, and drove in eight runs.  Gardner hit .400 (6-of-15) and plated seven runs.

Northwest Nazarene first baseman Brianna Kinghorn was selected the Defensive MVP as she handled 43 chances without an error including a single-game tournament record of 15.

SAINTS WIN TWO OF THREE:  Lacey McGladrey batted .545 (6-of-11) to lead Saint Martin’s to  a 2-1 record last weekend in the Concordia Invitational.  Taviah Jenkins drove in five runs as the Saints outscored their opponents 25-16.  Sam Munger earned the decision in the circle in all three games, allowing nine runs in 15 1/3 innings and posting a 2.74 ERA.

CLAN LOSES FOUR IN FLORIDA: Simon Fraser fell to 0-9 on the season dropping twinbills in Florida to Eckerd and Tampa.  Three SFU players – Kaitlyn Cameron, Stefanie Sheard and Robyn Mogavero – all had four hits in 11 at bats.  Cameron  had four RBI.

CWU, WOU HIT ROAD: Central Washington, off to its best start in school history (5-0), heads to California this weekend for doubleheaders at Holy Names, Dominican and Academy of Art Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Western Oregon, meanwhile, travels to San Antonio for five games in the St. Mary’s, Tex., Round Robin.

NNU, MSUB AND WWU STAY HOME AGAINST NAIA OPPONENTS: Northwest Nazarene, MSU Billings and Western Washington all stay home.  The Crusaders have six games against three separate NAIA opponents.  MSUB entertains NAIA Dickinson State for a four-game series and Western Washington hosts NAIA Northwest for a pair of games.

MSUB DESERT STINGER ALL-TOURNAMENT (Feb. 7-9):  First Team – Jordan Walley, WWU; Kiana Wood, CWU.  Second Team – Aubrey Conceicao, MSUB; Amanda Evola, WOU; Kelsie Gardner, WOU.  Defensive  MVP – Brianna Kinghorn, NNU. Team Records – Central Washington 5-0, Western Washington 3-2, MSU Billings 2-3, Western Oregon 2-3, Northwest Nazarene 1-4, Simon Fraser 0-5.