Thursday, April 24, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. - Three teams go into the final week of the regular-season with a chance to win or share the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season softball title.

Western Oregon (28-18, 16-4) takes a two-game lead into the final week over Central Washington (25-14, 14-6) and Western Washington (27-11, 14-6).

The Wolves host Western Washington and Simon Fraser (4-31, 2-17) Saturday and Sunday and need three wins to wrap up the title. 

Western Washington can  earn at least a share of the title by winning its final four games. The Vikings are at Saint Martin's Sunday after playing Western Oregon Saturday.

If WOU loses twice this week, Central Washington could also earn at least a share of the title by sweeping its four-game series against Northwest Nazarene at Nampa Friday and Saturday.

While Western Oregon leads the GNAC race, Central Washington and Western Washington are the lone GNAC teams ranked in this week's official NCAA Division II West Regional rankings.

For the second week in a row, CWU is ranked seventh and Western Washington is ranked ninth.  The rankings will eventually help determine which five teams join the GNAC, PacWest and CCAA champions in next month's West Regional tournament.

The GNAC will decide its champion next week (May 1-3) with a tournament at Columbia Playfield in Richland, Wash. Defending champion Saint Martin's will join WOU, CWU and WWU in the four-team double-elimination event.

NCAA West Region – 1. Cal State Monterey Bay 41-6; 2. Dixie State 39-8; 3. Humboldt State 40-11; 5. Cal Baptist 35-11; 5. UC San Diego 30-13; 6. Sonoma State 33-17; 7. Central Washington 29-21; 8. Cal State San Bernardino 29-21; 9. Western Washington 25-11; 10. Hawaii Hilo 19-17.

Western Washington Ranks Seventh in Team Batting

Western Washington will take a .357 batting average into the final week of the regular-season.  That ranks seventh nationally in NCAA Division II.

WWU also ranks 19th nationally in runs scored (6.71) and 28th in slugging percentage (.501).

The top-ranked GNAC team in the national statistical report is Western Oregon.  It is eighth in double plays made, averaging 0.52 per game.

Individually, the top ranked player is WWU's Meghan Carrillo.  She ranks sixth in toughest to strike out, fanning just once in 88 at bats. 

 NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS (Top 30; through April 20): Team: Batting – 7. Western Washington .357.  Scoring – 19. Western Washington 6.71.  Slugging – 28. Western Washington .501.  Double Plays – 8. Western Oregon 0.52; 10. Western Washington 0.50; 24. Saint Martin’s 0.43.  Individual:  Stolen Bases – 14.  Autumn Isaacson, WWU, 0.74.  Victories – 29. Sam Munger, S<U, 17.  Saves – 19. Shayna Adelstein, WWU, 19.  Runs – 17. Haylee Baker, WWU, 1.17.  HBP – 28. Jackie Schmaeling, SMU, 0.29.  Toughest to Strike Out – 6. Meghan Carrillo, WWU, 88.0; 12. Sam Munger, SMU, 64.5.  Sacrifice Flies – 16. Haylee Baker, WWU; Bridjet Box, WOU, and Andrea Hamada, CWU, 4.

For more GNAC Softball News, check out the GNAC Weekly Report.