Thursday, March 10, 2016

THIS WEEK'S GNAC SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Meghan Luebbert, Concordia
OF • 5-4 •  Junior • Sandy, Ore.

Luebbert went 5 for 8 in the Cavaliers’ doubleheader sweep at Central Washington, giving Concordia its first two GNAC victories. She went 2 for 4 in the opener and went 3 for 4 in the nightcap.

Also Nominated: Nicole Ratel (Simon Fraser), Kylie Orr (Northwest Nazarene), Jordan Walley (Western Washington).

PITCHER
Shearyna Labasan, Western Washington
P • 5-3 • Freshman  • Mililani, Hawaii

Labasan went 2-0 and compiled a 1.11 earned run average in three appearances as the Vikings won three of four games in their series with Northwest Nazarene. She allowed one hit and two walks and struck out four in an 8-0, five-inning win in Saturday’s nightcap and allowed two runs on four hits in the 6-2 complete game win in Sunday’s second game.

Also Nominated: Brooke Bonsen (Northwest Nazarene), Mattie Boucher (Concordia), Alia Stachoski (Simon Fraser).

AROUND THE GNAC
TWO IN, TWO WINS: Despite seeing their first GNAC games moved from its home field due to weather, Concordia made a statement by opening its first conference campaign with two wins against the league’s hottest team.

Relocated to Ellensburg on Saturday, the Cavaliers proceeded to take two games from Central Washington and stop a 10-game win streak for the Wildcats. In the opener, Concordia bounced back from a one-run deficit to score three runs in the fifth to take a 4-2 win in the opener. Courtney Somers produced the game-winning hit in the fifth, singling to right center to score Taylor Copher and Taylor Bussey.
Concordia trailed 5-3 in the nightcap before McKenzie Smith tied the game at 5-5 and then she won it with a two-run homer in the sixth as the Cavaliers held on to the 7-6 victory.

Junior outfielder Meghan Luebbert was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week for her efforts in the two wins. Luebbert went 5 for 8 in the doubleheader, going 2 for 4 in the opener and 3 for 4 in the nightcap.

Concordia, which is scheduled to host Northwest Nazarene for a four-game weekend series, enters the week ranked second in the GNAC with a team .335 batting average. Luebbert is ranked third in the GNAC with her .441 batting average and leads the conference with 24 runs scored. Concordia is also the second best defensive team in the league with a .958 fielding percentage.

NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Simon Fraser put itself on solid footing last week as the Clan succeeded in sweeping their four-game home series over Montana State Billings.

After defeating the Yellowjackets 4-2 in the opener on Saturday, the Clan staked themselves to a seven-run first inning en route to a 10-1, five-inning victory in the nightcap. Alex Baylak punctuated the frame with her two-run double to left center and Stephanie Caron ended it with her two-run single. Rachel Proctor led Simon Fraser by going 2 for 3 with a double, two runs and three RBI.

Things played out much the same way on Sunday with the Clan breaking out for two runs in the third and three runs in the fourth on their way to a 6-2 win in the opener. Taylor Gillis puncutated the run with her two-run homer in the fourth. Simon Fraser closed the weekend with a 7-0 shutout. Jessica Goulet and Tori Belton combined to allow just four hits in the win. Caron led the Clan offensively in the four-game series, hitting .462 by going 6 for 13 with five runs and two RBI.

Simon Fraser is off to a 14-11 start and a 5-3 conference start despite ranking fourth in the GNAC with a .307 batting average and seventh with a 4.29 earned run average.

DOING THE SPLITS: Western Washington kept pace with Simon Fraser for second in the GNAC race while Northwest Nazarene opened play in solid shape by splitting its four-game series in Bellingham.

Both games on Friday were five-inning affairs. The two teams were tied 2-2 after two innings in the opener before the Crusaders scored eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings for the 10-2 victory. Kylie Orr started the rally with her three-run homer to right center in the fourth. She finished the game 3 for 3 with a double, the home run and five RBI. Western Washington flipped it in the nightcap as Shearyna Labasan threw a one-hitter to win 8-0. Emily Benson went 3 for 3 to lead WWU while Emma Blauser closed the game with her solo home run in the fifth.

Saturday’s doubleheader produced closer games. In the opener, Northwest Nazarene used a RBI single by Cassidy Fifield and a two-run double by Orr to lead the way in a 3-1 victory. Western Washington came back from a 1-0 deficit to claim the nightcap 6-2. The Vikings used a three-run third to win it, paced by two-hit efforts by Alexie Levin and Lynsey Amundson.

Labasan was selected as the GNAC Pitcher of the Week for her two victories over the Crusaders. In three appearances, Labasan allowed four runs, two earned, on six hits with eight strikeouts in 12.2 innings. As a team, Western Washington is sixth in the GNAC in both batting (.295) and pitching (3.58 earned run average). Northwest Nazarene enters the week ranked fifth in the GNAC in pitching (3.50 ERA) and seventh in hitting (.277).

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY!:The wet Northwest weather is wreaking havoc on the GNAC softball schedule. Entering this weekend, Western Oregon has already postponed its four-game series with Montana State Billings. Concordia will play two of its scheduled four games with Northwest Nazarene on Friday in Wilsonville, south of Portland, while Saturday’s games will now be played  on Apr. 7. Forecasts call for steady and heavy rain across Oregon and Washington for much of the weekend.

WESTERN WASHINGTON PICKED TO WIN IN PRESEASON POLL: A year after just missing a conference tournament title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, coaches have picked Western Washington to reach the pinnacle in the 2016 Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s Preseason Softball Coaches Poll.

The Vikings received five of eight first place votes, earning 61 points in the poll. Western Washington is clear and away the favorite over defending GNAC regular season champion Saint Martin’s, picked to finish second with 47 points. Western Oregon was picked third, close behind Saint Martin’s with 43 points.

Montana State Billings, which surprised the conference with a spirited run to the GNAC Tournament championship and their first trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament since 2012, was picked to finish fourth with 37 points. Central Washington finished one point behind, picked fifth with 36 points. The Wildcats were followed by GNAC newcomer Concordia (33 pts.), Simon Fraser (17 pts.) and Northwest Nazarene (14 pts.).