Tuesday, March 28, 2017

IT’S TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS TIME: All eight GNAC softball squads will be in Turlock, Calif., for the tranditional midseason break for the conference season. The teams will take part in the Tournament of Champions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, hosted by Stanislaus State.

The Tournament of Champions features 30 teams, accounting for nearly every softball program in the region. The tournament will also feature three nationally ranked teams (according to the Mar. 22 NFCA Division II Poll) in No. 4 Humboldt State, No. 7 Chico State and No. 18 Cal State Monterey Bay.

In the 15 years of the tournament, GNAC programs are 215-311-1 all-time in the Tournament of Champions. The eight current GNAC programs own a 195-286 record. Two GNAC programs, Simon Fraser (13-11) and Western Washington (49-46), enter with winning reocrd while Concordia went 3-3 in its first season in the tournament.

WET CONDITIONS: The West Coast’s wet weather pattern continues to cause for a shifting GNAC softball schedule. Saint Martin’s saw four games rained out last week. A doubleheader on Thursday at Notre Dame de Namur was cancelled while a Sunday doubleheader in Lacey against Western Oregon was postponed. Thanks to the shift in its four-game series at home against Northwest Nazarene, Simon Fraser’s Saturday doubleheader against Western Washington was postponed. The two teams’ Sunday doubleheader was also postponed due to rain.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Savannah Egbert, Central Washington
3B • 5-7•  Sophomore • Connell, Wash.

Egbert batted .688 for the Wildcats in six games (11 for 16) with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs. She opened scoring in Saturday’s home opener against Western Oregon with a two-run homer and went 3 for 3 in the nightcap, which included a pair of RBI doubles. Egbert also went 3 for 3 in Sunday’s opener against Concordia and went 2 for 3 in the second game.

Also Nominated: Meghan Luebbert (Concordia), Kylie Orr (Northwest Nazarene), Zoe Clark (Western Oregon).

PITCHER
Brooke Bonsen, Northwest Nazarene
P • 5-10 •  Senior • Lynden, Wash.

Bonsen picked up two wins for Northwest Nazarene in its four-game series with Simon Fraser, allowing two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in 11.2 innings. She went the distance in Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Clan, allowing one run on five hits. She then allowed one run on three hits in 4.2 innings of work as the Crusaders won 6-5 in Saturday’s opener.

Also Nominated: Sammi Cadwallader (Western Oregon), Maddy Lincoln (Montana State Billings), Kiana Wood (Central Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• The Wildcats are rolling on an 11-game win streak after taking six games last week. The week started with a pair of wins at Western Washington, 11-1 and 8-4 (8 inn.) and ended with sweeps of Western Oregon and Concordia in CWU’s first home games of the season.

• For their impressive effort over the week, the Wildcats were selected as the Red Lion Hotels/GNAC Team of the Week.

• Sophomore Savannah Egbert was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she hit .688 in the six games, going 11 for 16 with eight runs, six RBIs, two doubles and a home run. She hit a two-run homer to open scoring on Saturday against WOU before going 5 for 6 against Concordia on Sunday.

• Senior pitcher Kiana Wood had an impressive week as she went 4-0 with a save in five appearances, compiling a 1.93 earned run average. She earned wins in all three doubleheaders and had both wins against Western Oregon, the last coming in two innings of relief. Wood enters the week leading the GNAC with a 9-1 record and a 2.36 earned run average.

• Senior Kailyn Campbell was also an offensive spark as she batted .556 in the six games, going 10 for 18 with eight runs, seven RBIs, four doubles and a home run. She went 3 for 3 with four runs in the opener against Western Washington on Monday and hit a fourth-inning grand slam in Sunday’s 12-9 win over Concordia. Campbell leads the GNAC and is second in Division II with a .525 batting average and is sixth in Division II with a .594 on base percentage.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC and is fourth in Division II with a .371 batting average and also lead the GNAC with a 3.12 earned run average. The Wildcats lead Division II in double plays per game (0.70), is fifth in on base percentage (.440), sixth in slugging percentage (.544), eighth in doubles per game (1.96) and 13th in home runs per game (1.04).

• The Wildcats will face Stanislaus State in a single game on Wednesday before playing at the Tournament of Champions against Cal State San Bernardino, Holy Names, Academy of Art, San Francisco State, Dominican (Calif.) and Sonoma State.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia went 1-3 on a Washington road trip last weekend. The Cavaliers split with Saint Martin’s on Saturday, losing the opener 7-4 before taking the nightcap 11-7. The Cavaliers then lost both on Sunday to Central Washington, 9-2 and 12-9.

• Senior Meghan Luebbert led Concordia offensively as she hit .643 in the four games. She went 9 for 14 with nine runs, three RBIs and two home runs. Luebbert went 3 for 3 in Saturday’s win over Saint Martin’s and went 3 for 4 in the nightcap at Central Washington. Luebbert is third in the GNAC with a .500 batting average and she leads the league with 32 runs scored.

• Senior Taylor Bussey and sophomore Sam Rice each had five hits in the four games for the Cavaliers. Rice hit .455 on the road trip while Bussey hit .417. Each player had five runs.

• Sophomore Jessica Lambourn had the lone pitching win for Concordia as she allowed five runs, three earned, on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work against Saint Martin’s. Junior Tori Muir leads the CU pitching staff with a 4.32 earned run average this season.

• Concordia enters the week with a .303 team batting average and lead the GNAC in both walks (110) and strikeouts (145). The Cavaliers also own a team 5.69 earned run average.

• Concordia plays in the Tournament of Champions for the second time and will face Sonoma State, San Francisco State, Dominican (Calif.), Cal State East Bay, UC San Diego and Holy Names.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings made up a doubleheader with Minot State in its only games of the week, falling in the two games on Sunday, 7-2 and 7-1.

• Junior Myrissa Prince went 4 for 6 in the two games for MSUB, going 2 for 3 in each game with a double in the opener. Junior outfielder Heather Tracy went 5 for 8 in the doubleheader, which included a 3 for 4 effort in the second game. Tracy leads the Yellowjackets offensively, ranking fourth in the GNAC and 13th in Division II with a .487 batting average.

• Freshman pitcher Maddy Lincoln saw action in both games and took the loss in the opener as she allowed seven runs, four earned, on 13 hits. Lincoln leads MSUB with eight wins and a 5.04 earned run average. She leads the GNAC with a total of 98.2 innings pitched.

• As a team, Montana State Billings enters the week with a .306 batting average. The Yellowjackets are ranked sixth in Division II with 1.16 home runs per game and lead the GNAC with 36 total homers. Montana State Billings is also 30th in Division II in scoring with 6.26 runs per game. In the circle, the Yellowjackets own a 6.31 earned run average.

• Montana State Billings’ six opponents at the Tournament of Champions will be UC San Diego, Cal State San Bernardino, San Francisco State, Dominican (Calif.), Academy of Art and Holy Names.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• After waiting out the rain, Northwest Nazarene took three of four games at Simon Fraser last week. The Crusaders split Thursday’s opening doubleheader, winning the first game 4-1 and dropping the second 4-3. Northwest Nazarene won both of Saturday’s contests, 6-5 and 7-6.

• Senior Brooke Bonsen was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week, marking the second consecutive week that a NNU pitcher has won the award. She won both games she started against SFU, allowing two runs on eight hits in 11.2 innings of work. She went the distance in Thursday’s opener, allowing one run on five hits with three strikeouts, and then allowed one run on three hits in 4.2 innings to win Saturday’s opener. Bonsen leads NNU with an 8-7 record and 4.37 earned run average.

• Sophomore Kylie Orr and junior Lisa Sylvester each hit .500 for the Crusaders in the four games. Orr went 7 for 14 with four runs, five RBIs, a double and a home run while Sylvester went 6 for 12 with two runs and three RBIs. Orr leads NNU with a .394 batting average.

• As a team, Northwest Nazarene enters the week with a .298 batting average and a 5.18 earned run average.

• Northwest Nazarene will play five games at the Tournament of Champions, facing Azusa Pacific, Dominican (Calif.), Sonoma State, UC San Diego and Holy Names.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Rain cut Saint Martin’s week in two last week. On a short Bay Area trip, the Saints split games with Holy Names on Wednesday before having a doubleheader with Notre Dame de Namur rained out. Returning home, Saint Martin’s split a doubleheader with Concordia on Saturday before its Sunday doubleheader with Western Oregon was washed out.

• Senior Jackie Schmaeling led SMU offensively as she hit .533 in the four games, going 8 for 15 with six runs, 10 RBIs and four home runs. She hit a pair of home runs in Wednesday’s loss to Holy Names and had home runs in each of the games against Concordia. Schmaeling enters the week ranked second in Division II in RBIs per game (1.47), sixth in home runs per game (0.41) and 48th in Slugging percentage (.769).

• Junior pitcher/infielder Kim Nelson picked up both wins for the Saints in the circle, allowing 10 runs, six earned, on 20 hits in 15 innings of work. She allowed four unearned runs on seven hits in Tuesday’s win over Holy Names and allowed four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts in the win over Concordia. Nelson enters the week third in the GNAC with a 2.83 earned run average and owns a 7-2 record.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week second in the GNAC and 12th in Division II with a .340 batting average. The Saints are ranked ninth in Division II in slugging percentage (.527), 12th in scoring (7.06 runs per game), 16th in home runs per game (1.00), 28th in doubles per game (1.72) and 36th in triples per game (0.33). The Saints own a 4.32 team earned run average and is second in the GNAC with a .964 fielding percentage.

• Saint Martin’s six games at the Tournament of Champions includes matchups against No. 4 Humboldt State, Stanislaus State, No. 18 Cal State Monterey Bay, Cal State East Bay, No. 7 Chico State and Cal State Dominguez Hills.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser dodged rain to get its long awaited series with Northwest Nazarene in. The Clan split Thursday’s doubleheader, losing the opener 4-1 before taking the nightcap, 4-3. Simon Fraser lost both games on Saturday, 6-5 and 7-6.

• Freshman Jada Yeo led SFU offensively by hitting .500 in the four games, going 6 for 12 with three runs, three RBIs and two doubles. She went 2 for 3 in Thursday’s second game win and went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, incuding a two-RBI double, in Saturday’s opener.

• Senior Tori Belton had the Clan’s lone pitching win, alllowing three runs on nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts in Thrusday’s 4-3 victory. Belton enters the week leading the SFU pitching staff with a 4.57 earned run average with four victories.

• Junior Taylor Lundrigan leads Simon Fraser offensively, ranking seventh in the GNAC and 35th in Division II with a .456 batting average.

• Simon Fraser enters the week with a team .285 batting average and a 4.49 team earned run average.

• Simon Fraser will face six opponents at the Tournament of Championships, facing Academy of Art, Dominican (Calif.), Sonoma State, Cal State San Bernardino, San Francisco State and UC San Diego.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon dropped both games in its only doubleheader of the weekend, falling at Central Washington 4-3 and 7-6. A scheduled Sunday doubleheader at Saint Martin’s was postponed due to rain.

• Freshman Chandler Bishop led the Wolves offensively in the twinbill, going 4 for 7 with two runs, two RBIs and a home run. She went 2 for 3 in the opener and 2 for 4 in the nightcap, which included a second inning solo home run. Whiel she did not pitch last weekend, Bishop has with a 5.25 earned run average in seven appearances and 24 innings pitched this season.

• Senior Destiny Kuehl and junior Zoe Clark each went 3 for 6 in the doubleheader, with Clark hitting a home run and finishing with four RBIs.

• Senior Kelsie Gardner leads Western Oregon offensively with a .442 average and is ranked 44th in Division II with 1.06 runs per game. Kuehl enters the week with a .418 batting average.

• Senior Sammi Cadwallader lead the WOU pitching staff with a 4-1 record and a 2.56 earned run average in 12 appearance and 38.1 innings. She pitched just 2.1 innings of relief in the nightcap on Saturday, allowing one hit.

• As a team, Western Oregon is third in the GNAC with as .319 batting average. The Wolves are 16th in home runs per game (1.00) and 43rd in slugging percentage (.471). In the circle, the Wolves own a team 4.17 earned run average.

• Western Oregon’s opponents at the Tournament of Champions includes Holy Names, UC San Diego, Academy of Art, Cal State Dominguez Hills, San Francisco State and Sonoma State.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington’s only games took place last Monday with the Vikings dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Central Washington, 11-1 and 8-4 (8 inn.). All four scheduled games last weekend against Simon Fraser were postponed.

• Sophomore Shearyna Labasan led the Vikings in the twinbill with Central Washington, going 5 for 9 with two runs and two RBIs. She went 3 for 4 in the opener wiht a run and then went 2 for 5 in the nightcap. She also pitched in both games, taking the loss in the second game as she allowed eight runs, four earned, on 13 hits. Labasan leads WWU with a 2.96 earned run average, which ranks fourth in the GNAC.

• Junior Emily Benson went 2 for 5 in the doubleheader. She enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and fifth in Division II with a .509 batting average. She is also seventh in Division II with an average of 0.40 home runs per game.

• Freshman Anna Kasner enters the week leading the GNAC and is 44th in Division II with 86 strikeouts. She is also sixth in Division II with an average of 10.8 strikeouts per seven innings.

• As a team, Western Washington is fourth in the GNAC with a .316 batting average and is second with a 3.66 earned run average. The Vikings lead the GNAC and are 46th in Division II with a .966 fielding percentage, having committed 19 errors in 551 chances.

• Western Washington will play three games in Turlock prior to the Tournament of Champions, playing a twinbill against Stanislaus State on Tuesday and a single against Sonoma State on Thuesday. The tournament slate for the Vikings includes Academy of Art, San Francisco State, UC San Diego, Holy Names, Cal State San Bernardino and No. 7 Chico State.