Tuesday, April 23, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Austin Rue of Montana State Billings extended his hitting streak to 23 games in earning GNAC Red Lion Baseball Player of the Week honors for the Week of Apr. 15-21.

Rue shared the award with Blake Miller of Western Oregon.  The two were among 13 athletes to win the weekly award.

Baseball

Player – Austin Rue, Montana State Billings (OF, 5-9,  168, Sr., Clancy, MT – Miles CC) and Blake Miller, Western Oregon (SS, 6-2, 195, Sr., Salem, OR – South Salem) … Rue had nine hits in 15 at bats and produced a team high 13 runs (scoring eight and driving in five) in extending his hitting streak to 23 games, the fourth longest in GNAC history.  Rue also walked five times from his leadoff slot in the lineup, posting a .714 on-base percentage, and did not strike out as MSUB split a four-game series with Northwest Nazarene. Two of his hits were doubles.  Miller had 11 hits in 15 at bats as the Wolves split a four-game series with NAIA power Lewis-Clark State.  Miller scored six runs and drove in nine.  He had seven singles, two doubles, one triple and one home run. 

Pitcher – Samuel Paterson, Montana State Billings (5-9, 165, Sr., McMinnville, OR – Linn-Benton) tossed a three-hit shutout in a 16-0 win as MSUB reduced its magic number for securing a post-season playoff berth to one. 

Honorable Mention - Logan Parker, Northwest Nazarene; A.J. Burke, Western Oregon; Kyle Sani, Central Washington.

Softball

Player – Jordan Walley, Western Washington (DP, 6-2, Fr., Maple Valley, WA) had six hits in 10 at bats and drove in seven runs as the Vikings split doubleheaders with No. 21 Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon. Among Walley’s hits was a home run.  She walked two and didn’t strike out. 

Pitcher – Hannah Pomeroy, Western Oregon (5-6, Sr., Mossyrock, WA - Lower Columbia) and Jessyka MacDonald, MSU Billings (5-8, So., Billings, MT – Billings West) …  Pomeroy allowed just five hits and one earned run in 4-0 and 6-3 road wins over Simon Fraser and Western Washington, respectively.  She blanked the Clan on one hit Saturday, then allowed just four hits in Sunday’s win at Bellingham.  Pomeroy walked two and fanned seven in the two complete-game victories.  MacDonald tossed a three-hit shutout in defeating Central Washington 4-0 Saturday at Ellensburg.  It was hersecond shutout of the season as she improved to 5-4.   She walked two and fanned six. 

Honorable Mention  - Heidy Wells,  Central Washington; Melanie Pfeiffer, Western Oregon.

Men’s Track & Field

Track – Alex Donigian, Western Washington (So., Mission Viejo, CA) ran the third fastest time (12.57) in GNAC history in winning the 100 meters at the Azusa Pacific Bryan Clay Invitational.  He also led the Vikings to a win in the 4x100 relay in a time of 41.36, which is the second quickest in GNAC history. 

Field – Brett Watson, Western Washington (So., Ferndale, WA) and Cody Parker, Alaska Anchorage (So., Comox, BC) … Both Watson and Parker set GNAC records.  Watson won the high jump at Azusa with a provisional nationally qualifying jump of 6-9 ¾.  That mark currently ranks 12th nationally.  Parker broke his own GNAC record in the javelin at the Beach Invitational at Long Beach with a throw of 234-4. 

Honorable Mention – Bryan Mack, Central Washington; Rory Bauer, MSU Billings.

Women’s Track & Field

Track – Susan Tanui, Alaska Anchorage (Sr., Eldoret, Kenya) ran the fastest time in the nation (among NCAA Division II athletes) in the 10,000 meters at the Mt. Sac Relays.  Her time of 34:19.08 is the third fastest in GNAC history and was an automatic time for next month’s NCAA Division II national meet. 

Field – Tanya Bjornsson, Western Washington (Jr., Ferndale, WA) finished third in the long jump at the Azusa Pacific Bryan Clay Invitational with a provisional national qualifying jump of 19-2 ¾.  That’s the fourth longest jump in GNAC history.

Honorable Mention – Chelsea Genther, Central Washington; Tanner Rottrup, Montana State Billings.

Women's Golf

Clair Rachor, Western Washington (Sr., Bellingham) finished sixth with a 153 total in the Tarleton State Don Housewright Invitational to lead the Vikings to a fifth place team finish,  Rachor had rounds of 78 and 75 as she grabbed the season scoring lead in the GNAC with an average of 80.5.

Men's Golf

Nick Hardy, Northwest Nazarene (Sr., Edmonds, WA - King), who on the season ranks 18^th in the GNAC in scoring, finished fifth in the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational with a 54-hole score of  eight-over-par 224.  Only Western Washington’s Mark Strickland (So., Mukilteo, WA), who ranks second in the conference in scoring, finished higher than Hardy among GNAC golfers.  He placed second with a 220 total.