Tuesday, April 11, 2017

CAT SCRATCH: The defending GNAC champions continue to be one of the hottest teams in the West Region. Central Washington enters the week with a 27-7 record and, with a 14-2 conference mark, holds a five-game lead over second place Saint Martin’s. The Wildcats have won 20 of their last 22 games and took just their second GNAC loss to Western Washington on Sunday.

Central Washington enters the week leading the GNAC and eighth in Division II with a .353 batting average. It leads Division II with an average of 0.72 double plays per game, having turned 25 so far this season. The Wildcats rank ninth in Division II in scoring with 7.46 runs per game.

Central Washington also leads the GNAC with a 2.60 earned run average and a .963 fielding percentage.

GET OUT THE RYE BREAD AND MUSTARD, GRANDMA: A pair of GNAC batters hit grand slams over the weekend. Northwest Nazarene freshman Brittany Genuardi opened Saturday’s doubleheader with Western Oregon with a grand slam that put NNU up 4-0 in the first inning. The Crusaders went on to the 6-4 win. Saint Martin’s Sabrina Hicks hit a grand slam in the third inning of Saturday’s opener with Western Washington, which allowed the Saints to cut into what had been a 6-0 Vikings’ lead. Western Washington went on to win the game 9-8.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: As teams vie for earning spots in the GNAC Championship late this month, Northwest Nazarene will benefit from some serious home field advantage. With the move of last week’s four-game series against Western Oregon from Monmouth to Nampa (due to weather and field conditions), the Crusaders will close the regular season with 16 straight home games. The Crusaders currently sit in third place in the GNAC standings with a 9-7 mark.

Western Oregon hopes to enjoy a string of eight home dates in its final 18 regular season games as long as weather conditions cooperate. The Wolves have yet to play a game in Monmouth thanks to a combination of inclement weather and unplayable field conditions.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Carlie Richards, Western Washington
OF/C • 5-4 •  Junior • Kennewick, Wash.

Richards batted .583 in four games for the Vikings, going 7 for 12 with a double, two home runs, three runs scored and five RBIs. She went 3 for 4 with a three-run homer in the first inning in Saturday’s 9-8 opening game win over Saint Martin’s. Richards then went 3 for 4 with a two-run homer in the final game of the week, a 9-0 shutout of Central Washington on Sunday.

Also Nominated: Sabrina Hicks (Saint Martin’s), Kylie Orr (Northwest Nazarene).

PITCHER
Kiana Wood, Central Washington
P/OF • 5-6 •  Senior • Aloha, Ore.

Wood repeated as Pitcher of the Week after she won two games and amassed a 1.17 earned run average, allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits with three walks and six strikeouts in 12 innings. She allowed three runs, one earned, on six hits with two strikeouts in a 5-3 win over Simon Fraser on Saturday. Against Western Washington on Sunday, Wood allowed one run on three hits and struck out four in the Wildcats’ 9-0, five-inning shutout.

Also Nominated: Lindsay Miller (Saint Martin’s), Anna Kasner (Western Washington), Rylee Thomas (Northwest Nazarene).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington took three of four games over the weekend. The Wildcats swept Simon Fraser on Saturday, 5-3 and 8-0 (6 inn.). On Sunday, the Wildcats scored a 9-1, six-inning win over Western Washington before falling in the nightcap, 9-0.

• Senior Kiana Wood repeated as GNAC Softball pitcher of the Week after she earned two wins and compiled a 1.17 earned run average in 12 innings. She allowed three runs, one earned, on six hits with two strikeouts in Saturday’s opening win over Simon Fraser and allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts in the five-inning win over Western Washington. Wood leads the GNAC with a 14-1 record and a 1.89 earned run average.

• Junior Celine Fowler led Central Washington offensively as she hit .357 in the four games, going 5 for 14 with two runs and two RBIs as the lead-off hitter. She went 2 for 3 in the nightcap against Simon Fraser and had the two RBIs in the opener against Western Washington. Fowler enters the week with a .327 batting average.

• Senior Kailyn Campbell continues to lead the GNAC and ranks fifth in Division II with a .504 batting average. Campbell is also ranked fourth in Division II with 17 doubles, third with 0.50 doubles per game, 18th with 60 hits, 11th with a .849 slugging percentage and 13th with a .558 on base percentage.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC and is eighth in Division II with a .53 batting average. The Wildcats lead Division II with 0.71 double plays per game. They are also ninth in scoring (7.46 runs per game), 11th in on base percentage (.421) 13th in stolen bases per game (2.24) and 18th in slugging percentage (.504).

• No one steals more bases than Central Washington. The Wildcats’ 74 stolen bases is more than double the second place GNAC team. Savannah Egbert leads the way with 19 stolen bases while Campbell has 14.

• Central Washington travels to Montana State Billings for a four-game series.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia enjoyed a weekend off. The Cavaliers will stay in the Willamette Valley this weekend, playing a home-and-home series with Western Oregon on Friday and Saturday.

• Concordia finished with a 1-5 record at the Tournament of Champions. The Cavaliers’ lone win came on Sunday, an 11-0, five-inning win over Holy Names.

• Senior Meghan Luebbert provided an offensive spark as she went .455 in the six games with 10 hits, two doubles, a home run, two RBIs and six runs. She had two hits in each of the first three games of the series and went 3 for 4 against UC San Diego on Sunday. Luebbert is second in the GNAC with a .491 batting average and is second in the league with 38 runs scored.

• Sophomore Mckenzie Smith had eight hits and a .421 average in the six games. She went 2 for 2 in Friday’s opener against Sonoma State, which included a two-run homer that accounted for all of CU’s scoring in the game.

• Senior Mattie Boucher picked up the pitching win in the 11-0 victory over Holy Names, allowing four hits and striking out one. Boucher leads the Cavaliers’ staff with seven wins and a 5.47 earned run average.

• Concordia enters the week with a .300 batting average and a 5.69 earned run average. The Cavaliers are second in the GNAC with 39 stolen bases and have drwan more walks (125) than any team in the league.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• The Yellowjackets enjoyed an off weekend and will host Concordia for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

• Montana State Billings went 2-4 at the Tournament of Champions, which included a trio of one-run losses. The Yellowjackets’ wins included a 5-2 defeat of Dominican (Calif.) on Saturday and an 8-4 win over Holy Names on Sunday.

• Junior Heather Tracy led MSUB offensively with a .444 batting average, going 8 for 18 with five runs and three RBIs. Tracy enters the week third in the GNAC and 11th in Division II with a .481 batting average. She also leads the GNAC and is seventh in Division II with 65 hits.

• Junior Megan Dettling was solid both at the plate and in the circle. She batted .421 in the six games with eight hits, two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs. She went 3 for 4 against Holy Names and had a two-run against San Francisco State. Dettling earned both pitching wins for the Yellowjackets as she compiled a 1.96 earned run average in the tournament. Dettling enters the week ranked eighth in Division II with 0.33 home runs per game and 29th with 10 home runs.

• As a team, Montana State Billings enters the week with a .300 batting average. The Yellowjackets are 12th in Division II with 1.03 home runs per game and 42nd with a .471 slugging percentage. The Yellowjackets also enter the week with a 5.67 earned run average.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene took a split of its four-game series with Western Oregon. The Wolves won Friday’s games, 5-1 and 2-1 (8 innings), with the Crusaders taking both Saturday games by 6-4 and 6-3 scores.

• The series was scheduled to be played in Monmouth, but was moved to Nampa due to a rainy weather forecast and field conditions. Western Oregon was the home team in all four games.

• Sophomore Kylie Orr led NNU offensively with a .467 average in the four games, going 7 for 15 with a double, a run and a RBI. She went 2 for 4 in the first three games of the series. Orr is NNU’s leading hitter with a .387 batting avera. She ranks 26th in Division II in the “Toughest To Strikeout” category, having struck out three times in 124 at-bats.

• Sophomore Cassidy Fifield went .462 in the four games, going 6 for 13 with five runs scored, while sophomore Shelbie Martinez batted .429, going 6 for 14 with three RBIs. Freshman Brittany Genuardi had a grand slam in Saturday’s first game that opened scoring in the 6-4 victory.

• Sophomore Rylee Thomas and senior Brooke Bonsen had the pitching victories. Bonsen won Saturday’s opener, allowing three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Thomas allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts to capture the nightcap. Thomas leads NNU and is eighth in the GNAC with a 3.89 earned run average. Bonsen is ninth in the GNAC with a 4.38 ERA.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week with a team .292 batting average and has the third most hits in the conference at 302. The Crusaders also own a 4.79 team earned run average.

• With the move of last weekend’s series, the Crusaders are scheduled to play the final 16 games of the regular season at home. They will host Saint Martin’s for four games on Friday and Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s succeeded to get four of six scheduled games in. The Saints split on Friday with Western Washington, losing the opener 9-8 before taking the nightcap 10-5. On Saturday, the Saints split with Simon Fraser, losing the opener 8-2 and winning the nightcap 6-5. A scheduled doubleheader with Western Oregon was postponed due to WOU’s travel to Nampa, Idaho.

• Senior Corrie Wilson led Saint Martin’s offensively with a .500 average, going 7 for 14 with a double, four runs and two RBIs. She went 2 for 4 in the opener against WWU and went 3 for 4 with a double and a two-RBI single that accounted for the winning run in Saturday’s nightcap against SFU.

• Sophomore Sabrina Hicks went .467 in the four games, batting 7 for 15 with a double, two home runs, five runs and nine RBIs. She went 2 for 4 with a grand slam in Friday’s opener with Western Washington. She finished the week by going 3 for 4 with a three-run homer in the win over Simon Fraser.

• Sophomore Lauren Diuco continues to lead SMU offensively with a .416 batting average. Senior Mary Dettling is 15th in Division II with 0.43 doubles per game and 44th with 1.07 RBIs per game.

• While taking a loss and a no decision over the weekend, Kim Nelson continues to lead the SMU staff and is seventh in the GNAC with a 3.30 earned run average. She is 39th in Division II with 0.99 walks allowed per seven innings.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week second in the GNAC and 22nd in Division II with a .332 batting average. The Saints are 16th in Division II in scoring (6.54 runs per game), 33rd in slugging percentage (.480) and 44th in on base percentage (.393). The Saints are fourth in the GNAC with a 3.98 earned run average.

• Saint Martin’s will travel to Northwest Nazarene for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser lost three of four games in its return to GNAC play. The Clan lost both ends of a doubleheader at Central Washington on Saturday, 5-3 and 8-0 (6 innings). Simon Fraser snapped a 10-game losing streak with an 8-2 win over Saint Martin’s in Sunday’s opener and then fell 6-5 in the nightcap.

• Junior Taylor Gillis came up big for SFU offensively as she hit .429 in the four games, going 6 for 14 with a double, three runs and three RBIs. She led the way in the win over Saint Martin’s by going 3 for 4 a run and a RBI. Gillis then went 2 for 4 with two RBIs in the nightcap. Gillis enters the week with a .305 batting average.

• Junior Meghan Malkowich went .400 in the four games, going 4 for 19 with a run and a RBI. She went 3 for 4 in the win over Saint Martin’s, which included a RBI single.

• Junior Alia Stachoski earned the win over Saint Martin’s, allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. She enters the week with four wins and a 5.08 earned run average.

• Junior Taylor Lundrigan leads SFU offensively, ranking sixth in the GNAC with a .434 batting avrrage. Senior Tori Belton leads the Clan with a 4.58 earned run average. She is tied for 50th in Division II with two saves.

• As a team, Simon Fraser enters the week with a .290 batting average and a 4.66 earned run average. The Clan has the least strikeouts of any GNAC team, fanning 89 times in 839 at bats.

• Simon Fraser will play just one doubleheader this week, hosting Western Washington on Thursday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon split its four game series at Northwest Nazarene. The Wolves won both games on Friday, 5-1 and 2-1 (8 innings) and dropped both games on Saturday, 6-4 and 6-3.

• The series was scheduled to be played in Monmouth, but was moved to Nampa due to the weather forecast and field conditions. Western Oregon played as the home team in all four games.

• Senior Kelsie Gardner led WOU with a .429 average in the four games, going 6 for 14 with a double, two home runs, three runs and three RBIs. She went 2 for 4 in Friday’s second game victory and then went 2 for 4 with a pair of home runs in Saturday’s opener. Gardner is WOU’s leading hitter, ranking fifth in the GNAC and 49th in Division II with a .438 batting average. Gardner is also 42nd in Division in “Toughest To Strikeout,” striking out five times in 112 at bats.

• Sophomore Haley Fabian earned the pitching win in Friday’s opener, allowing one run on eight hits while striking out three. Senior Sammi Cadwallader won the nightcap in relief, throwing a scoreless eighth inning after junior Lizzet Dominguez allowed one run on three hits in the first seven innings. Cadwallader enters the week ranked second in the GNAC with a 2.67 earned run average while Dominguez is sixth with a 2.98 ERA.

• As a team, Western Oregon is third in the GNAC with a .315 batting average and a 3.67 earned run average. The Wolves are 30th in Division II with 0.43 double played turned per game.

• Western Oregon will play a home-and-home series with Concordia this weekend, playing at Concordia on Firday and at home on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington went 2-2 last week, splitting both doubleheaders. The Vikings won their opener with Saint Martin’s on Saturday, 9-8, but lost the nightcap 10-5. The Vikings lost the opener on Sunday at Central Washington, 9-1 (5 innings), but won the nightcap, 9-0, to snap a five-game winning streak for the Wildcats.

• Junior Carlie Richards was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she hit .583 in the four games, going 7 for 12 with a doubles, two home runs, three runs and five RBIs. She went 3 for 4 with a three-run homer in the first inning in Saturday’s 9-8 win and then went 3 for 4 with a two-run homer in the win over Central Washington.

• Junior Emily Benson went .600 in the four games, going 6 for 10 with a double, a home run, four runs and six RBIs. She went 2 for 2 with two runs in Saturday’s win and went 2 for 3 with a RBI single and a run in the win on Sunday. Benson is fourth in the GNAC and 40th in Division II with a .447 batting average. She is sixth in Division II in walks (0.02 per game), eighth in on base percentage (.584), ninth in slugging percentage (.871) and 34th in home runs per game (0.27).

• Freshman Anna Kasner had both wins for WWU in the circle. She allowed eight run on 14 hits and struck out seven in the win over Saint Martin’s and allow just four hits while striking out eight in the win over Central Washington. Kasner enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC with a 2.84 earned run average. She is 16th in Division II with 138 strikeouts and is sixth with 9.8 strikeouts per seven innings.

• Western Washington is fourth in the GNAC with a .302 batting average and second with a 3.62 earned run average. The Vikings lead the GNAC with 202 strikeouts.

• Western Washington plays one doubleheader this week. They will play at Simon Fraser on Thursday.