Tuesday, March 28, 2023

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Player
Kaden Kirshenbaum, Montana State Billings
INF• 6-0 • So. • Federal Way, Wash.

Kirshenbaum was named the GNAC Baseball Player of the Week after putting together a strong performance in MSUB’s abbreviated series against Western Oregon. In Friday’s two games, Kirshenbaum hit .750 with six hits including a pair of home runs, notching six RBIs while also earning two walks and two stolen bases. Both of his home runs came in the opening game of the series with a two-run homer in the second inning and a solo shot in the eighth.

Also Nominated: Trenton Love (Central Washington), Shane Jamison (Northwest Nazarene), Damon Ingram (Saint Martin’s).

Pitcher
Cole Hatton, Saint Martin’s
RHP • 5-11• Jr. • Grayland, Wash.

Hatton earned GNAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week honors after picking up his first win of the season with a complete game victory in the Saints’ 5-4 win against Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. Hatton allowed four runs on six hits and four walks while striking out seven batters and throwing 140 pitches.

Also Nominated: Alex Brady (Central Washington), Sage Wayment (Montana State Billings).

AROUND THE GNAC

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington played just one game last week, taking a 7-5 non-conference loss to Whitman on Wednesday in Ellensburg.

• The Wildcats led for the majority of the game after taking the lead with a three-run fourth inning but conceded six runs in the top of the eighth.

• Junior Trenton Love was a steady presence on the basepaths, going 3 for 4 against the Blues and drawing a walk while scoring two runs. Love is sixth on the team with a .244 batting average and fourth with a .381 on base percentage.

• Central Washington used eight pitchers in the loss, with seven of the eight throwing one inning or less. Junior Alex Brady had the start on the mound and threw three innings while allowing one run on two hits and a walk while striking out four.

• Central Washington will be back in conference competition this week as it hosts Montana State Billings for doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday. 

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings split its Friday doubleheader at home against Western Oregon before snow forced the cancellation of both games on Saturday. The Yellowjackets won the first game, 17-7 before dropping game two 8-5.

• Sophomore Kaden Kirshenbaum was named the GNAC Baseball Player of the Week after putting together a strong performance in MSUB’s abbreviated series against Western Oregon. In the two games, Kirshenbaum hit .750 with six hits including a pair of home runs, notching six RBIs while also earning two walks and two stolen bases. Both of his home runs came in the opening game with a two-run homer in the second inning and a solo shot in the eighth. Kirshenbaum now leads the GNAC with eight home runs and a .697 slugging percentage.

• Freshman Jake Finkelstein picked up the win MSUB on the mound for his first victory of the season. Finkelstein threw 1.2 innings and allowed three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out a pair.

• The Yellowjackets hit five total home runs in Friday’s win. Along with Kirshenbaum, Carson Green, Zack Blaszak and AJ Wagenmann all went deep.

• Montana State Billings will wrap up its road trip with a pair of doubleheaders against Central Washington on Friday and Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene went 1-3 last week in its four-game series at Saint Martin’s. The Nighthawks won the series opener on Friday 6-2  in 10 innings before falling 7-4 in game two. They dropped both games on Saturday, 5-4 and 8-7, to close out the series.

• Sophomore Rumble Reyes proved to be the difference maker for NNU in its Friday win, crushing a grand slam to take the lead in the top of the 10th inning. Reyes finished the week with a .231 batting average and six RBIs on three hits after picking up another home run in Friday’s loss.

• Senior Ty Pohlmann earned his second win of the season on the mound on Friday, throwing two innings and allowing on run on two hits and a walk while striking out three batters.

• Senior Shane Jamison was the most reliable bat of the series for the Nighthawks, hitting .438 with three RBIs and five runs scored on seven hits including a home run and a double. Jamison also had a strong opener against the Saints, going 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored including a solo shot in the eighth inning.  

• Northwest Nazarene will have the week off before facing Western Oregon at home next week.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s went 3-1 in its series at home against Northwest Nazarene. The Saints dropped the opener 6-2 in 10 innings on Friday before bouncing back with a 7-4 win in game two. They then won both games on Saturday, 5-4 and 8-7.

• Junior Cole Hatton was named the GNAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week after throwing all nine innings of Saturday’s 5-4 victory for his first win of the season. Hatton allowed four runs on six hits and four walks while striking out seven batters and throwing 140 pitches. Hatton’s 4.45 ERA leads the Saints and ranks No. 7 in the GNAC.

• Sophomore Damon Ingram was one of the most effective offensive performers of the week for the Saints, finishing the week with a .429 batting average and five RBIs. Ingram did the vast majority of his damage in Saturday’s series finale where he went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and all five of his RBIs and hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning.

• The Saints lead the GNAC with 42 stolen bases and are tied for first in the conference with five triples this season.

• Saint Martin’s will be on the road this week to face Western Oregon for doubleheaders on Thursday and Friday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon opened its week with a 5-4 non-conference win over George Fox on Tuesday before splitting Friday’s doubleheader at Montana State Billings. The Wolves dropped the opener 17-7 before bouncing back with an 8-5 win in game two. Saturday’s scheduled games were both canceled due to snow in Billings.

• Senior Curran Mitzel did a little bit of everything last week, batting .273 with a pair of home runs and six RBIs and also throwing an inning on the mound. Mitzel notched one of his home runs against George Fox with a solo shot in the third inning to open scoring. He finished the game 1 for 4 in the batter’s box before toeing the rubber for the eighth inning where he retired three batters in just 10 pitches.

• Senior Chris Hardin earned the win on the mound against MSUB, throwing two innings of relief where he allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with a strikeout. Fellow senior Ryan Shipley locked in the save, his second of the season, with two innings of work where he only threw 12 pitches.

• Western Oregon will look to avoid the bad weather and continue winning from the top of the standings as it hosts Saint Martin’s for doubleheaders on Thursday and Friday.