Thursday, February 6, 2020

AND WE’RE OFF: The 2020 season got underway last week with Central Washington, Concordia and Montana State Billings all in action. Montana State Billings was successful on its California road trip, winning two out of three games at Point Loma to open the Yellowjackets’ 2020 campaign.

Tanner Cantwell led the Jackets at the plate with a .364 batting average, collecting four hits, including a home run in Saturday’s extra-inning loss to the Sea Lions.

On the mound, MSUB’s Matthew Houlihan picked up his first collegiate win in the Jackets’ 1-0 win over the Sea Lions on Friday. He allowed just two hits and struck out six batters in four innings.

Concordia’s Damon Peters earned GNAC Player of the Week honors after he batted .462, which leads all GNAC hitters. Peters went 2 for 5 in Saturday’s second game then followed by going 3 for 4 with a double, a walk and an RBI on Sunday.

The remaining three GNAC team will open their seasons this week. Northwest Nazarene will split a four-game series with Dixie State and Cal State LA in Los Angeles. Saint Martin’s will head to California for a four-game series at Holy Names while Western Oregon travels to Lewiston, Idaho to take on NAIA powerhouse Lewis-Clark State in a four-game series.

PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Two of the conference’s top players landed on the 2020 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Preseason All-West Region and All-America Teams.

Montana State Billings senior first baseman Daniel Cipriano leads the GNAC’s two selections and was one of five players to earn unanimous selection to the All-West Region Team. He was also selected as a Second Team Preseason All-American.

Cipriano is joined by Western Oregon senior utility player Connor McCord, who saw action on the mound and at first base in 2019. In addition to the regional honors, McCord was named an honorable mention preseason All-American.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Damon Peters, Concordia
IF • 5-11 • Sr. • Cornelius, Ore.

Peters led all GNAC hitters with a .462 batting average in the Cavaliers’ season-opening three-game series at UC San Diego. Peters went 2 for 5 in Saturday’s second game and closed out the week by going 3 for 4 with a double, a walk and an RBI in Sunday’s contest.

PITCHER
Matthew Houlihan, Montana State Billings
RHP • 6-4 • Fr. • Renton, Wash.

Houlihan picked up the win in the Yellowjackets’ 1-0 win at Point Loma to close out a doubleheader sweep of the Sea Lions on Friday. In the seven-inning game, Houlihan allowed two hits, walked one and struck out six in four innings as he picked up his first collegiate win.

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington opened the season with three losses at Stanislaus State with a 10-1 loss on Friday, a 7-3 loss on Saturday and an 11-4 loss in Saturday’s second game.

• Justin Hampson led the Wildcats with a .400 batting average, going 4 for 10 in the three games to go with two walks and two RBI. Hampson’s biggest impact came in Saturday’s first game as he went 3 for 5 with two RBI. His .538 on-base percentage leads the GNAC.

• Adam Fahsel hit 3 for 10 with a double and two runs scored to go with a .400 slugging percentage and a .417 on-base percentage. His week was highlighted in Friday’s loss as he batted 2 for 4 with a double. Fahsel’s .300 batting average ranks seventh in the GNAC.

• Dillon Larsen led the Central Washington pitchers. Larsen recorded a 2.25 earned run average as the starting pitcher in Saturday’s 7-3 loss. He allowed one hit and three runs, one earned, while striking out three and walking two in four innings pitched. Larsen leads the conference in opposing batting average (.077).

• The Wildcats will head back to California to open a four-game series at Academy of Art on Friday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia went 0-3 at UC San Diego last week. The Cavaliers dropped Saturday’s doubleheader, 5-0 and 9-3, then lost again on Sunday, 14-3.

• Damon Peters was named the GNAC Player of the Week after he led all GNAC hitters with a .462 batting average. Peters went 2 for 5 in Saturday’s second game and then closed out the week by going 3 for 4 with a double, a walk and an RBI on Sunday. Peters leads the conference with six hits and ranks tied for second with seven total bases.

• Jake Wikel batted 3 for 11 in the series with a double and a home run, slugging .636. Wikel’s homer came in Saturday’s 9-3 loss to the Tritons. He was one of five players in the GNAC to hit a home run last week.

• Sasha Jabusch was the only GNAC pitcher to throw more than four innings last week. Jabusch allowed five hits and three runs, all earned, while striking out three in five innings pitched in Saturday’s first game. He is tied for sixth in the conference with a 5.40 earned run average.

• The Cavs will play their home openers this week, hosting a three-game series with British Columbia on Saturday and Sunday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings opened its 2020 season by winning two of three games at Point Loma on Friday and Saturday. The Yellowjackets won 9-5 and 1-0 on Friday before dropping the finale on Saturday, 6-5, in 10 innings.

• Tanner Cantwell led the Yellowjackets at the plate with a .364 batting average, racking up four hits, including a home run to open the scoring in Saturday’s 6-5 loss to the Sea Lions. Cantwell batted 3 for 5 with three RBI and a run on Saturday. He is tied for second in the GNAC in hits, runs scored, RBI and total bases.

• Dayton Provost batted .333 on the week, collecting three hits, four runs and an RBI. He batted 1 for 2 with two walks, three runs scored and a home run in Friday’s first game. He closed out the week by batting 2 for 5 in the finale. Provost’s .667 slugging percentage leads the GNAC.

• Matthew Houlihan was named the GNAC Pitcher of the Week after he picked up the win in Friday’s 1-0 win to close out the doubleheader sweep of the Sea Lions. In the seven-inning game, Houlihan allowed two hits, walked one and struck out six in four innings as he picked up his first collegiate win.

• Four Yellowjackets hit home runs in the series in Cantwell, Provost, Nathan Bloxham and Sam Powers.

• The Yellowjackets were among others receiving votes in the NCBWA Preseason National Rankings. They are also ranked No. 5 in the NCBWA West Region Rankings.

• The Yellowjackets will travel to Pueblo, Colorado on Feb. 14 to play four games against CSU Pueblo and Sioux Falls.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene opens its 2020 season with a California road trip. The Nighthawks will play Dixie State and Cal State LA on Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles.

• The Nighthawks closed out last season with a 24-24 overall record and finished in third place with a 20-17 conference mark.

• The Nighthawks were picked third in the 2020 GNAC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s opens its season on the road this week, starting a four-game series at Holy Names on Friday.

• The Saints finished the 2019 season with a 21-32 overall record and a 15-25 conference mark to sneak into the GNAC Championships as the No. 4 seed.

• The Saints were picked tied for fourth with Central Washington with 15 points in the 2020 GNAC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon opens its season on Friday, starting a four-game series at NAIA powerhouse Lewis-Clark State.

• The Wolves closed out 2019 with a 30-13 overall record and finished in second place with a 26-11 conference mark.

• The Wolves were picked second with 31 points and one first-place vote in the 2020 GNAC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll. The Wolves were edged out in the poll by Montana State Billings (33 points, four first-place votes).

• The Wolves are ranked No. 8 in the NCBWA Preseason West Region Rankings.