Monday, April 21, 2014
PORTLAND, Ore. - Emily Osborn hit four home runs to lead Montana State Billings to a three-game sweep of Simon Fraser to earn GNAC Red Lion Softball Player of the Week honors for the Week of April 14-20.
Following is a recap of this week's Red Lion honorees:
Softball: Player - Emily Osborn, MSU Billings, (1B, L-L, 5-8, Jr., Las Vegas, NV - Bonanza) had eight hits in 15 at bats and drove in 12 runs as the Yellowjackets finished their conference season with a 10-13 record. Osborne had home runs in each game of MSUB's series with Simon Fraser. Pitcher - Kelli Demianew, Western Oregon (RHP, R-R, 5-10, Jr., Pendleton, OR - Seattle University), didn't allow a run in pitching the Wolves to two wins over Saint Martin's. Demianew tossed a 2-0 shutout in the opening game against the Saints, then pitched three scoreless innings of relieve to pick upthe victory. In 10 innings, she allowed six hits, walked two and struck out six.
Honorable Mention - Amanda Evola, Western Oregon (OF, L-L, 5-7, Jr., Beaverton, OR - Westview); Sam Munger, Saint Martin's (RHP, L-R, 5-6, Jr., Everett, WA - Cascade); Jackie Schmaeling, Saint Martin's (C, R-R, 5-4, Fr., El Dorado Hills, CA - Oak Ridge).
Baseball: Player – Chandler Tracy, Saint Martin’s (C, R-R, 6-2, Jr., Newcastle, WA - Liberty) homered three times in a 3-1 series victory over Montana State Billings to tie the GNAC all-time career home run record with 29. Tracy added a double and a triple to his three home runs, as five of his six hits in the series went for extra bases. The junior also drove in nine runs and scored five, while drawing four walks and being hit by a pitch. His two-home run performance in Game 3 of the series was the first multi-homer game of the season in the conference, and all three of Tracy’s home runs came on the final day of the series (Saturday). Tracy’s offensive output was crucial in keeping Saint Martin’s in contention for a GNAC postseason tournament berth, as the Saints won three out of four games against MSUB on the road. Tracy also played error free defense with 13 putouts and three assists at catcher. With the three home runs, Tracy upped his GNAC-leading total to nine on the season, and his 27 RBI are fifth-most in the conference. Pitcher – Clark McKitrick, Western Oregon (6-3, Jr., Idaho Falls, ID – Linn Benton CC) entered a 3-2 game against Northwest Nazarene with the bases loaded in the fourth inning and struck out the final batter of the inning to strand the three runners and preserve the lead. McKitrick pitched a scoreless fifth inning, and the Wolves went on to beat NNU 5-3 in Game 2 of the series. The victory was crucial in helping WOU to a four-game sweep, as the two run win was the closest margin of the series. McKitrick did not allow a hit and struck out two batters in the performance, earning his fourth victory of the season.
Honorable Mention – Garret Harpole, Western Oregon (3B, 6-2, Jr., Elmira, OR – North Eugene); Aaron Vaughn, Northwest Nazarene (P, 5-11, Sr., Tucson, AZ – Pusch Ridge Christian Academy); Brody Miller, Montana State Billings (2B, 5-8, Jr., Missoula, MT - Sentinel); Ethan Sterkel, Central Washington (RF, 6-2, Sr., Ellensburg, WA - Ellensburg); Kurtis Pitcher, Central Washington (P, 6-5, Sr., Seabeck, WA – Olympic CC).
Men’s Track & Field: Track – Micah Chelimo, Alaska Anchorage (Sr., Kapkoi, Kenya - Tambach) set a GNAC record and posted a NCAA Division II automatic qualifying mark in the 5,000 meters at the Mt. Sac Relays. He covered the 5K in a time of 13:41.99. He also posted a PNQ in the steeplechase (3:49.74). Chelimo is the current national leader in both the 5k and 10k. Field - Frank Catelli, Western Washington (So., Sequim, WA - Sequim) set a GNAC record in the shot with a provisional national qualifying put of 58-7 ½ in the Azusa Pacific Bryan Clay Invitational. Honorable Mention – Rimar Christie, Northwest Nazarene (Jr., St. Michael, Barbados - Queens College Secondary); Tyrell Williams, Western Oregon (Jr., Salem, OR - Cascade); Cole Campbell, Montana State Billings (Fr.); Justin Peterson, Central Washington (Fr., Lakewood, WA - Lakewood); Stephen Larlee, Northwest Nazarene (Sr., Maupin, OR - South Wasco County).
Women’s Track & Field: Track – McKayla Fricker, Seattle Pacific (Sr., Canby, OR - Canby), posted a NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 800 meters (2:06.85) at the Mt. Sac Relays. Her time is the fifth fastest in GNAC history. She was also clocked in a provisional national qualifying time of 4:32.25 in the Beach Invitational. Field – Lindsey Wells, Western Washington (Sr., Seattle, WA - Nathan Hale), and Kalli Walker, Saint Martin’s (Fr., Lacey, WA - Northwest Christian) … Wells added more than eight feet to her school record and national qualifying mark in the hammer with a throw of 179-5 at the Cal State L.A. Invitational. Walker finished sixth in the javelin in the Beach Invitational adding 15 feet to her provisional national qualifying mark with a throw of 150-5. Her mark eclipsed the school record by 10 feet. Honorable Mention – Joyce Kipchumba, Alaska Anchorage (Jr., Kapsowar, Kenya); Corrie Holm, Montana State Billings; Tayler Fettig, Central Washington (Jr., Olympia, WA - Olympia); Madison McClung, Western Oregon (Sr., Cottage Grove, OR - Cottage Grove); Seabre Church, Western Oregon (Sr., Florence, OR - Siuslaw); Alison Silva, Northwest Nazarene (Fr., Nampa, ID - Nampa Christian); Jordan Rehfeld, Northwest Nazarene (Sr., Nampa, ID - Columbia).
Women’s Golf: Kristen Hansen, Western Washington (So., Spokane, WA - Mead) shot a 73 to tie for eighth place at the rain-shortened Tarleton State Doc Housewright Invitational at the Harbor Lake Golf Course. It was the fourth Top 10 finish of the season for Hansen, who leads the GNAC with a 77.2 scoring average.
Men's Golf: Kyle Schrader, Western Washington (Jr., Olympia, WA - Tumwater) place eighth in the 41st annual Hanny Cal State Stanislaus Invitational with a 54-hole score of 220 on rounds of 70, 76 and 74. Schrader, who was the medalist in the NCAA Division II South Central/West Regional last May, is currently tied for third in the GNAC with a 75.3 average.