Monday, April 13, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – One of the greatest four-game weekend series in Great Northwest Athletic Conference baseball history has earned Montana State Billings second baseman Brody Miller GNAC Baseball Player of the Week honors.

Miller hit four home runs and drove in 14 runs as the Yellowjackets (12-7) won three of four games with Central Washington and finished the series tied with Western Oregon (16-7) in the loss column going into this week’s key five-game series with the Wolves at Billings.

Miller is one of 11 spring sport athletes to receive the weekly award for the Week of April 6-12.

Following is a recap of their performances last week along with a list of honorable mention selections:

Baseball: Player – Brody Miller, Montana State Billings (2B, 5-8, Sr., Missoula, MT) reached base 14 times in 22 plate appearances, hitting four home runs including two grand slams. He is the seventh player in GNAC history to hit four home runs and only the third player to hit two grand slams in a conference series.  In the first game of the series, the second baseman hit one of his two slams after the Yellowjackets fell behind 6-0 rallying the team to a 11-8 victory. Miller hit two home runs in Game 3 driving in six runs. In the fourth game, he was a perfect 4 of 4 at the plate with another two-run home run, falling just a triple shy of the cycle. On the weekend Miller hit .556 (10-of-18), scored eight runs, drove in 14 and also had three doubles, three walks and was hit by a pitch.  Pitcher - Darrien Moran, Western Oregon (LHP, 6-0, Jr., Federal Way, WA) won his fourth game of the year in Saturday’s opener against Saint Martin’s, throwing a nine-inning complete game. Moran allowed only six hits while giving up one run on a fielder’s choice in the ninth. Moran faced four hitters or less in five of his nine innings. He also struck out six Saints while holding the team to a .182 batting average.

Honorable Mention: Travis Cook, Central Washington (RHP, 6-3, Jr., Carnation, WA); Jonathan Dailey, Central Washington (SS, 6-3, Jr., Sherwood, OR); Brady Muller, Montana State Billings (LHP, 6-1, Sr., Billings, MT); Jesse Hilyard, Northwest Nazarene (OF, 6-4, Fr., Klamath Falls, OR); Blake Mitchell, Northwest Nazarene (RHP, 6-0, Jr., Anaheim, CA); Torin Dooley, Saint Martin’s (RHP, 6-1, Jr., Edmonds,  WA); Chandler Tracy, Saint Martin’s (C-1B, 6-2, Sr., Bellevue, WA); Cody Sullivan, Western Oregon (OF, 6-0, Jr., Port Angeles, WA).

Softball:  Player – Alexie Levin, Western Washington (OF-DH, 5-7, Jr., Everett, WA) and Destiny Kuehl, Western Oregon (3B, 5-8, So., Portland, OR – David Douglas) … Levin hit three home runs and drove in 11 runs as the Vikings won five of six games, including a sweep of first-place Saint Martin’s Sunday to move within one game of the Saints in the conference standings.  Levin had eight hits, including a pair of doubles, in 17 at bats.  She also drew four walks … Western Washington’s lone loss during the week came against Western Oregon as the Wolves earned a split of a doubleheader with an 8-5 victory Saturday.  WOU’s key hit in that win was a two-run home run by Kuehl extending a 6-5 lead to 8-5.  In four games including a sweep of Simon Fraser Sunday, Kuehl had eight hits in 10 at bats, scored seven runs and drove in four.  Pitcher – Makinlee Sellevold, Western Washington (5-4, Fr., Everett, WA - Cascade) posted four victories to improve her season record to 19-7.  She allowed 21 hits in 29 innings, walking nine and fanning 12.  Sellevold, who leads the GNAC in victories, finished the week with a 4-0 record and a 2.41 earned run average.

Honorable Mention:  Taylor Hoke, MSU Billings (SS, 5-2, Sr., Chehalis, WA – Adna); Jessyka MacDonald, MSU Billings (P, 5-8, Sr., Billings, MT – West); Ashley Pesek, Northwest Nazarene (P-DP, 5-9, So., Redmond, OR); Taviah Jenkins, Saint Martin’s (OF, 5-8, Sr., Castle Rock, WA); Kim Nelson, Saint Martin’s (P, 5-10, Fr., Fremont, CA – American); Taylor Lundrigan, Simon Fraser (2B, 5-8, Fr., Abbotsford, BC – White Rock); Jourdan Williams, Western Oregon (IF-P, 5-8, Sr., McMinnville, OR).

Men’s Track & Field:   Track – Cameron Proceviat, Simon Fraser (Jr., Burnaby, BC - Moscrop) won the 800 meters  posting a time of 1:50.60 Saturday in the SFU Emilie Mondor Invitational.  His time was 1.73 seconds quicker than the NCAA Division II qualifying standard.  It was also the fourth fastest time in GNAC history.  Field –  Justin Larson, Western Oregon  (Jr., Dayville, OR) finished third in the javelin at the John Knight Twilight with a career best throw of 207-1.     His mark currently ranks 14^th in NCAA Division II and also ranks 11^th in GNAC history.

Honorable Mention – Josh Panasuk, MSU Billings (Jr., Butte, MT); Dominique Holt, MSU Billings (So., Thompson Falls, MT); Michael Gordon, Northwest Nazarene (Sr., Kuna, ID); David Durden, Saint Martin’s (So., Tumwater, WA); Cody Warner, Western Oregon (Fr., Springfield, OR – Thurston).

Women’s Track & Field:   Track – Megan Rogers, Central Washington (Jr., Covington, WA – Kentlake) won the 10,000 meters at the Spokane CC War VIII Invitational in a provisional national qualifying time of 36:37.38.  Her time bettered the NCAA Division II national standard by nearly 19 seconds. Field - Caitlin Curtis, Northwest Nazarene (Sr., Portland, OR – David Douglas), posted the best mark this spring in the GNAC in the hammer finishing second at Portland with a mark of 161-1.

Honorable Mention – Hope Reid, MSU Billings (So., Thompson Falls, MT); Lexi Tubbs, Northwest Nazarene (Fr., Turlock, CA – Modesto Christian); Shannon Porter, Saint Martin’s (Jr., Vancouver, WA – Hockinson) Kalli Walker, Saint Martin’s (So., Lacey, WA – Northwest Christian);  Becca Houk, Seattle Pacific (Fr., Oregon City, OR);  Jennifer Johnson, Simon Fraser (Sr., Corvallis, OR);  Audrey Hellesto, Western Oregon (Sr., Philomath, OR); Emmi Collier, Western Oregon (Jr., Warrenton, OR).

Men’s Golf: Chris Crisologo, Simon Fraser (Fr., Richmond, BC)  recorded his fourth Top 10 performance  of the year, placing eighth at the Western New Mexico Mustang Intercollegiate Monday and Tuesday  while leading his team to a fifth-place finish. Crisologo sandwiched a 75 round one score with a pair  of 69s in round one and three for the eighth-place finish. He finished the tournament 3-under par and was one of only nine golfers in the 88-player tournament to end under par.

Honorable Mention: Jake Hedge, Montana State Billings (Sr., Billings, MT); Chris Hatch, Western Washington (So., Mukilteo, WA).

Women’s Golf: Jenn Paul, Western Washington (Fr., Bellingham, WA) was the top GNAC finisher at the Sonoma State West Regional Spring Preview Monday and Tuesday. Paul shot a 76 in the second round to finish the tournament at 157, tying for 19th place in the 95-player event. She was one of only two WWU golfers to score a round in the 70s as she improved by five strokes on Day 2.

Honorable Mention - Sam Miller, Northwest Nazarene (So., Hillsboro, OR); Michelle Waters, Simon Fraser (Fr., Qualicum Beach, BC).