Tuesday, March 8, 2022

VIKINGS OPEN CONFERENCE PLAY WITH MOMENTUM: When the games start counting, you want to have momentum on your side. Western Washington ensured that in the best way possible, sweeping four games in the final weekend before GNAC play begins.

On Friday, the Vikings opened a doubleheader with Western Oregon with a come-from-behind win. Trailing 3-0 after two winnings, the Vikings tallied three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth for the 5-3 victory. Freshman Kanilehua Pitoy accounted for the winning run, singling in the sixth to score senior Lauren Lo.

The Vikings left little to chance in the second game with sophomore Sydney Brown throwing a one-hitter to take the 10-0, five-inning win. Western Washington scored six runs in the first inning, three on a triple by senior Chantelle Shimabukuro.

Things were closer when Saint Martin’s came to town on Sunday. Western Washington never trailed in the opener, scoring a pair on sophomore Macy Tarbox’s home run in the second and two on Lo’s double in the sixth en route to the 5-3 win. The second game was tied at 1-1 after six innings when the Vikings scratched out the winning run in the bottom of the seventh when senior Dakota Brooks doubled to score Lo.

The four-game sweep gave WWU both GNAC Player of the Week awards. Senior Tatum Dow earned the Softball Player of the Week award after she batted .385 in the four games, extending her current hitting streak to 17 games. Senior Kira Doan was named the GNAC Pitcher of the Week after she earned two wins and a save in three relief appearances.

Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon squared off on Saturday in Lacey. The Saints used a three-run sixth inning, propelled by a two-run pinch-hit homer by freshman Kaleena Yra, to win the opener 3-0. In the second game, WOU senior Reilly Tidwell limited the Saints to three hits in the 10-0, six-inning Wolves victory.

Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene squared off for four games in Ellensburg with the two teams ending with a split. The Wildcats won Friday’s games by finals of 7-6 and 9-8.

The Wildcats came from behind in both games. Freshman Ashtyn Falor completed the comeback in game one, singling in the fifth to score freshman Cady Wilton in the opener. Junior Alyssa Benthagen had the big hit in game two when her single in the sixth scored freshman Karsyn Decker to complete a three-run seventh-inning rally.

The Nighthawks were the winners on Saturday, 6-3 and 6-2. In game one, NNU scored three runs on a triple by senior Ivy Hommel and a two-run homer by sophomore Sidney Booth. In game two, the Nighthawks scored all six runs in the second inning, which included a solo homer by freshman Charlotte Forniss and a pair of bases-loaded walks.

Montana State Billings was scheduled to host Simon Fraser but the four games were canceled due to unplayable field conditions.

The page now turns from non-conference games against other GNAC teams to counting games. Montana State Billings will play four games at Central Washington on Friday and Saturday while Western Washington will host Northwest Nazarene for four. The other conference series will be in Burnaby, where Simon Fraser will host Western Oregon for four games.

Saint Martin’s has a conference game bye in week one and will instead play six non-conference games. The Saints travel to Northwest (Wash.) for a doubleheader on Wednesday before hosting Bushnell for four games on Saturday and Sunday.

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THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Tatum Dow, Western Washington
SS • 5-8 • Senior • Issaquah, Wash.

Dow extended her current hitting streak to 17 games and helped lead Western Washington to a 4-0 week by batting .385, going 5 for 13 with four runs, two doubles, a home run and two RBI. Dow had a hit in each of Friday’s wins over Western Oregon and scored the opening run in the 10-0, five-inning victory in the second game. She went 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI in Sunday’s 5-3 opening-game win over Saint Martin’s and went 2 for 4 in the nightcap with a solo home run in the 2-1 win.

Also Nominated: Alyssa Benthagen (Central Washington), Maia McNicoll (Northwest Nazarene).

PITCHER
Kira Doan, Western Washington
P/IF • 5-1 • Senior • Brier, Wash.

Doan picked up two wins and a save in three appearances as the Vikings went 4-0 over the weekend. Doan was the winner in relief in Friday’s 5-3 win over Western Oregon, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out three in 5.1 innings. Doan faced two batters in the seventh inning of Sunday’s opener against Saint Martin’s, getting the Vikings out of a jam to earn the save in the 5-3 victory. Doan earned the win in the nightcap, holding Saint Martin’s hitless in the seventh for the 2-1 victory.

Also Nominated: Charlotte Forniss (Northwest Nazarene), Tia Ridings (Saint Martin’s), Reilly Tidwell (Western Oregon).

PITCHER
Kira Doan, Western Washington
P/IF • 5-1 • Senior • Brier, Wash.

Doan picked up two wins and a save in three appearances as the Vikings went 4-0 over the weekend. Doan was the winner in relief in Friday’s 5-3 win over Western Oregon, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out three in 5.1 innings. Doan faced two batters in the seventh inning of Sunday’s opener against Saint Martin’s, getting the Vikings out of a jam to earn the save in the 5-3 victory. Doan earned the win in the nightcap, holding Saint Martin’s hitless in the seventh for the 2-1 victory.

Also Nominated: Charlotte Forniss (Northwest Nazarene), Tia Ridings (Saint Martin’s), Reilly Tidwell (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington split a four-game non-conference home series with Northwest Nazarene over the weekend. The Wildcats won both games on Friday, 7-6 and 9-8, and lost both games on Saturday, 6-3 and 6-2.

• Sophomore Brooke Jordan led the Wildcats offensively with a .538 batting average, going 7 for 13 with a double in the four games. Jordan went 1 for 3 with a double in Friday’s opener and then busted out for three hits in both Friday’s nightcap and Saturday’s opening game. Jordan is third for the Wildcats with a .318 batting average.

• Junior Alyssa Benthagen batted .429 in the series, going 6 for 14 with a double, a home run and seven RBI. Benthagen went 2 for 3 in Friday’s opener with a three-run homer that tied the game in the fifth inning. She singled home the winning run in the seventh inning of Friday’s nightcap and went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s opener, including a two-RBI double. Benthagen is batting .294 for the season with 12 RBI.

• Senior Rhaney Harris allowed eight runs, six earned, on 14 hits in 12.1 innings in two appearances. Harris went the distance to win Friday’s second game, allowing all eight of those runs on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. She then threw 5.1 innings of scoreless relief in Saturday’s nightcap, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out one. Harris is ninth in the GNAC with a 3.32 earned run average.

• Central Washington enters the week with a .257 batting average and a 4.37 earned run average. The Wildcats lead the GNAC with 18 stolen bases in 20 attempts.

• The Wildcats open conference play at home, hosting Montana State Billings for doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Thanks to a frozen field, Montana State Billings canceled all four of its non-conference games last weekend against Simon Fraser. The Yellowjackets open conference play on the road with a four-game series at Central Washington on Friday and Saturday.

• Montana State Billings last played on Feb. 26, taking a pair of five-inning losses at Western Oregon, 10-2 and 9-0.

• Senior Morgan Quimby led MSUB offensively in the doubleheader, going 2 for 3. She had a hit in each game and also had a walk and a sacrifice bunt. Quimby is the Yellowjackets’ leading hitter with a .314 batting average.

• Junior Alyssa Etheridge was the team’s most effective pitcher in the series. Entering the second game in relief, Etheridge allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 2.1 innings. Etheridge is third in the GNAC with a 2.70 earned run average and is fifth with 33 strikeouts.

• The Yellowjackets enter the week with a .261 batting average and a 4.37 earned run average. They are second in the GNAC with 13 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 14 attempts.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene secured a split with Central Washington last weekend. The Nighthawks lost both Friday games, 7-6 and 9-8, before winning both games on Saturday, 6-3 and 6-2.

• Senior Ivy Hommel led NNU at the plate with a .538 batting average, going 7 for 13 with seven runs, three triples and two RBI. Hommel went 2 for 3 in Friday’s opener and went 3 for 4 in the nightcap with an RBI single in the fourth. She had both of her triples in Saturday’s opener, including an RBI triple in the first. Hommel enters the week with a .333 batting average and is 14th in Division II with three triples.

• Junior Maia McNicoll batted .308 in the four games with two home runs and nine RBI. She opened the series with a first-inning grand slam in Friday’s opener before adding a two-run single and a solo home run in the fourth inning of game two. McNicoll had an RBI in Saturday’s opener on a sacrifice fly in the sixth. McNicoll enters the week with a .203 batting average.

• Freshman Charlotte Forniss was solid in the circle to earn the win in Saturday’s second game, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out two to improve to 2-1 on the season. Forniss leads the GNAC and is 20th in Division II with a 0.90 earned run average.

• The Nighthawks lead the GNAC with a 2.22 earned run average and are third with a .279 batting average. They rank 21st in Division II with four shutouts and 20th with 75 walks.

• Northwest Nazarene opens the conference schedule at Western Washington, playing a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s went 1-3 last week. Playing at home on Saturday, the Saints beat Western Oregon 3-0 in the opener before taking a 10-0, six-inning loss in the second game. The Saints took two losses at Western Washington on Sunday, 5-3 and 2-1.

• Freshman Shay Lopes led SMU offensively with a .400 batting average in the four games, going 4 for 10 with two runs and a double. Lopes had a hit and scored the first run of the game in Saturday’s victory. She went 2 for 3 and scored a run in Sunday’s opener at WWU. Lopes enters the week with a .333 batting average.

• Freshman Kaleena Yra accounted for four of the Saints’ five RBIs on the week. In Saturday’s opener, Yra hit a pinch-hit two-run double that broke open the 0-0 tie. She earned the start as the designated player in Sunday’s opener at WWU, hitting a two-run homer that opened scoring for the Saints.

• Freshman Chloe Leverington earned the win for the Saints against Western Oregon in relief, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out four in three innings. Sophomore Tia Ridings allowed two runs on four hits and struck out 11 in two appearances. She allowed one hit and struck out five in four innings in the first game against Western Oregon. She took the loss in Sunday’s opener at WWu, allowing two runs on three hits with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings.

• Saint Martin’s enters the week with a .246 batting average and 4.72 earned run average.

• The Saints play six games this week, all against non-conference NAIA opponents. Saint Martin’s will travel to Northwest (Wash.) for a doubleheader on Wednesday before hosting Bushnell for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

SIMON FRASER
• Thanks to unplayable field conditions, Simon Fraser’s four-game series at Montana State Billings last weekend was canceled. Simon Fraser will open conference play by hosting Western Oregon for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

• Simon Fraser last played on Feb. 26 and 27. On Feb. 26, SFU swept Central Washington by scores of 15-7 (six innings) and 9-8. On Feb. 27, SFU took a 12-10, nine-inning loss to Saint Martin’s in Ellensburg. The second game was suspended in the third inning due to darkness.

• Junior Hannah Boulanger hit .636 in the three completed games to lead SFU, going 7 for 11 with four doubles, a home run and five RBI. Boulanger went 3 for 4 and scored a pair of runs in the Feb. 26 opener and then went 2 for 3 in the nightcap with a three-run homer in the sixth that scored the winning run. She then went 2 for 4 on Feb. 27 against SMU with a two-run double. Boulanger is batting .364 on the season and is tied for 19th in Division II with 0.55 doubles per game.

• Freshman Julia Hansen went 1-1 in the circle last week. She was the winner in relief in the second game on Feb. 26, allowing one hit and one walk in 1.1 innings of work. Hansen took the loss in relief against Saint Martin’s, allowing seven runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Hansen enters the week with a 6.76 earned run average in six appearances.

• Simon Fraser leads the GNAC and is sixth in Division II with a .366 batting average. The team leads Division II with 3.18 doubles per game, ranks 18th with a .551 slugging percentage and 26th with 35 doubles.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon went 1-3 in non-conference play last week. In Bellingham on Friday, the Wolves took 5-3 and 8-0 (five innings) losses to Western Washington. On Saturday in Lacey, WOU lost the opener to Saint Martin’s, 3-0, before winning the nightcap 10-0 in six innings.

• Sophomore Sophie Franklin led Western Oregon with a .429 batting average in the four games, going 3 for 7 with three walks. All of her production came at Saint Martin’s, going 1 for 3 in the opener and going 2 for 3 with two runs scored in the nightcap. Franklin enters the week with a .297 batting average.

• Junior Kirah McGlothan and freshman McKenzie Westphal accounted for most of the production in Saturday’s win at Saint Martin’s. McGlothan went 2 for 4 with three RBI, which included a two-RBI double and an RBI single. Westphal went 2 for 4 in the game and capped scoring with a three-run triple in the sixth. McGlothan is batting .283 on the season while Westphal is batting .278 in nine games.

• Senior Reilly Tidwell allowed seven hits and seven walks while striking out six in two appearances. Tidwell took a no-decision in the opener at WWU, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out three in 3.1 innings. She was the winner for the Wolves at SMU on Saturday, allowing three and four walks while striking out three. Tidwell is seventh in the GNAC with a 3.06 earned run average.

• Western Oregon is second in the GNAC with both a .308 batting average and a 3.82 earned run average. The Wolves rank 13th in Division II sacrifice flies (8), 24th in hit by pitch (15) and 24th in walks (71).

• The Wolves open conference play north of the border, taking on Simon Fraser for four games on Saturday and Sunday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington swept all four games at home last weekend. On Friday, the Vikings scored 5-3 and 8-0 (five innings) victories over Western Oregon. On Sunday, WWU picked up 5-3 and 2-1 victories over Saint Martin’s.

• Senior Kira Doan was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week after picking up two wins and a save in three relief appearances. Doan went 5.1 innings in the opener against WOU, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out three to earn the win. She opened Sunday by earning the save in the opener, facing two batters in the 5-3 win. Doan closed the week with her second win, closing out the top of the seventh to set the table for the 2-1 win. Doan is sixth in the GNAC with a 3.04 earned run average and is 23rd in Division II with her 14 appearances.

• Senior Tatum Dow was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after batting .385 in the four games, going 5 for 13 with two doubles, a home run and two RBI. Dow had a hit in each game and extended her current hitting streak to 17 games. Dow had a double and scored the opening run of the second game against WOU. She added a double and scored two runs in the first game against SMU and went 2 for 4 in the nightcap with a solo home run. Dow is fourth in the GNAC with a .415 batting average. She is among 56 players tied for first in Division II in the toughest to strike out category, having not struck out in 65 at-bats.

• Western Washington enters the week with a .270 batting average and is third in the GNAC with a 4.21 earned run average. The Vikings rank 21st in Division II with 37 doubles and are tied for 28th with seven double plays turned.

• Western Washington opens conference play with a four-game home series with Northwest Nazarene on Friday and Saturday.