Tuesday, March 15, 2022

A HOMECOMING A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING: The last time Simon Fraser played a home softball game was on Mar. 8, 2020, when SFU completed a sweep of Montana State Billings just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut sports down.

Upon its long-awaited return to Beedie Field last weekend, SFU picked up exactly where it left off. The team completed a four-game sweep of Western Oregon, which included a pair of extra-inning games and one five-inning run-rule victory. The sweep earned SFU selection as the GNAC Team of the Week.

Simon Fraser opened the conference series with a 5-3 victory over the Wolves on Saturday. Trailing in the second game entering the bottom of the seventh, SFU used a three-run inning, which included a two-run homer by freshman Caitlin Zagari, to force extra innings. Junior Chelsea Hotner ended it with a two-run homer in the eighth for the 9-7 victory.

The offense stepped up again in Sunday’s opener as Simon Fraser scored 10 runs in the first on eight hits and one error en route to the 11-2, five-inning win. The finale went into extra innings as well as Western Oregon forced a tie with one run in the top of the seventh. In the eighth, junior Hannah Finkelstein closed it out when her single scored sophomore Megan Duclos for the 6-5 victory.

Zagari paced the offense for Simon Fraser, going 7 for 12 with three runs scored, a double, a home run and five RBI. She went 2 for 3 in three of the four games.

“To open up conference play with four wins is huge for us,” head coach Tina Andreana said. “After sitting out last season, it sets the tone early for our athletes that we can compete.”

SPLITSVILLE: Simon Fraser was the only team to sweep in the first week of conference play as the other two series in the conference ended with splits.

Northwest Nazarene and Western Washington opened the conference schedule with a four-game series in Bellingham on Thursday and Friday. The Vikings took both games on Thursday by scores of 3-2 and 10-1 in five innings. The Nighthawks were winners in both games on Friday, 9-6 and 11-5.

Montana State Billings and Central Washington split their four-game series on Friday and Saturday in Ellensburg. The Yellowjackets won Friday’s opener 9-1 in five innings before the Wildcats won the second game 6-2. The script was flipped on Saturday with CWU winning the opener 9-6 and MSUB winning the nightcap 9-7.

Saint Martin’s used its bye week to go 6-0 in non-conference play. The Saints took a doubleheader at Northwest (Wash.) on Wednesday, 8-3 and 11-5 (five innings). The Saints returned home to sweep a four-game series from Bushnell. They won a pair of 8-0 games on Saturday, taking the first in six innings and the second in five innings. The games were closer on Sunday but the result was the same with SMU winning 7-3 and 9-7.

All of this week’s games will be conference contests. Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington start it off with a four-game series in Nampa on Friday and Saturday. Montana State Billings will play four at Western Oregon and Simon Fraser will play at Saint Martin’s, both on Saturday and Sunday.

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THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Destiny Conerly, Saint Martin’s
IF • 5-9 • Sophomore • Spanaway, Wash.

Conerly led Saint Martin’s to a six-win week with a .643 batting average, going 9 for 14 with seven runs, eight RBI, a double and a home run while drawing seven walks. Her week included a 2 for 3 effort in Wednesday’s 11-3 second-game win over Northwest (Wash.), which included an RBI double. Conerly went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s opener with Bushnell and went 2 for 2 in Sunday’s opener, including an RBI single and a three-run home run.

Also Nominated: Alyssa Benthagen (Central Washington), Alexis Tovar (Montana State Billings), Ivy Hommel (Northwest Nazarene), Hannah Finkelstein (Simon Fraser), Kira McGlothan (Western Oregon), Lauren Lo (Western Washington).

PITCHER
Tia Ridings, Saint Martin’s
P • 5-4 • Sophomore • Tualatin, Ore.

Ridings went 2-0 with a 0.64 earned run average in three non-conference games, allowing one run on two hits with 20 strikeouts in 11 innings. Ridings allowed one run whole throwing four innings of hitless ball, walking four and striking out seven in Wednesday’s 8-3 win at Northwest (Wash.). Ridings went four innings against for the 8-0, six-inning win over Bushnell on Saturday, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out seven. She closed the week with a three-inning outing in Sunday’s 7-3 win over the Beacons, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out six.

Also Nominated: Jenna Kister (Montana State Billings), Tori Hensley (Northwest Nazarene), Shaneika Hollingworth (Simon Fraser), Sydney Brown (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington procured a split in its opening conference weekend with Montana State Billings. On Friday, MSUB won the first game 9-1 in five innings before CWU came back to win the second game, 6-2. The Wildcats won Saturday’s opener, 9-6, and dropped the series finale 9-7.

• Junior Alyssa Benthagen batted .500 in the series for the Wildcats, going 6 for 12 with two home runs and six RBI. She scored the only run in Friday’s loss and closed scoring in the win with an RBI single in the sixth. Benthagen went 2 for 2 in Saturday’s opener, including a three-run homer, and went 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the second game. Benthagen enters the week with a .333 batting average and 18 RBI.

• Junior Allie Thiessen also batted .500 in the four games, going 6 for 12 with one double and one RBI as the No. 2 batter in the lineup. Most of her production came on Friday, going 2 for 3 in the opener and 3 for 4 in the nightcap with an RBI single. She went 1 for 2 with two runs scored in Saturday’s opener. Thiessen is fifth in the GNAC with a .407 batting average.

• Senior Isabel Womack allowed six runs on 13 hits and struck out seven in her two starts. She was the winner for CWU on Friday, allowing two runs on eight hits with seven walks and three strikeouts. Womack took a no-decision in Saturday’s nightcap, allowing four runs on five hits with four strikeouts in six innings. Womack is eighth in the GNAC with a 3.56 earned run average.

• Central Washington enters the week with a .270 batting average and a 4.86 earned run average.

• Saturday’s games ended a 10-game homestand for Central Washington. The Wildcats will play at Northwest Nazarene for four games on Friday and Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Playing for the first time since Feb. 26, Montana State Billings secured a road split with Central Washington. The Yellowjackets won Friday’s opener, 9-1 in five innings, but lost the nightcap 6-2. They lost Saturday’s opener, 9-6, and rebounded to win the finale, 9-7.

• Freshman Alexis Tovar led the way at the plate with a .583 average, going 7 for 12 with three runs, two doubles and two RBI. She went 3 for 3 in Friday’s win with a double and two runs scored and went 2 for 4 in the nightcap. Tovar went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s finale win with an RBI and a run scored. Tovar enters the week with a .275 batting average in 16 games.

• Senior Allie Hughes batted .455 in the four games, going 5 for 11 with three runs and three RBI. Hughes went 2 for 2 with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly in Friday’s opening win. She went 2 for 4 in the nightcap, 1 for 2 in Saturday’s opening game and scored a run in Saturday’s finale. Hughes enters the week with a .173 batting average.

• Sophomore Jenna Kister went 1-1 in the circle with a 1.45 earned run average, allowing six runs, two earned, on 10 hits in 9.2 innings. She took the loss in Friday’s second game, allowing four runs, two earned, on eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Kister was the winner in Saturday’s finale in relief, allowing two unearned runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in 4.1 innings. Kister enters the week with a 6.13 earned run average.

• The Yellowjackets enter the week with a .271 batting average and a 4.47 earned run average. They lead the GNAC with 19 home runs and rank third with 74 walks.

• Montana State Billings will travel to Monmouth, Oregon for a four-game series with Western Oregon on Saturday and Sunday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene opened conference play by taking a split at Western Washington. The Nighthawks lost both games on Thursday, 3-2 and 10-1 (5 innings) and came back to win both games on Friday, 9-6 and 11-5.

• Senior Ivy Hommel set the pace at the plate with a .600 batting average, going 6 for 10 with six runs, one home run and five RBI. Hommel went 2 for 2 in Thursday’s nightcap. She went 1 for 2 in Friday’s opening game, the one hit being a two-run homer that gave NNU the lead for good. She finished by going 3 for 4 in the nightcap, including two RBI singles. Hommel is 10th in the GNAC with a .373 batting average and leads the conference with 27 runs scored.

• Sophomore Emma Mulligan batted .455 in the series, going 5 for 11 with four runs, a double and two RBI. She went 2 for 2 in Thursday’s nightcap, singling home the Nighthawks’ only run in the fourth. Mulligan went 1 for 2 with two runs in Friday’s opener and 2 for 4 in the nightcap with an RBI single in the fourth. Mulligan has a .234 batting average on the season.

• Sophomore Sidney Booth went 1-1 in the circle. She took the loss in Thursday’s opener, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. She rebounded for the win in Friday’s opener, allowing six runs, three earned, on 11 hits with three walks and a strikeout. Booth leads the GNAC with a 1.72 earned run average and 80 strikeouts.

• The Nighthawks lead the GNAC with a 2.59 earned run average and enter the week with a .280 batting average. They have allowed the fewest earned runs (58) in the GNAC this season.

• Northwest Nazarene returns home this week to host Central Washington for four games on Friday and Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s went 6-0 in a pair of non-conference series last week. On Wednesday, the Saints won a pair at Northwest (Wash.), 8-3 and 11-3 (5 inn.). The Saints opened a four-game series with Bushnell with a pair of run-rule wins on Saturday, both 8-0. They finished with two closer wins on Sunday, 7-3 and 9-7.

• Sophomore Destiny Conerly was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she batted .643 in the six games, going 9 for 14 with seven runs, eight RBI, a double and a home run while drawing seven walks. She went 2 for 3 in Wednesday’s second game, which included an RBI double. She also went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s opener with Bushnell and 2 for 2 in Sunday’s opener, which included an RBI single and a three-run homer. Conerly has a .409 batting average on the season and a .727 slugging percentage.

• Sophomore Tia Ridings was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week as she went 2-0 with a 0.64 earned run average in three appearances. She allowed one run on two hits with 20 strikeouts in 11 innings. Riding allowed one run while throwing four innings of hitless ball, walking four and striking out seven in Wednesday’s first-game win over Northwest. She went four innings for the win in Saturday’s first game with Bushnell, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out seven. She had a three-inning outing in Sunday’s opener, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out six. Ridings enters the week with a 4.53 earned run average and is fourth in the GNAC with 43 strikeouts.

• Saint Martin’s is second in the GNAC with a 3.99 earned run average and has allowed the fewest runs (85) of any GNAC team. The Saints are third in the conference with a .285 batting average.

• The Saints will host Simon Fraser for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser played its first home games in over two years last weekend and came away with four wins over Western Oregon. Simon Fraser won Saturday’s games by scores of 5-3 and 9-7 (eight innings). They won Sunday’s games by scores of 11-2 (five innings) and 6-5 (eight innings).

• The sweep of the four home games in the first contests at Beedie Field since March 8, 2020, earned Simon Fraser selection as the GNAC Team of the Week.

• Four SFU players hit over .500 in the series. Freshman Caitlin Zagari led the way by batting .583, going 7 for 12 with three runs scored, a double, a home run and five RBI. Zagari went 2 for 3 with an RBI double in Saturday’s opener and was also 2 for 3 in the nightcap with a two-run homer. Zagari’s one hit in Sunday’s opener was an RBI single. She went 2 for 3 in the nightcap with another RBI single. Zagari enters the week with a .362 batting average.

• Junior Alex Ogg batted .533 in the four games, going 8 for 15 with two runs, two doubles and two RBI. Junior Hanna Finkelstein went 7 for 14 with seven runs scored, one double, one home run and five RBI. Freshman Janique Balcaen went 6 for 12 in the series with six runs scored, two doubles, a home run and three RBI.

• Freshman Shaneika Hollingworth went 2-0 in the circle and posted a 2.00 earned run average. Hollingworth won in relief in Saturday’s second game, allowing one hit and two walks while three strikeouts in six innings. She threw all eight innings in Sunday’s second game, allowing five runs, four earned on 14 hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

• Simon Fraser leads the GNAC and is fifth in Division II with a .376 batting average and enters the week with a 6.37 earned run average. They lead the conference with 24 stolen bases.

• Simon Fraser continues conference play with a four-game series at Saint Martin’s on Saturday and Sunday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon opened conference play by taking four losses at Simon Fraser. The Wolves dropped both on Saturday, 5-3 and 9-7 (eight innings) and both on Sunday, 11-2 (five innings) and 6-5 (eight innings).

• Junior Kirah McGlothan had a terrific week for the Wolves, batting .615 in the four games. She went 8 for 13 with three runs, two doubles, a home run and six RBI. McGlothan went 2 for 4 in both of Saturday’s games, which included a two-run double in the second game. She closed the week by going 3 for 3 in Sunday’s nightcap, including a two-run homer. McGlothan enters the week with a .342 batting average.

• Junior Zoie Recolan batted .467 in the four games, going 7 for 15 with three runs and a double. Recolan went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s opener and 1 for 4 with two runs scored in the nightcap. She went 2 for 3 in Sunday’s first game and ended with a 2 for 5 performance in the nightcap, scoring a run in the fifth. Recolan is ninth in the GNAC with a .397 batting average.

• In taking two losses, senior Maddie Mayer amassed a 2.76 earned run average in 12.2 innings. She went the distance in Saturday’s opener, allowing five runs, two earned, on nine hits with two strikeouts. She entered in relief in Sunday’s opener, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits with five strikeouts in 3.2 innings. Mayer took a hard-luck loss in relief in the nightcap, allowing one run on six hits with three strikeouts in three innings.

• Western Oregon is second in the GNAC with both a .313 batting average and third with a 4.30 earned run average.

• The Wolves are home for their next eight games, hosting Montana State Billings for a four-game conference series on Saturday and Sunday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington took a split with Northwest Nazarene to start conference play. The Vikings won both games on Thursday, 3-2 and 10-1 (five innings) and dropped both games on Friday, 9-6 and 11-5.

• Senior Lauren Lo led the WWU offense with a .538 batting average, going 7 for 13 with four runs, two doubles and an RBI. Lo went 2 for 2 in Thursday’s second game, which included an RBI double in the Vikings’ six-run third inning. She went 3 for 4 in Friday’s opener with a double and had one hit in both Thursday’s opener and Friday’s nightcap. Lo enters the week with a .325 batting average and is second in the GNAC with 10 doubles.

• Senior Chantelle Shimabukuro batted .400 in the series, going 4 for 10 with five runs scored and an RBI. She went 2 for 3 and scored a pair of runs in Thursday’s second game. She had a hit in each of Friday’s games and had an RBI single that tied the opener in the first inning. Shimabukuro enters the week with a .298 batting average.

• Sophomore Sydney Brown went 1-1 in her three appearances in the circle, compiling a 3.41 earned run average in the series. Brown was the winner in Thursday’s second game, allowing one run on five hits with three strikeouts. She threw 3.2 innings of relief in Friday’s opener, allowing two runs on three hits in 3.2 innings, but took the loss in the nightcap by allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits in 3.2 innings. Brown is sixth in the GNAC with a 3.42 earned run average.

• Western Washington enters the week with a .284 batting average and a 4.50 earned run average. The Vikings rank 14th in Division II with 46 doubles.

• Western Washington does not play this week. The Vikings return to the diamond on Mar. 22 with a doubleheader at Northwest (Wash.). They return to conference play on Mar. 26 at Montana State Billings.