Tuesday, March 14, 2023

VIKINGS, NIGHTHAWKS TAKE EARLY CONFERENCE LEADS: While the weather did what it could to keep schedulers on their toes, most of the GNAC’s teams succeeded in playing most of their games last week.

When the raindrops had stopped, Western Washington and Northwest Nazarene found themselves on top of the conference standings.
The Vikings took three of four games from Simon Fraser last week in a split four-game series. Western Washington won both games on Thursday, 4-3 and 6-3. The Vikings won the opener on Saturday, 2-1, and dropped the finale by a score of 8-0 in five innings.

Northwest Nazarene took three of four games at home over Montana State Billings, also in a split four-game series. The Nighthawks won both games on Thursday, 6-3 and 4-1, before opening Saturday with a 2-0 win. The Yellowjackets came back to win the finale on Saturday, 6-3.

The series yielded both GNAC Players of the Week for the Nighthawks. Senior Maia McNicoll was named the Softball Player of the Week after she hit .455 in the four games, going 5 for 11 with three runs, two home runs and six RBIs. Junior Sidney Booth picked up Softball Pitcher of the Week honors after she threw a pair of complete-game victories, which included a two-hit shutout in Saturday’s 2-0 win.

Central Washington succeeded in playing all four games at Cal Poly Humboldt. The Wildcats dropped both games on Friday, 10-2 in six innings and 3-0, and also dropped Saturday’s opener 2-1 in eight innings. Central came back to win the final game of the series, 8-2.

Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon played two of their four scheduled games. The teams split on Saturday with the Wolves winning the opener 5-4 and the Saints winning the nightcap 5-2. Sunday’s doubleheader was suspended in the middle of third inning in game one. The game will be resumed at a date to be determined.

The focus this week will be on conference play with six of seven teams playing on Saturday and Sunday. Central Washington will host Western Washington, Western Oregon will host Simon Fraser and Saint Martin’s will host Montana State Billings.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Maia McNicoll, Northwest Nazarene
IF • 5-5 • Senior • Kaneohe, Hawaii

McNicoll batted .455 as the Nighthawks went 3-1 against Montana State Billings, going 5 for 11 with three runs, two home runs and six RBIs. McNicoll opened the week with a two-run homer in Thursday’s 6-3 win before going 3 for 3 with a three-run shot in the 4-1 victory in the nightcap. She closed the week with a 1 for 4 effort in Saturday’s 6-3 loss. For the week, McNicoll finished with a .538 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage.

Also Nominated: Laney Kaysner (Central Washington), Marin Penney (Montana State Billings), Shelby Lawson (Saint Martin’s), Megan Duclos (Simon Fraser), Hailey Rath (Western Washington).

PITCHER
Sidney Booth, Northwest Nazarene
P/UT • 5-4 • Junior • Puyallup, Wash.

Booth amassed a 1.50 ERA in two wins over Montana State Billings, allowing three runs on seven hits with 19 strikeouts. In Thursday’s 6-3 win, Booth allowed three runs on five hits and struck out 10. She threw a two-hit shutout in Saturday’s 2-0 victory, striking out 10 as she improved to 7-5 on the season. Booth also batted .333 in the four games.

Also Nominated: Ashlee Laver (Central Washington), Abby Runyon (Saint Martin’s), Julia Hansen (Simon Fraser), Maddie Mayer (Western Oregon), Mareena Ramirez (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington dropped three of four games at Cal Poly Humboldt last weekend. The Wildcats lost both Friday games, 10-2 (six innings) and 3-0 and lost Saturday’s opener, 2-1 (eight innings). The Wildcats won the final game of the series, 8-2.

• Junior Laney Kaysner led the Wildcats offensively with a .667 batting average while playing in three of the four games, going 6 for 9 with a run and an RBI. Kaysner went 3 for 3 in the second-game loss on Friday, went 1 for 3 in the first game on Saturday and then went 2 for 3 with an RBI single and a run scored in the nightcap. Kaysner enters the week with a .318 batting average in 14 games and seven starts.

• Junior Jillian Hampson batted .333 in the series, going 3 for 9 with three runs scored. Hampson went 1 for 3 and scored two runs in Friday’s opener before finishing with a hit in each of Saturday’s games. Hampson is batting .217 in 14 games this season.

• Senior Isabel Womack was the winner in the circle in Saturday’s finale, allowing three runs, two earned, on nine hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Womack went 1-1 on the week for the Wildcats and enters the week with a 4.95 ERA.

• Central Washington enters the week with a .270 batting average and 3.92 ERA.

• Central Washington will start conference play this weekend, hosting Western Washington for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped three of its four games at Northwest Nazarene in last weekend’s start to conference play. The Yellowjackets dropped both games on Thursday, 6-3 and 4-1, as well as Saturday’s opener, 2-0. They bounced back to win the final game of the series on Saturday, 6-3.

• Junior Marin Penney led the Yellowjackets at the plate with a .385 batting average, going 5 for 13 with a double, a triple, three home runs, four runs and four RBIs. Penney hit a solo home run in Thursday’s opener before going 2 for 3 with a run scored in the nightcap. All of her offense on Saturday came in the second game where she went 3 for 4 with a solo home run in the fourth and a two-run shot in the fifth. Penney enters the week with a .328 batting average. She leads the GNAC with seven home runs and is 24th in Division II with 0.37 home runs per game.

• Freshman Teagan Seeton batted .364 in the four games, going 4 for 11 with a double and a run scored. Seeton went 2 for 4 in Thursday’s opener with her double and run scored. She then had hits in each game on Saturday. Seeton is eighth in the GNAC with a .346 batting average.

• Senior Shelby Martin earned the win on Saturday in relief, allowing one walk and striking out one in 2.1 innings in work. She entered in relief of senior Julia Qualteri, who allowed three runs on seven hits with a walk in 3.2 innings. Junior Alyssa Etheridge took two losses on the week but continues to rank eighth in the GNAC with a 3.05 ERA.

• The Yellowjackets enter the week with a .251 batting average and a 5.09 ERA. They lead the conference with 12 home runs.

• Montana State Billings heads west this weekend for a four-game series at Saint Martin’s on Saturday and Sunday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene opened GNAC play by winning three of four games over Montana State Billings. The Nighthawks won the first three games of the series, 6-3 and 4-1 on Thursday and 2-0 on Saturday, before falling 6-2 in the finale.

• Senior Maia McNicoll earned her second GNAC Softball Player of the Week award of the season after she batted .455 in the four games, going 5 for 11 with three runs, two home runs and six RBIs. McNicoll had a two-run home run in Thursday’s opener and went 3 for 3 with a three-run homer in the nightcap. She then added a 1 for 4 effort in Saturday’s loss. McNicoll is batting .318 for the season and shares the GNAC lead with 22 RBIs.

• Junior Sidney Booth was named the GNAC Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season after throwing a pair of complete-game victories. Booth allowed three runs on five hits and struck out nine for the win in Thursday’s opener. She then allowed just two hits and struck out 10 to win Saturday’s opener. Booth is fourth in the GNAC with a 2.29 ERA. She ranks 19th in Division II with three shutouts and is 26th with 12 games started.

• Senior Tori Hensley batted .467 in the series, going 7 for 15 with three doubles, three runs and three RBIs. Hensley went 2 for 3 with an RBI in Thursday’s opener and 2 for 4 with an RBI double in the finale. She finished with a hit in Saturday’s opener before going 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the nightcap. Hensley also went 1-1 in the circle, compiling a 1.62 ERA. Hensley is 10th in the GNAC with a .338 batting average and third with a 2.25 ERA.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week with a .251 batting average and leads the conference with a 2.54 ERA. The Nighthawks rank 30th in Division II with a 3.22 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

• The Nighthawks will enjoy a bye week this week before traveling north to face Simon Fraser on Mar. 24 and 25.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s went 3-1 in a split week. The Saints scored 4-3 and 7-3 non-conference victories over Western Washington last Monday. They then split with Western Oregon on Saturday, losing the opener 5-4 before winning the second game 5-2. Sunday’s doubleheader with WOU was suspended in the third inning of the first game.

• Freshman Shelby Lawson led the SMU offense with a .583 batting average, going 7 for 12 with four runs, a home run and two RBIs along with a .833 slugging percentage. Lawson went 2 for 3 with an RBI single against WWU in Monday’s opener and went 2 for 4 in the nightcap. She went 2 for 3 with a solo home run in Saturday’s opener with WOU and went 1 for 2 in the nightcap. Lawson is batting .412 in 12 games this season.

• Junior Britney Patrick finished with a .400 batting average, going 4 for 10 with three runs, a double and two RBIs. Patrick scored two runs in Monday’s opener with WWU and went 1 for 3 in the nightcap. Against WOU, Patrick went 3 for 3 with an RBI double. Patrick is fourth in the GNAC with a .405 batting average and ranks 16th in Division II with three sacrifice flies.

• Junior Abby Runyon earned two pitching wins, compiling a 2.84 ERA. She was the winner in Monday’s opener against WWU, allowing three runs on nine hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. Runyon went 5.1 innings in the second game against WOU on Saturday for the win, allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Runyon is ninth in the GNAC with a 3.78 ERA.

• Saint Martin’s is second in the GNAC with a .294 batting average and owns a 3.44 ERA. The Saints rank 11th in Division II with 0.47 double plays per game.

• Saint Martin’s will host Montana State Billings for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser dropped three of four games at Western Washington over the weekend. The Red Leafs dropped 4-3 and 6-3 decisions on Thursday and a 2-1 game on Friday before closing the series with an 8-0, five-inning win.

• Junior Megan Duclos led the way with a .417 batting average, going 5 for 12 with a triple, three runs, three RBIs and four stolen bases. Duclos punctuated Thursday’s doubleheader by going 2 for 4 with a run scored and a stolen base in the nightcap. She went 2 for 3 with a three-run triple and a run scored in Saturday’s finale. Duclos is third in the GNAC with a .416 batting average. She ranks third in Division II with 27 stolen bases and eighth with 1.23 stolen bases per game.

• Sophomore Janique Balcaen and freshman Amy Hughes each went 4 for 12 in the four games, with Hughes scoring three runs. Balcaen went 2 for 3 in Monday’s opener and Saturday’s finale with an RBI double on Saturday. Hughes had a hit in each game and stole three bases in Saturday’s finale. Hughes is tied for 21st in Division II with 16 stolen bases.

• Sophomore Julia Hansen was the winning pitcher in SFU’s victory on Saturday, allowing just three hits while striking out three for her first win of the season. Hansen enters the week with a 6.61 ERA.

• Simon Fraser leads the GNAC with a .305 batting average and also owns a 5.42 ERA. The Red Leafs rank fifth in Division II with 76 stolen bases and seventh with 3.45 stolen bases per game.

• Simon Fraser travels south for a four-game series at Western Oregon on Saturday and Sunday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon split its only games of the week, collecting a 5-4 win at Saint Martin’s on Saturday before losing the second game 5-2. Sunday’s doubleheader was suspended in the middle of the third inning of game one.

• Junior Katelyn McGough batted .500 in the two games to lead the WOU offense, going 3 for 6 with two doubles. All three hits came in the second game where McGough went 3 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI double. McGough enters the week with a .297 batting average.

• Junior Chelby Smalley batted .427 in the two games. She went 2 for 4 with an RBI single and a run scored in the opener before going 1 for 3 with a run scored in the nightcap. Smalley is batting .293 in 18 games this season

• Senior Maddie Mayer earned the win for WOU in Saturday’s opener in relief, allowing one unearned run on one hit with two walks and six strikeouts on 3.1 innings of work. Mayer also pitched four innings of relief in the nightcap, allowing one run on four hits with two strikeouts. Mayer is seventh in the GNAC with a 2.81 ERA.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .225 batting average and is third in the GNAC with a 3.22 ERA.

• Western Oregon returns home this week to host Simon Fraser in a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington put together a 3-3 week. The Vikings dropped a pair of non-conference games to Saint Martin’s last Monday, 4-3 and 7-3. They then took three of four GNAC games from Simon Fraser, winning 4-3 and 6-3 on Thursday and 2-1 on Saturday before dropping the finale 8-0 in five innings.

• Freshman Hailey Rath batted .385 and led WWU by going 7 for 18 with a double, a triple, two home runs, four runs scored and five RBIs. Rath had solo home runs in each of the games against SMU. She had two hits in both of Thursday’s games against SFU, hitting a two-run triple in the opener and adding an RBI single in the nightcap. Rath enters the week with a .324 batting average.

• Senior Taylor Khorrami finished with a .400 batting average, going 6 for 15 with two runs and an RBI in the six games. Khorrami had hits in both games against SMU and went 2 for 3 with an RBI single in the nightcap. She ended the SFU series by going 2 for 2 in Saturday’s second game. Khorrami is batting .294 on the season.

• Junior Mareena Ramirez went 2-1 in three starts, allowing five runs, four earned, on 16 hits with 24 strikeouts in 20.1 innings. She earned the win in Thursday’s opener against SFU, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. Ramirez won Saturday’s opener by allowing one unearned run on four hits with eight strikeouts. Ramirez leads the GNAC with eight wins and a 1.43 ERA. She is 17th in Division II with 82 strikeouts.

• Western Washington ranks second in the GNAC with a 2.58 ERA and third with a .289 batting average.

• The Vikings travel east this week with a four-game series at Central Washington on Saturday and Sunday.