Tuesday, April 4, 2023

For the first time in five years, the GNAC returned home from the Tournament of Champions with a winning record.

The conference’s seven teams finished with a combined 20-15 record in the tournament, which featured most of the West Region’s softball programs. It is also just the third time since 2010 that the conference has finished above .500 in the tournament.

Six of the GNAC’s seven teams finished with winning records, which will play a factor when the NCAA West Region Rankings are issued late in the month.

Saint Martin’s was the class of the conference, finishing in a tie for third in the tournament standings with a 4-1 record. The Saints batted .316 in their five games and their 0.82 ERA was the best of the 22 teams in the tournament. Only Cal Poly Humboldt and San Francisco State finished with better records.

The performances netted Saint Martin’s two selections to the All-Tournament Team. Junior Destiny Conerly batted .500 in the five games, the fifth-best in the tournament, going 8 for 16 with six runs scored, two doubles, two RBIs and five of the Saints’ 11 stolen bases. She was also selected as the GNAC Softball Player of the Week.

Freshman Haley Agena also earned All-Tournament Team honors after she batted .412 in the tournament, going 7 for 17 with a run, a triple and two RBIs.

Central Washington, Montana State Billings, Northwest Nazarene, Western Oregon and Western Washington all finished with 3-2 tournament records.

Junior Mareena Ramirez was the third GNAC player named to the All-Tournament Team after she went 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA in three tournament pitching appearances. Her week included a 6-1 win over Cal State East Bay where she allowed one run on three hits and struck out six.

After a twinbill between Montana State Billings and Sonoma State on Tuesday, the focus will be on conference play the rest of the season. Saint Martin’s will play at Simon Fraser, Central Washington is at Western Oregon and Western Washington plays at Northwest Nazarene.

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

Conerly was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Tournament of Champions after leading the Saints offensively with a .500 batting average, going 8 for 16 with six runs, two doubles, two RBIs and five stolen bases. Conerly opened the tournament with a 2 for 2 performance with three runs and an RBI single in Friday’s 9-1, six-inning win over Hawaii Hilo. On Saturday, Conerly went 3 for 3 with an RBI single and a run scored in a 2-1 win over Chico State. She then went 2 for 4 and scored the opening run in Saturday’s 5-0 win over Cal State East Bay.

Also Nominated: Laney Kaysner (Central Washington), Teagan Seeton (Montana State Billings), Tori Hensley (Northwest Nazarene), Amy Hughes (Simon Fraser), Chelby Smalley (Western Oregon), Hailey Rath (Western Washington).

PITCHER
Maddie Mayer, Western Oregon
P • 5-8 • Senior • Portland, Ore.

Mayer compiled a 0.52 ERA and went 3-1 in four starts last week, allowing three runs, two earned, on 13 hits with 21 strikeouts in 27 innings. Mayer opened the week by allowing just four hits and four walks while striking out five in Monday’s 10-0, six-inning win at Western Washington. She opened the Tournament of Champions by allowing just two hits and striking out seven in Friday’s 8-0 win over Academy of Art. Against Holy Names on Saturday, Mayer allowed one run on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in a 1-0 loss to Holy Names. She rebounded to allow two runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in Sunday’s 3-2, eight-inning win over Chico State.

Also Nominated: Payton Kessler (Central Washington), Alyssa Etheridge (Montana State Billings), Tori Hensley (Northwest Nazarene), Chloe Leverington (Saint Martin’s), Mareena Ramirez (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington went 3-2 at the Tournament of Champions. The Wildcats won their first three games, beating Hawaii Pacific, 2-0, and Hawaii Hilo, 4-1, on Friday and Academy of Art, 4-0, on Saturday.

• Senior Alyssa Benthagen led the CWU offense with a .400 batting average, going 6 for 15 with an RBI. Benthagen had a hit in each of Friday’s games before going 2 for 4 with an RBI single against Academy of Art. She finished the week with single hits in losses to San Francisco St. on Saturday and Chaminade on Sunday. Benthagen is fourth in the GNAC with a .372 batting average and leads the conference with 20 walks.

• Junior Laney Kaysner played in four games and finished with a .364 batting average, going 4 for 11 with three runs and three RBIs. Kaysner led CWU by going 2 for 4 against Hawaii Hilo with an RBI single. She then went 2 for 3 against Academy of Art with a sacrifice fly and a run scored. Kaysner enters the week with a .260 batting average in 25 games.

• Freshman Payton Kessler led CWU pitchers as she allowed two unearned runs on eight hits and six walks with 11 strikeouts in 12.2 innings of work. She earned the complete-game win against Academy of Art, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out seven. Kessler pitched 5.2 innings of relief on Sunday against Chaminade, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Kessler is seventh in the GNAC with a 2.67 ERA.

• Central Washington enters the week with a .270 batting average and 3.44 ERA. The Wildcats are third in the GNAC with 105 walks.

• Central Washington hits the road in its return to conference play, traveling to Western Oregon for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings went 3-2 at the Tournament of Champions, the team’s best record in the tournament since 2012. The Yellowjackets posted a 3-0 win over Stanislaus State on Friday, a 5-2 victory over Chaminade on Saturday and a 4-2 win over Dominican (Calif.) on Sunday.

• Freshman Teagan Seeton led MSUB with a .438 batting average, going 7 for 16 with three runs, two doubles and two RBIs. Seeton had a hit in each of Friday’s games and went 2 for 4 in Saturday’s loss to Cal State San Bernardino with an RBI and a run scored. Seeton added an RBI double against Chaminade and went 2 for 2 with a run scored against Dominican. Seeton is ranked 10th in the GNAC with a .337 batting average.

• Senior Shelby Marquardt batted .556 while playing in four games, going 5 for 9 with three runs, an RBI and two walks. Marquardt went 1 for 3 with an RBI against Cal State San Bernardino and then went 2 for 3 and scored two runs against Chaminade. Marquardt is batting .253 on the season.

• Senior Alyssa Etheridge went 2-2 with a 2.37 ERA in four appearances for the Yellowjackets. Etheridge was the winner against Chaminade on Saturday, allowing two runs on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts. She went the distance again against Dominican on Sunday, allowing two runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Etheridge is third in the GNAC with nine wins and owns a 3.07 ERA.

• The Yellowjackets enter the week with a .225 batting average and a 4.42 ERA. They lead the conference with 23 home runs and rank 30th in Division II with 12 double plays.

• Montana State Billings plays just one non-conference doubleheader this week, facing Sonoma State on Tuesday in Rohnert Park, California.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene finished with a 3-2 record at the Tournament of Champions. The Nighthawks collected a 1-0 win over Stanislaus State on Thursday, a 1-0 win over Cal St. Monterey Bay on Friday and a 2-1 victory over Hawaii Pacific on Saturday.

• Senior Tori Hensley led NNU both at the plate and in the circle. She amassed a .441 batting average, going 8 for 17 with three runs and two RBIs. She went 2 for 4 and had the game-winning RBI against Stanislaus State, went 2 for 3 against Monterey Bay and 2 for 4 in a loss to Cal Poly Humboldt on Friday. She added a 2 for 3 performance with a run and an RBI single against Hawaii Pacific. Hensley ranks fifth in the GNAC with a .358 batting average and 28th in Division II in toughest to strike out (35.3).

• In the circle, Hensley amassed a 0.57 ERA in two wins. She went 5.1 innings for the win against Cal St. Monterey Bay, allowing one hit and one walk and striking out five. She went the distance in the win over Hawaii Pacific, allowing one run on five hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. Hensley is 8-5 on the season and is second in the GNAC with a 2.24 ERA.

• Senior Abigail Gagnon batted .357 in the five games, going 5 for 14 with a double and two RBIs. Gagnon went 2 for 3 against Stanislaus State and then went 2 for 3 with an RBI single that opened scoring against Hawaii Pacific. Gagnon enters the week with a .302 batting average.

• Northwest Nazarene leads the conference with a 2.48 ERA and enters the week with a .278 batting average.

• The Nighthawks return to conference play by hosting Western Washington for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s led all GNAC teams with a 4-1 record at the Tournament of Champions. The Saints won their first four games, scoring a 9-1 (six innings) win over Hawaii Hilo and a 5-0 win over Dominican (Calif.) on Friday. They added a 2-1 win over Chico State and a 5-0 win over Cal St. East Bay on Saturday.

• Junior Destiny Conerly was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week and to the TOC All-Tournament Team after she batted .500 in the five games, going 8 for 16 with six runs, two doubles and two RBIs with five stolen bases. Conerly went 2 for 2 with an RBI single and two stolen bases against Hawaii Hilo. She then went 3 for 3 with an RBI single and a stolen base against Chico State and went 2 for 4 with another stolen base against Cal St. East Bay. Conerly is third in the GNAC with a .386 batting average and ranks fifth with 13 stolen bases.

• Freshman Haley Agena was also named to the All-Tournament Team after batting .412 in Turlock, going 7 for 17 with a run, a triple and two RBIs. Agena went 2 for 4 with a run scored against Hawaii Hilo and added a 2 for 4 performance against Dominican. She then went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBI singles against Cal St. East Bay. Agena leads the GNAC with a .421 batting average and is tied for first with three triples.

• Sophomore Chloe Leverington allowed just one hit in three appearances, striking out 12 in 10 innings. Leverington earned the win in relief against Dominican, allowing one hit and two walks with two strikeouts in four innings. She picked up the save against Chico State, pitching three hitless innings with four strikeouts. Leverington is seventh in the GNAC with a 2.26 ERA and is second in Division II with 11 saves.

• Saint Martin’s is second in the GNAC with a 2.79 ERA and ranks third with a .281 batting average.

• Saint Martin’s heads north of the border in its return to conference play with a four-game series at Simon Fraser on Friday and Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser went 1-4 at the Tournament of Champions. The lone win came on Saturday, an 8-7 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay that snapped a 10-game losing streak.

• Freshman Amy Hughes paced the SFU offense with a .467 batting average, going 7 for 15 with four runs, a double and an RBI. Hughes went 2 for 3 against Cal State San Bernardino on Friday. She added a hit in Friday’s loss to Chico State and went 1 for 4 with an RBI double against Cal St. Monterey Bay. Hughes then went 3 for 4 in Saturday’s loss to Academy of Art with an RBI single. Hughes enters the week with a .307 batting average and is third in the GNAC with 26 runs scored.

• Junior Megan Duclos tied the GNAC single-season record with her 33rd stolen base of the season, swiping three bases against Academy of Art in her only game of the tournament. She tied the record set by Autumn Isaacson of Western Washington in 2015.

• Freshman Cassidy Affeldt and sophomore Caitlin Zagari each went 6 for 16 in the tournament. Zagari scored three runs and had two RBIs and went 2 for 4 against both Cal St. Monterey Bay and Academy of Art. Affeldt was 2 for 4 against Academy of Art and 2 for 2 against Hawaii Hilo.

• Simon Fraser ranks second in the GNAC with a .290 batting average and owns a 6.21 ERA. The Red Leafs rank 15th in Division II with 90 stolen bases and 2.57 stolen bases per game and 24th with 11.41 hits allowed per seven innings.

• Simon Fraser returns home for the re-start of conference play, hosting Saint Martin’s for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Afrer splitting a doubleheader at Western Washington last Monday, Western Oregon went 3-2 at the Tournament of Champions. The Wolves recorded an 8-0 win over Academy of Art on Friday, a 3-2 win over Hawaii Hilo on Saturday and a 3-2, eight-inning win over Chico State on Sunday.

• Senior Maddie Mayer was named the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week after she went 3-1 with a 0.52 ERA in four appearances, allowing three runs, two earned, on 13 hits with 21 strikeouts in 27 innings. Mayer was the winner in Monday’s 10-0 six-inning win at WWU, allowing four hits and four walks while striking out five. She allowed just two hits and struck out seven against Academy of Art before allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits with six strikeouts against Chico State. Mayer is third in the GNAC with a 2.27 ERA.

• Junior Chelby Smalley batted .500 over the seven games, going 11 for 22 with four runs, a double and four RBIs. Smalley went 2 for 4 in both games against Western Washington, which included an RBI single in the second game. She went 4 for 4 against Academy of Art, which included an RBI double and a two-RBI single. She finished with a hit in each of the final three tournament games. Smalley enters the week with a .324 batting average.

• Junior Isabelle Lewis batted .500 in six games and three starts last week, going 6 for 12 with two doubles and four RBIs. Lewis went 2 for 3 and had both doubles in the second game at Western Washington. She added a two-RBI single against Hawaii Hilo. Lewis is batting .269 in 13 games this season.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .259 batting average and is third in the GNAC with a 2.96 ERA.

• Western Oregon will host Central Washington for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday as GNAC play resumes.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington opened the week with a split against Western Oregon last Monday before going 3-2 at the Tournament of Champions. The Vikings collected a 14-0, five-inning win over Academy of Art and a 4-3, eight-inning win over Sonoma State on Friday. They added a 6-1 win over Cal St. East Bay on Saturday.

• Junior Mareena Ramirez was named to the All-Tournament Team after she went 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA in three appearances in Turlock. Ramirez threw all eight innings against Sonoma State, allowing three runs on five hits with five walks and nine strikeouts. She was the winner against Cal State East Bay as she allowed one run on three hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Ramirez leads the GNAC with 12 wins, a 1.88 ERA and 129 strikeouts.

• Freshman Hailey Rath led WWU last week with a .381 batting average, going 8 for 21 with four runs, two doubles, a home run and four RBIs. Rath went 2 for 3 with the game-winning home run in the sixth inning Monday’s 3-2 win over WOU. She also batted in the winning run with an RBI double against Sonoma State, going 2 for 4 in the game. Rath also went 2 for 3 against Cal State East Bay and again had a role in the winning run when Kanilehua Pitoy scored when Rath reached on an error in the third. Rath is eighth in the GNAC with a .349 batting average.

• Junior Isabel Cargill batted .368 in the seven games, going 7 for 19 with three runs and two RBIs. Her week was highlighted by a 3 for 3 performance against Academy of Art with two runs scored. Cargill enters the week with a .278 batting average.

• Western Washington leads the GNAC with a .292 batting average and is fourth with a 3.16 ERA.

• Western Washington will re-start GNAC play in Nampa, Idaho, playing a four-game series at Northwest Nazarene on Friday and Saturday.