Tuesday, April 11, 2023

STOP THIEF...OR NOT...: Simon Fraser has 10 games left in its regular season, which leaves junior Megan Duclos plenty of time to add to her single-season record in stolen bases.

Duclos had three stolen bases in Friday’s doubleheader with Saint Martin’s to give her 36 on the season set the GNAC single-season record in stolen bases. She surpassed the previous record of 33 set by Autumn Isaacson of Western Washington in 2015.

Duclos had 23 of those stolen bases in a tear through the first month of play, which included four stolen bases against Fort Lewis on Feb. 5 that tied the GNAC single-game record. She opened the season stealing 30 straight bases and was not caught for the first time until Mar. 17.

KEEPING PACE WITH TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORS: Northwest Nazarene continues to reign at the top of the conference softball standings after taking three of four games from Western Washington to earn GNAC Team of the Week honors.

The Nighthawks opened the series with a pair of 3-2 wins on Friday. In the series opener, NNU captured the lead in the third inning when senior Maia McNicoll launched a solo home run over the center field fence. McNicoll doubled the lead in the sixth inning with an RBI single to score senior Tori Hensley from second after Hensley stole second base.

After Western Washington battled back in the top of the seventh to tie the score, patience in the batter’s box proved to be the final decision maker. The Nighthawks drew four walks in the final inning, including one for the final run of the game with junior Sidney Booth working a 0-1 count into a walk with the bases loaded to win the opener. Booth also earned the win in the circle, throwing all seven innings while allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out six.

It was another complete game victory in the second half of Friday’s doubleheader with Hensley going the distance in the circle. Hensley allowed two runs on nine hits while striking out four. Those two runs came in the first frame, after which Northwest Nazarene chipped away at the deficit with single-run innings in the second, third and fourth to take the lead.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
PLAYER
Clarissa Moreno, Northwest Nazarene
IF • 5-6 • Sophomore • Selma, Calif.

Moreno led the Nighthawks to a series win over Western Washington with a .545 batting average, going 6 for 11 with five runs, a double, two home runs and five RBIs while also walking five times. She amassed a .706 on-base percentage and a 1.182 slugging percentage in the four games. Moreno had two hits in both games on Friday, including going 2 for 4 in the nightcap with the game-winning RBI single in the fourth for the 3-2 victory. She had a solo home run in Saturday’s opener and a three-run shot in the second game, a 9-1, six-inning win.

Also Nominated: Brooke Jordan (Central Washington), Kekai Schultz (Saint Martin’s), Abby McGlynn (Simon Fraser), Kaylie Kahele (Western Oregon), Amaya Davis (Western Washington).

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

Mayer won both of her starts against Central Washington, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits and seven walks with eight strikeouts in 14 innings. Mayer claimed the 4-3 victory in Friday’s opener, allowing three runs, two earned, on just two hits with four walks and two strikeouts. She opened Saturday’s doubleheader with a five-hit shutout, allowing three walks and striking out six in the 4-0 victory to improve to 12-8 on the season.

Also Nominated: Isabel Womack (Central Washington), Tori Hensley (Northwest Nazarene), Abby Runyon (Saint Martin’s), Shaneika Hollingworth (Simon Fraser), Mareena Ramirez (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington dropped three of four games at Western Oregon last week. The Wildcats fell 4-3 and 8-7 (10 innings) on Friday and 4-0 in Saturday’s opener before bouncing back for the 3-2 win in the series finale.

• Junior Kate Hopkins led the Wildcats with a .300 batting average, going 3 for 10 with a double and two RBIs. Hopkins had a two-RBI single in Friday’s second game before going 1 for 1 with two walks in Saturday’s opener and 1 for 4 in the finale. Hopkins enters the week with a .269 batting average.

• Junior Brooke Jordan went 3 for 14 in the four games with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Jordan went 1 for 3 in Friday’s opener and 1 for 5 in the nightcap with a two-run homer that capped a four-run third inning. She closed the series by going 1 for 3 in Saturday’s second game. Jordan is batting .230 in 27 games this season.

• Senior Isabel Womack earned the win in Saturday’s finale as she allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. She took a no-decision in Friday’s second game as she allowed three runs on no hits with eight walks and three strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Womack enters the week with a 4.27 ERA and a 7-6 record.

• Central Washington enters the week with a .256 batting average and 3.44 ERA. The Wildcats are second in the GNAC with 124 walks.

• Central Washington plays eight of its final 12 games of the regular season at home and will host Northwest Nazarene for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped two non-conference contests at No. 15 Sonoma State on Tuesday, 5-0 and 6-1, in the Yellowjackets’ only games of the week.

• Senior Shelby Martin went 2 for 6 for the Yellowjackets in the doubleheader. She had one of MSUB’s two hits in the opener and went 1 for 3 in the nightcap, scoring the team’s only run in the second inning. Martin enters the week with a .205 batting average.

• Junior Marin Penney also finished 2 for 6 in the two games. She had a hit in each game and was one of two MSUB players to finish with hits in the opener. Penney is batting .299 on the season and shares the GNAC lead with nine home runs.

• Senior Alyssa Etheridge took the loss in game one, allowing five runs, four earned, on 12 hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Senior Julia Qualteri allowed six runs, five earned, on nine hits with three walks and six strikeouts in the second game. Etheridge enters the week with a 3.15 ERA and is fifth in Division II with 18 complete games. Qualteri owns a 5.32 ERA.

• The Yellowjackets return to conference play with a .221 batting average and 4.46 ERA. Montana State Billings ranks 30th in Division II with 0.38 double plays turned per game.

• Montana State Billings plays eight of its final 12 regular-season games at home. The Yellowjackets host Western Oregon for a four-game set on Friday and Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene took three of four games from Western Washington at home last week. The Nighthawks won both games on Friday by 3-2 scores. The Vikings took game one on Saturday, 5-2, before NNU closed the series with a 9-1, six-inning win.

• For their effort to keep on top of the standings, Northwest Nazarene was selected as the GNAC Team of the Week.

• Sophomore Clarissa Moreno was named the GNAC Softball Player of the Week after she finished with a .545 batting average, .706 on-base percentage and a 1.182 slugging percentage in the four games. She went 6 for 11 with five runs, a double, two home runs and five RBIs while also drawing five walks. Moreno had two hits in both games on Friday, including going 2 for 4 in the nightcap with the game-winning RBI single in the fourth. She had a solo home run in Saturday’s opener and had a three-run shot in the second game. Moreno is batting .293 on the season.

• Senior Maia McNicoll batted .364 in the series, going 4 for 11 with a double, a home run, a run scored and six RBIs. McNicoll had a solo home run and an RBI single in Friday’s opener. She closed the series by going 2 for 4 with a two-run double and a two-run single in Saturday’s finale. McNicoll enters the week with a .321 batting average and is tied for the GNAC lead with nine home runs.

• Senior Tori Hensley won both of her starts, compiling a 1.75 ERA in 12 innings. Hensley won Friday’s nightcap by allowing two runs on nine hits with four strikeouts. In Saturday’s nightcap, Hensley allowed one run on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Hensley is third in the GNAC with a 2.18 ERA.

• Northwest Nazarene leads the conference with a 2.41 ERA and enters the week with a .277 batting average. The Nighthawks rank 30th in Division II with a 3.23 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

• The Nighthawks travel to Ellensburg, Washington this week for a four-game series at Central Washington on Friday and Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s split a pair of games at Simon Fraser on Friday, falling 5-4 in the opener before winning 8-3 in the nightcap.

• Saturday’s games were rained out and will be made at Simon Fraser on Wednesday beginning at noon.

• Freshman Haley Agena led the SMU offense by going 4 for 6 with two runs, a double and an RBI. Agena went 2 for 3 in the opener with an RBI double. She had two more hits in the nightcap and scored a run. Agena leads the GNAC with a .439 batting average and is tied for first in the GNAC with three triples.

• Sophomore Kekai Schultz went 3 for 6 in the twinbill with four runs scored, two home runs and three RBIs. Schultz went 1 for 3 with a solo home run in the opener and went 2 for 3 in the nightcap with a two-run homer. Schultz ranks fifth in the GNAC with a .364 batting average.

• Junior Abby Runyon picked up the win in the circle in the second game, allowing two runs on eight hits with five walks and four strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Runyon is ninth in the GNAC with a 2.97 ERA and is 7-2 on the season.

• Saint Martin’s is second in the GNAC with a 2.86 ERA and ranks third with a .287 batting average. The Saints are 19th in Division II with 1.79 doubles per game.

• After the rain makeups on Wednesday, Saint Martin’s will host Western Washington for a four-game set on Saturday and Sunday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser split with Saint Martin’s on Friday, winning the opener 5-4 before taking an 8-3 loss in the nightcap.

• Saturday’s doubleheader was rained out and will be made up on Wednesday in Burnaby, B.C.

• Sophomore Abby McGlynn led the Red Leafs by going 4 for 7 in the two games with a double, a home run, three runs and three RBIs. McGlynn went 2 for 4 in the opener with an RBI double in the first and a two-run homer in the fifth. She then went 2 for 3 in the nightcap. McGlynn is fourth in the GNAC with a .365 batting average.

• Junior Megan Duclos had three stolen bases and now has 36 on the season to set the GNAC single-season record. She surpassed the previous record of 36 set by Autumn Isaacson of Western Washington in 2015.

• Sophomore Janique Balcaen batted 4 for 8 with three RBIs. She went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBI singles in the opener before going 2 for 4 in the nightcap. Balcaen enters the week with a .348 batting average.

• Sophomore Shanika Hollingworth earned the win in the opener in relief, allowing one run on two hits in three innings. She threw five innings of relief in game two, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

• Simon Fraser ranks second in the GNAC with a .290 batting average and owns a 6.14 ERA. The Red Leafs rank 15th in Division II with 95 stolen bases and 2.57 stolen bases per game and 25th with 11.33 hits allowed per seven innings.

• After the rain makeup on Wednesday, Simon Fraser will host Central Washington for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon took three of four games last week over Central Washington. The Wolves won 4-3 and 8-7 (10 innings) on Friday and 4-0 on Saturday before taking a 3-2 loss in the finale.

• Senior Maddie Mayer repeated as the GNAC Softball Pitcher of the Week after she amassed a 1.00 ERA and won both of her starts. Mayer was the winner in Friday’s opener, allowing three runs, two earned, on two hits and four walks while striking out two. In Saturday’s opener, Mayer threw a five-hit shutout as she allowed three walks and struck out six. Mayer is second in the GNAC with a 2.14 ERA and tied for second with 12 wins.

• Senior Baylie Kahele led the WOU offense with a .385 batting average, going 5 for 13 with a double and three RBIs. Kahele opened scoring in Friday’s first game with an RBI double and added a two-run single in the second game. She went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s opener and 1 for 3 in the nightcap. Kahele enters the week with a .196 batting average.

• Junior Bella Valdes batted .300 in the series with a double, four runs, three RBIs and four walks. Valdes had a bunt RBI single in Friday’s opener and scored two runs and had the game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning of the nightcap.  She closed the series with an RBI single in Saturday’s finale. Valdes is batting .232 on the season.

• Western Oregon enters the week with a .254 batting average and is third in the GNAC with a 2.88 ERA. The Wolves rank 17th in Division II with 127 walks.

• Western Oregon heads east this week for a four-game series at Montana State Billings on Friday and Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington dropped three of four games in its road series at Northwest Nazarene. The Vikings lost by a pair of 3-2 scores on Friday before winning Saturday’s opener 5-2. The Vikings lost the final game 9-1 in six innings.

• Sophomore Amaya Davis led the Vikings with a .462 batting average, going 6 for 13 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Davis went 2 for 3 with a run scored in Friday’s opener and 2 for 3 in the nightcap with an RBI double. She went 1 for 4 in Saturday’s opener and 1 for 3 in the finale. Davis is 10th in the GNAC with a .330 batting average.

• Sophomore McKenna Crum batted .455 in the series, going 5 for 11 with an RBI and a walk. Crum went 1 for 3 in both games on Friday. She went 2 for 3 in Saturday’s opener and 2 for 2 in the finale. Crum enters the week with a .293 batting average.

• Junior Mareena Ramirez went 1-1 in the circle in the series with a 2.56 ERA, allowing five runs on 13 hits in 13.2 innings. Ramirez took the loss in Friday’s opener, allowing three runs on eight hits with eight walks and seven strikeouts. She was the winner in Saturday’s opener as she allowed two runs on five hits with six walks and six strikeouts. Ramirez leads the conference with 13 wins and a 1.95 ERA. She ranks 14th in Division II with 142 strikeouts and 29th in victories.

• Western Washington leads the GNAC with a .291 batting average and enters the week with a 3.32 ERA.

• Western Washington takes its last regular-season road trip this week, traveling to Saint Martin’s for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday.