NM STATE’S FINAU, KANSAS CITY’S RAMOS NAMED WAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
New Mexico State’s Fiana Finau and Kansas City’s Cinda Ramos have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for April 28-May 4. This is the second honor of the season for Finau and the first WAC Pitcher of the Week honor for Ramos, who was WAC Hitter of the Week earlier this season.
Finau, a sophomore utility player from Chula Vista, Calif., hit .750 with three RBI, two runs scored and her team-leading 13th home run of the season as the Aggies posted a 14-2 five-inning win over instate rival New Mexico in their only game last week. She posted a 1.500 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage.
Ramos, a junior right-hander from Olathe, Kan., went 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in one appearance last week. She threw a school-record 11 innings, scattering nine hits, and allowing just one earned run, while striking out five and walking none to help the ‘Roos grind out a 7-5 victory in the first game of a doubleheader at South Dakota State.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Kansas City’s Alex Friloux hit .375 with three hits and one run in a pair of games last week ... Morgan Summers of Utah Valley hit a two-RBI triple at No. 1 Oregon to tie the game in a 5-4 loss.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: New Mexico State’s Celisha Walker posted a 0.00 ERA over 2.2 innings against New Mexico ... Josi Summers of Utah Valley went 0-1 in two appearances with a 2.42 ERA and four strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work against No. 1 Oregon.
GCU’S BARAK, PESQUEIRA NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Grand Canyon’s Kelsey Barak and Stephanie Pesqueira were voted to the Capital One Academic All-District 8 Softball Team. Both now advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America® consideration. That team will be announced on May 22. Barak, a junior infielder from Fontana, Calif., boasts a 3.91 GPA as an exercise science major. A senior pitcher from Tempe, Ariz., Pesqueira has a 3.42 GPA in psychology.
GRAND CANYON CLAIMS WAC REGULAR-SEASON TITLE IN FIRST YEAR
Grand Canyon won two of three games at Seattle U in the final weekend of the regular season to capture the WAC regular-season title in its first season at the Division I level. The ‘Lopes didn’t lose a series during league play this season and swept two of the five series.
WAC TO STREAM SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT FROM SEATTLE U
The WAC, in conjunction with its website partner NeuLion, will stream the 2014 WAC Softball Tournament live from Seattle, Wash. Viewers can sign up by visiting www.WACSports.tv. The double-elimination tournament will be held May 8-10 at Logan Field on the Seattle U campus. Every game of the tournament can be viewed for a single subscription price of $9.95. More information and how to subscribe to any of these video streaming events can be found at www.WACSports.tv.
NM STATE BREAKS WAC RECORD FOR RUNS IN AN INNING
New Mexico State set the record for runs in an inning in a WAC game with 17 in the first inning of the series finale against Bakersfield on April 12. The Aggies plated 17 runs on 11 singles, six walks, two players hit by a pitch and one error. The previous record for runs in an inning was 13 by Hawai‘i against Nevada during the 2010 season.
UTAH VALLEY’S ROBINSON BECOMES ALL-TIME HOME RUN LEADER
On April 12, senior Amanda Robinson became Utah Valley’s all-time leader in home runs when she connected for her 32nd career homer in the fourth inning at Grand Canyon, passing Amanda Perez (2009-2012). Robinson now has 39 home runs on her career.
NM STATE’S ROTHER TIES WAC RECORD FOR WALKS IN A GAME
New Mexico State senior outfielder/catcher Lacey Rother tied the WAC record for walks in a game with four, including one intentional walk, in the series finale against Bakersfield on April 12. She is tied with six other players for the record.
SEATTLE U, UVU SET SIX WAC SEASON HIGHS IN 13-12 GAME
In the series finale between Seattle U and Utah Valley on April 5, which the Wolverines won 13-12, the two teams combined to set six WAC season highs – runs scored (25), hits (29), RBI (19), doubles (9), total bases (53) and walks (11). In addition, Utah Valley tied the league’s season high with 17 hits in the game and Wolverine Debra Lovell tied the WAC single-game mark this season with 10 total bases. Seattle U’s Lisa Maulden tied the WAC single-game record in conference games with four runs scored.
GCU POSTS WAC SEASON-HIGH 17 HITS VS. SANTA CLARA
Grand Canyon had a WAC season-high 17 hits against Santa Clara on March 22, as every Antelope that played tallied at least one hit. Haley Walker led the team with four hits, Claire Zampini had three and Kayla Henry, Stephanie Pesqueira and Kylie Shull tallied two hits apiece.
UVU’S SUMMERS THROWS WAC’S ONLY NO-HITTER IN 2014
Josi Summers threw her first career no-hitter as Utah Valley topped Albany by a score of 3-0 on March 13. The senior threw all seven innings, striking out eight Great Danes and allowing no hits for her first no-hitter in a Wolverine uniform and the only no-no thrown in the WAC this season.
NM STATE SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR HOME RUNS IN A GAME
In its 14-5 five-inning win over Seton Hall on Feb. 28, New Mexico State hit a school record seven home runs. Fiana Finau and Staci Rodriguez hit a pair of home runs apiece, while Lacey Rother, Kelsey Dodd and Tatum Reedy added one homer each. It was the fourth time this season the Aggies had 10 or more RBI in a game.
GCU’S WARTMAN POSTS 15-GAME HITTING STREAK
Grand Canyon freshman infielder Camree Wartman posted a WAC-best 15-game hitting streak from Feb. 7-23. Included in the streak were hits in two games against No. 24 Arizona and one against No. 4 Alabama, as well as six multi-hit games.
NEW MEXICO STATE PICKED TO WIN 2014 WAC TITLE
In a preseason vote of the six WAC coaches, New Mexico State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the title. The Aggies took the top spot with 25 points and five first-place votes, followed by Seattle U in second place with 19 points and the other first-place vote. Utah Valley was third with 14 points, just ahead of Bakersfield in fourth place with 13 points. Kansas City and Grand Canyon rounded out the poll with 10 and nine points, respectively.