GCU’S BARAK, NM STATE’S DONISTHORPE NAMED WAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Grand Canyon’s Kelsey Barak and New Mexico State’s Karysta Donisthorpe have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for Feb. 2-8. This is the first-ever honor for Barak and the first honor of the season and second of her career for Donisthorpe.
Barak, a senior shortstop from Fontana, Calif., had a hit in each of the Antelopes’ six games last weekend at the GCU Kick Off. She had nine hits in 20 at bats for a .450 batting average. Barak had two doubles, two home runs, nine RBIs and one stolen base over the six games to lead Grand Canyon to a WAC-best 4-2 record to start the season.
Donisthorpe, a redshirt junior from Farmington, N.M., went 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four appearances last week, leading the Aggies to all three of their wins during the Hotel Encanto Invitational. She pitched 16.1 innings, allowing only three earned runs while striking out 15. In 16.1 innings of work, she limited opponents to a .262 batting average.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Missouri-Kansas City’s Cinda Ramos hit .500 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs ... Malena Padilla of New Mexico State hit .400 with a double, three homers and seven RBIs ... Seattle U’s Breanna Timmons hit .714 with a home run and two RBIs in three games ... Dynasty Lauvai of Utah Valley hit .400 with three doubles, two homers and six RBIs.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: Grand Canyon’s Taylor Nowlin went 1-1 with a 3.36 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 16.2 innings of work ... Cinda Ramos of UMKC went 1-0 with a 2.62 ERA and 10 strikeouts over 10.2 innings ... Seattle U’s Alyssa Reuble went 1-2 with a 2.56 ERA ... Bailey Moore of Utah Valley went 2-2 with a 3.85 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 23.2 innings.
NEW MEXICO STATE SCORES MOST RUNS EVER AGAINST NEBRASKA
When it defeated No. 18 Nebraska 16-11 on Feb. 6, it was the most runs ever allowed by the Huskers in a game in the 39-year history of the program. The Aggies had 11 extra base hits in the game – five doubles, a triple and five home runs.
NEW MEXICO STATE PICKED TO WIN 2015 WAC TITLE
In a preseason vote of the six WAC softball coaches, who could not vote for their own team, New Mexico State was selected as the preseason favorite to win the title.
The Aggies took the top spot in the preseason poll with 23 points and three first-place votes, edging out Grand Canyon in second place with 22 points and the other three first-place votes. Seattle U was third with 14 points, while Utah Valley and UMKC tied for fourth place with 13 points each. Bakersfield rounded out the poll with five points.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM
New Mexico State senior outfielder Staci Rodriguez was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year and Missouri-Kansas City’s Katie Kelley was selected as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year in a vote of the league’s six head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.
New Mexico State placed the most players on the Preseason All-WAC Team with four, while Grand Canyon and Seattle U had three apiece and UMKC had two.
Joining Rodriguez and Kelley on the Preseason All-WAC Team are Grand Canyon’s Kelsey Barak, Kayla Henry and Nicole Newbury; UMKC’s Cinda Ramos; New Mexico State’s Emma Adams, Fiana Finau and Lacey Rother; Seattle U’s Izzy Geronimo, Lisa Maulden and Bubba Morrow; and Utah Valley’s Brittney Vansway.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Of the 13 first team All-WAC players from last year, 11 return for the 2015 season, including reigning WAC Player of the Year Lacey Rother of New Mexico State. Also returning are Rother’s teammates Fiana Finau and Alyssa Ruiz; Grand Canyon’s Kelsey Barak, Nicole Newbury and Lauren Regester; Isabella Geronimo, Lisa Maulden and Bubba Morrow of Seattle U; and Missouri-Kansas City’s Katie Kelley and Cinda Ramos.
Nine of the second team All-WAC selections return for 2015, including four from New Mexico State (Emma Adams, Makayla McAdams, Brennalyn Nakamura and Staci Rodriguez). Also returning are Lindsay Davis and Jenny Hurst of Seattle U, Bakersfield’s Madison Bundy, Kayla Henry of Grand Canyon and Utah Valley’s Brittney Vansway.
NEW MEXICO STATE TO HOST 2015 WAC TOURNAMENT
New Mexico State will host the 2015 WAC Softball Tournament. The five eligible teams will advance to the double-elimination tournament, which will be held at the NM State Softball Complex May 7-9. This is the third time the Aggies have hosted the event, as they did so in 2010 and 2012.