WAC Softball Weekly Release - 2015 Final
NM STATE GOES 1-2 AT NCAA TUCSON REGIONAL
Staci Rodriguez hit a two-run blast to center field in the top of the first inning to give the Aggies a short lived lead in a 10-2 six-inning loss to Minnesota in the first game of the Tucson Regional. Rachel Rodriguez had a double and Haley Nakamura had a base hit to account for the other two Aggie hits in the loss. Dallas McBride suffered the loss in the circle, allowing six earned runs on seven hits in two innings of work. Karysta Donisthorpe threw the final 3 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits. She struck out four and walked two.
The Aggies used a four-run sixth inning to take the lead for good in a 9-6 win over St. John's in an elimination game. Rachel Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a two RBIs, while Emma Adams was 3-for-4 and scored two runs. Fiana Finau drove in three runs, while Kelsey Dodd and Malena Padilla had two RBIs each. Makayla McAdams earned the win in the circle, allowing two runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings. She relieved starter Donisthorpe, who also threw 3 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits. McBride closed out the game with the final out in the seventh.
The Aggies' season then came to an end with a 2-0 loss to No. 15 Minnesota. New Mexico State was held to two hits - one by Adams and one by McBride - in the loss. McBride suffered the loss in the circle to close out the season 18-7. She allowed one earned run on nine hits over seven innings.
GRAND CANYON'S BARAK NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN®
Grand Canyon shortstop Kelsey Barak was selected to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I softball team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). She was one of four infielders named to the second team.
It was the second consecutive year Barak has been named a Division I Academic All-American® and third overall honor of her GCU career, as she was an Academic All-American® at the Division II level in 2013. Barak, who graduated with a degree in exercise science, boasted a 3.87 GPA.
A first team All-WAC selection for the second consecutive year, Barak hit .368 in 2015, with a team-best 15 doubles, five home runs and 43 RBIs. In conference games, she hit .409 with four doubles and two home runs.
Barak closed out her career ranked second in the GCU career record books in home runs (26), doubles (54), RBIs (175), runs (169) and walks (74).
SIX WAC PLAYERS NAMED TO NFCA ALL-REGION TEAMS
Six WAC softball players were named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-Region teams. New Mexico State's Fiana Finau and Missouri-Kansas City's Cinda Ramos were second team selections in their respective regions, while Bakersfield's Kelsie Monroe, Grand Canyon's Haley Walker, UMKC's Katie Kelley and NM State's Staci Rodriguez were each named to the third team.
A first team All-WAC pick, Finau tied the program single-season home run record with her 24th long ball of the season in last week's WAC Tournament. The junior designated player ranks fifth nationally in homers (24), ninth in RBIs (71), 17th in RBIs per game (1.25) and 32nd in slugging percentage (.834). She also set the all-time WAC mark for home runs per game in conference play (0.60).
Ramos, a senior pitcher/utility player, set the program single-season hits record with 69. The first team All-WAC honoree had 19 multiple-hit games on the year and 13 multi-RBI games. She also went 9-6 in the circle with 74 strikeouts.
The WAC Pitcher of the Year, Monroe set the Bakersfield Division I single-season records for wins (16), strikeouts (125) and shutouts (6), and tied the records for opponent batting average (.242) and complete games (21). The senior was named to the all-tournament team at the WAC Tournament after leading her team to championship Saturday.
Walker, a senior outfielder, hit .400 with WAC bests of 74 hits and 23 multi-hit games. The first team All-WAC honoree also had a 17-game hitting streak during the season.
A junior pitcher/utility player, Kelley ranks 23rd nationally in RBIs (62), 32nd in RBIs per game (1.15) and 45th in home runs (16). A second team All-WAC pick, she set the UMKC single-season marks for home runs (16), RBIs (63), doubles (17) and slugging percentage (.731).
The WAC Player of the Year, Rodriguez, a senior outfielder, ranks eighth nationally in sacrifice flies (6), 16th in runs per game (1.17), 29th in walks per game (0.78) and 36th in on-base percentage (.535). She set the NM State record with 70 runs this season, while her .523 batting average in WAC games ranks third all-time.
NEW MEXICO STATE WINS WAC TOURNAMENT
New Mexico State claimed its second WAC Tournament title after winning both games against No. 3-seed Bakersfield on championship Saturday. Emma Adams was named tournament MVP after hitting .714 with two doubles, four home runs and a tournament-record 12 RBIs over five games. The four homers ties the WAC Tournament record.
The complete all-tournament team is listed below.
All-Tournament Team
Paige Bouska, Seattle U
Madison Bundy, Bakersfield
Kelsey Dodd, New Mexico State
Brianna Gatlin, Utah Valley
Marlee Maples, Missouri-Kansas City
Dallas McBride, New Mexico State
Kelsie Monroe, Bakersfield
Sydney Raeber, Bakersfield
Staci Rodriguez, New Mexico State
Jaylen Watson, Utah Valley
MVP: Emma Adams, New Mexico State
ALL-WAC TEAMS ANNOUNCED
New Mexico State's Staci Rodriguez was named WAC Player of the Year, while Bakersfield's Kelsie Monroe was named WAC Pitcher of the Year. NM State's Dallas McBride was named WAC Freshman of the Year and the Aggies' Kathy Rodolph was named WAC Coach of the Year.
Rodriguez, a senior outfielder from Paramount, Calif., earned WAC Player of the Year honors for the second time in her career after leading all players in WAC games in batting average (.523), on-base percentage (.603) and runs scored (19), and ranking second in hits (23). Her .523 batting average in conference games is the third-highest in WAC history. Rodriguez was named WAC Hitter of the Week once during the season.
Monroe, a senior right-hander from Los Banos, Calif., earned WAC Pitcher of the Year honors after posting a 6-3 mark in WAC games this season. During WAC play, she led the league in games started (10) and innings pitched (63.0), tied for the lead in wins (6), ranked second in strikeouts (48), fourth in opponent batting average (.235) and fifth in ERA (2.67). Monroe was named WAC Pitcher of the Week twice during the season.
McBride, a pitcher from Scottsdale, Ariz., tied for the lead in WAC games in wins (6), ranked second in opponent batting average (.220), tied for second in saves (1), third in ERA (2.24), fourth in strikeouts (31) and fifth in innings pitched (34.1). She also had a double, a triple, two home runs and six RBIs in 14 at bats. McBride was named WAC Pitcher of the Week on April 13.
In her 15th season at New Mexico State, Rodolph earned Coach of the Year honors for the second time in her career after leading the Aggies to their second-ever WAC regular-season title and the top seed in this week's WAC Tournament. In WAC play, her team went 14-1 and led the conference in slugging percentage, triples, home runs, total bases, sacrifice flies, ERA, opponent batting average and saves.
NM STATE SETS TWO ALL-TIME WAC RECORDS
New Mexico State finished the year with a .347 batting average, the best in the history of the WAC, surpassing the previous mark of .341 the team set during the 2011 season. The Aggies also tied the all-time WAC mark for doubles in a season with 100.
SIX WAC TOURNAMENT RECORDS BROKEN OR TIED IN 2015
Six WAC Tournament records were either tied or broken in Las Cruces. The records are listed below.
|
Most runs - tournament |
10 |
Emma Adams, NM State |
|
Most doubles - game |
3 |
Madison Bundy, Bakersfield |
|
|
3 |
Brianna Gatlin, Utah Valley |
|
Most doubles - tournament |
3 |
Madison Bundy, Bakersfield |
|
|
3 |
Brianna Gatlin, Utah Valley |
|
Most triples - game |
1 |
Marlee Maples, UMKC |
|
|
1 |
Sydney Raeber, Bakersfield |
|
Most home runs - tournament |
4 |
Emma Adams, NM State |
|
Most RBIs - tournament |
12 |
Emma Adams, NM State |
BARAK, MORROW NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Grand Canyon's Kelsey Barak and Seattle U's Bubba Morrow were voted to the Capital One Academic All-District 8 Softball Team.
Barak, a senior infielder from Fontana, Calif., boasts a 3.87 grade-point average as an exercise science major. A first team All-WAC honoree, the shortstop hit .368, with a team-best 15 doubles. Barak ranks second on GCU's all-time career list in home runs (26), doubles (54), RBIs (175), runs (169) and walks (74).
A senior catcher from Auburn, Wash., Morrow has a 3.49 GPA as a social work major. She became Seattle U's all-time leader in doubles this season and ranks second in career home runs and RBI. A three time All-WAC honoree in as many chances, Morrow was named to the NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete team in 2014.
NM STATE'S RODRIGUEZ, DODD, FINAU IN WAC CAREER RECORDS
New Mexico State's Staci Rodriguez, Kelsey Dodd and Fiana Finau all etched their names into the WAC career records books. The records are listed below.
|
Category |
Player |
School |
Rank |
|
Runs |
Staci Rodriguez |
NM State |
4th/194 |
|
Home runs |
Staci Rodriguez |
NM State |
4th/56 |
|
Runs batted in |
Staci Rodriguez |
NM State |
4th/192 |
|
Walks |
Kelsey Dodd |
NM State |
2nd/137 |
|
Walks |
Staci Rodriguez |
NM State |
3rd/125 |
|
Total Bases |
Staci Rodriguez |
NM State |
10th/425 |
|
Slugging percentage |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
3rd/.751 |
|
Slugging percentage |
Staci Rodriguez |
NM State |
7th/.694 |
EIGHT PLAYERS RANK IN WAC SINGLE-SEASON TOP 10
Eight players made their way into the WAC single-season record books this season. The following are the ranks and categories.
|
Category |
Player |
School |
Rank |
|
Hits per game |
Haley Walker |
Grand Canyon |
7th/1.48 |
|
Doubles per game |
Kelsey Barak |
Grand Canyon |
T-8th/0.32 |
|
Home runs |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
T-3rd/24 |
|
Home runs per game |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
3rd/0.40 |
|
Runs batted in |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
3rd/74 |
|
RBIs per game |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
3rd/1.23 |
|
RBIs per game |
Katie Kelley |
UMKC |
T-5th/1.15 |
|
Stolen bases |
Brooke Parker |
UMKC |
T-7th/32 |
AGGIES SET SEVERAL PROGRAM RECORDS
As a team, New Mexico State set several program single-season records in 2015. The Aggies set program marks for wins (47), winning percentage (.746), batting average (.348), slugging percentage (.602), on-base percentage (.445), runs scored (465), hits (589), doubles (100), home runs (103), RBIs (436), total bases (1,020) and walks (283).
NM STATE'S FINAU SETS PROGRAM SEASON RBIS RECORD
With three RBIs in her team's NCAA Tournament win over St. John's, New Mexico State junior Fiana Finau set the program single-season mark with 74 on the year, passing Hoku Nohara's previous mark of 73. Finau also tied Nohara for the program single-season home runs mark of 24.
CSUB'S MONROE SETS FIVE PROGRAM SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS
Bakersfield senior Kelsie Monroe set the program Division I single-season records for wins (16), strikeouts (125) and shutouts (6), and tied the records for opponent batting average (.242) and complete games (21).
NM STATE'S RODRIGUEZ SETS PROGRAM SEASON RUNS RECORD
New Mexico State senior Staci Rodriguez scored her 62nd run on the season on April 28 at UTEP to break the program record for runs in a season. The record was previously held by Kandis Jones, who scored 61 times in 2011. Rodriguez closed out the year with 73. Rodriguez also set the program record for sacrifice flies with six.
UVU'S WATSON SETS PROGRAM SINGLE-SEASON WALKS RECORD
By drawing a walk on May 8 against Seattle U, Utah Valley freshman Jaylen Watson set the program single-season record for walks in a season with 28. Watson passed Cari Hamilton's 27 walks in 2007.
BAKERSFIELD'S BUNDY SETS THREE SINGLE-SEASON MARKS
Bakersfield senior Madison Bundy set the program Division I single-season records for batting average (.406), slugging percentage (.679) and on-base percentage (.466).
UVU'S VANSWAY SETS SINGLE-SEASON MARK FOR DOUBLE PLAYS
In the series finale against UMKC on April 28, Utah Valley sophomore second baseman Brittney Vansway set a program single-season record for double plays turned with 19. She closed out the season with 25. Junior shortstop Tiani Hensley was right behind her with 23 double plays turned.
UMKC'S RAMOS, KELLEY BREAK SCHOOL SEASON HITS RECORD
UMKC's Cinda Ramos and Katie Kelley each broke the school's single-season record for hits (66) against South Dakota on April 30. Ramos closed out the season with 69, while Kelley tallied 68. Kelley also set the single-season marks for home runs (16), RBIs (63), doubles (17) and slugging percentage (.731).
NM STATE RANKS IN TOP 25 NATIONALLY IN EIGHT CATEGORIES
New Mexico State closed out the season ranked in the top 25 in the nation in eight statistical categories. The Aggies were seventh in slugging percentage (.602), eighth in batting average (.348), home runs per game (1.63), on-base percentage (.445) and scoring (7.38), ninth in double plays per game (0.52), 19th in winning percentage (.746 ) and 23rd in doubles per game (1.59).
UTAH VALLEY LEADS NATION IN DOUBLE PLAYS PER GAME
Utah Valley led the nation with 0.76 double plays per game this season. The Wolverines tallied 45 double plays in 59 games, including a WAC season-high four against Seattle U in the WAC Tournament.
CSUB'S MONROE SETS SEVERAL PROGRAM CAREER RECORDS
Bakersfield senior Kelsie Monroe closed out her career ranked in several career statistical categories, despite playing just three seasons. She is the CSUB all-time leader in wins (36), appearances (112), games started (93), complete games (50), innings pitched (556.2), strikeouts (355) and shutouts (8), and ranks second in ERA (3.29) and opponent batting average (.268).
PARKER SETS UMKC'S SINGLE-SEASON STOLEN BASES RECORD
Missouri-Kansas City junior Brooke Parker stole one base last week to move her season total to 31, improving upon her program record in the category. Parker is already the program's career steals leader with 71 during her three-year career.
UTAH VALLEY'S SMITH SETS PROGRAM TRIPLES RECORD
With a triple against UMKC on April 25, Utah Valley junior Morgan Smith became the program leader in career three-baggers with 10. She passed Rachel Hartgrove and Megan Yocom as they were previously tied for the record with nine.
GCU'S BARAK ENDS CAREER RANKED SECOND IN FIVE CATEGORIES
Grand Canyon senior shortstop Kelsey Barak closed out her career ranked second in five program career statistical categories. She ranks second all-time at GCU in home runs (26), doubles (54), RBIs (175), runs (169) and walks (74).
NEW MEXICO STATE CLAIMS WAC REGULAR-SEASON TITLE
New Mexico State won its second WAC regular-season title after sweeping Grand Canyon last weekend. The Aggies finished WAC play with a 14-1 mark, their best conference record in school history. NM State is 40-13 on the season, the first time it has posted 40 wins in a season since 2011, the only other time it won the WAC regular-season title.
TWO NO-HITTERS THROWN IN THE WAC IN 2015
There have been two no-hitters thrown in the WAC this season. Utah Valley sophomore Bailey Moore threw Utah Valley's second no-hitter in program history on March 21 against neighboring Brigham Young. Bakersfield's Kelsie Monroe repeated the feat against Cal Poly on March 24, when she threw the first non-combined no-hitter for CSUB since the program moved to NCAA Division I in 2007.
THIRTEEN PLAYERS RANK IN WAC TOP 10 SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS
Several players made their way into the WAC single-season record books this season in WAC games only. The following are the ranks and categories.
|
Category |
Player |
School |
Rank |
|
Batting average |
Staci Rodriguez |
NM State |
3rd/.523 |
|
Batting average |
Haley Walker |
Grand Canyon |
T-4th/.500 |
|
Batting average |
Haley Nakamura |
NM State |
T-4th/.500 |
|
Slugging percentage |
Kelsey Dodd |
NM State |
9th/.921 |
|
Slugging percentage |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
10th/.915 |
|
Home runs |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
T-8th/9 |
|
Stolen bases |
Brooke Parker |
UMKC |
T-10th/12 |
|
Hits per game |
Haley Walker |
Grand Canyon |
2nd/1.80 |
|
Doubles per game |
Lisa Maulden |
Seattle U |
T-7th/0.43 |
|
Home runs per game |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
1st/0.60 |
|
Home runs per game |
Kelsey Dodd |
NM State |
T-10th/0.43 |
|
RBIs per game |
Fiana Finau |
NM State |
5th/1.47 |
|
RBIs per game |
Camree Wartman |
Grand Canyon |
8th/1.40 |
GCU'S HENRY BECOMES PROGRAM ALL-TIME HITS LEADER
Grand Canyon senior Kayla Henry dropped a two-run single into left field in her team's win over Utah Valley on April 18 to become GCU's all-time career hits leader, surpassing Randi Johns' (2006-09) previous mark of 264. The senior closed out her career with 266 hits in her four-year career.
NEW MEXICO STATE'S RODOLPH GETS 100TH WAC WIN
With her team's win in the series opener at Bakersfield on April 17, New Mexico State head coach Kathy Rodolph picked up her 100th career WAC victory. In her 10 years in the WAC, Rodolph is 104-82 (.559).
GRAND CANYON HAS TWO GRAND SLAMS IN ONE INNING
In game one of the series against Utah Valley on April 17, Grand Canyon launched three home runs in the third inning, two of which were grand slams by Jenna Coates and Camree Wartman. Grand Canyon became just the sixth team in NCAA Division I history to connect on two grand slams in the same inning.
UVU'S HENSLEY SETS PROGRAM SINGLE-SEASON ASSISTS MARK
Utah Valley junior shortstop Tiani Hensley continues to improve her single-season assist record for UVU with 168. The previous record of 127 was set by Samantha Telarroja in 2010.
NM STATE'S FINAU SETS RECORD FOR GAMES WITH HOMERS
New Mexico State junior Fiana Finau hit a home run in six straight games - against Arizona on March 21, at New Mexico on March 24, in all three of the WAC games against Utah Valley on March 27-28 and in the series opener at Seattle U on April 3 - to set a school record. Finau fell just short of the NCAA record of seven games.
NM STATE'S RODRIGUEZ SECOND AGGIE EVER WITH 50 HOMERS
New Mexico State senior outfielder Staci Rodriguez belted her 50th career home run, a grand slam in the second game of the series at Seattle U on April 4, to become just the second Aggie ever to reach the milestone. She closed out her career with 56 homers, eight shy of all-time home run leader Hoku Nohara, who finished her career with 64.
SU'S MORROW SETS PROGRAM CAREER DOUBLES RECORD
Seattle U senior catcher Bubba Morrow set the Seattle U all-time career doubles record with her 33rd in game two vs. Portland State on April 1 and closed out her career with 37. Lisa Maulden (34) and Jenny Hurst (31) are also in the Top 5 in the same category. Morrow also sits in second place with 32 career home runs and 130 RBIs.
BAKERSFIELD SETS PROGRAM DI RECORD FOR TRIPLES IN A GAME
During the second game of the Boise State doubleheader on March 15, Bakersfield's Alexandrea Simmons led off the third inning with her second triple of the day, while Jo Larios' three bagger was the second of the game for the ‘Runners, a CSUB single-game Division I record. In that game, CSUB also earned its first run-rule win since March 10, 2012, a 12-3 win over Maine.
CSUB'S RAEBER TIES PROGRAM SINGLE-GAME DOUBLES RECORD
Bakersfield junior outfielder Sydney Raeber tied the CSUB Division I record for doubles in a game in Game 1 of the Lobo Classic on March 6. She finished with three doubles against host New Mexico.
NM STATE SCORES MOST RUNS EVER AGAINST NEBRASKA
When New Mexico State 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.
UVU PICKS UP FIRST-EVER WIN OVER RANKED OPPONENT
Behind three home runs and a complete-game shutout from Bailey Moore, Utah Valley handed No. 25 Cal State Fullerton a 9-0 defeat in the Wilson-DeMarini Desert Classic on Feb. 15. The win marked UVU's first in program history over a ranked opponent at the NCAA Division I level.
UMKC'S KELLEY SETS PROGRAM RECORD FOR RBIS IN A GAME
Missouri-Kansas City's Katie Kelley set program marks for RBI in a single game with seven against Connecticut on March 7 and RBI over a five-game span with 16 from March 6-8.