PACWEST SOFTBALL WEEKLY NOTEBOOK
IRVINE, Calif. -- California Baptist and Dixie State both spent last week in Hawai`i as PacWest play continued, where the Lancers won five of six games, while the Trailblazers compiled a 4-2 record.
The previous week, Concordia went 7-1 on its trip to Hawai`i, setting the bar for the other two nationally-ranked programs in the PacWest. Against those three nationally-ranked teams, Hawai`i Hilo went 2-4.
Dixie State became the first PacWest program to start a year with a 20-0 record after sweeping a doubleheader against Chaminade. In 2008, Hawai`i Pacific had gone 19-0 before losing to Dixie State to end the winning streak. A decade later, the Sharks returned the favor, becoming the first team to beat the Trailblazers all year as Noelani Boyer hit a two-run home run in the first inning in a 2-1 victory.
California Baptist split against Hawai`i Hilo before recording three-consecutive shutout victories against Chaminade and Hawai`i Pacific. The Lancers wrapped up the trip with a nine-inning 7-3 win against Hawai`i Pacific.
Azusa Pacific handed Biola just its second sweep of the season. The two teams will play two more in La Mirada in the final week of the regular season. The Eagles also split with Academy of Art, which went 3-3 on its trip to Southern California. That included a split for the Urban Knights against Concordia, ending a five-game winning streak for the No. 17 team in the nation with a 3-1 win.
There is still a big gap in the standings between the top six teams and the rest of the conference standings, but Azusa Pacific helped close that gap by winning three of four games against those top-6 teams.
This week only features two PacWest doubleheaders as Chaminade goes to Dominican and Notre Dame de Namur. Most of the focus this week will be on non-conference play, which starts with defending West Region Champion Humboldt State visiting Academy of Art on Monday.
The Tournament of Champions will begin on Friday, featuring the majority of the 31 softball programs in the West Region, including nine PacWest teams. The three PacWest teams that elected not to compete in the tournament this year are the top three teams in the conference standings right now: California Baptist, Dixie State and Biola.
Chico State has been one of the best teams in the region so far this year and will play three games against PacWest teams. Chaminade will get the first chance to upset the Wildcats on Friday before Notre Dame de Namur plays Chico State. On Friday it will be Hawai`i Pacific’s turn.
Concordia has one of the toughest schedules at the tournament of any PacWest team, beginning on Friday with a battle against defending GNAC regular season champion Central Washington. The Eagles will also face a red-hot San Francisco State along with Sonoma State and host Stanislaus State. Concordia wraps up the trip on Sunday against Humboldt State.
Hawai`i Hilo will play two GNAC teams on Friday in Western Washington and Northwest Nazarene. Saturday’s action for the Vulcans will feature Cal State East Bay and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Vulcans will get a big test on Sunday against Cal State Monterey Bay, which was the CCAA’s preseason favorite to win the conference.
Weekly Awards for the week of March 12-18
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hannah Thieroff, California Baptist
1B/3B, Jr., 5-5 -- Mission Viejo, Calif.
Thieroff helped California Baptist win five of six games in Hawai`i last week as she extended her hitting streak to seven games. The junior went 11 for 23 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. After having their 12-game winning streak snapped by Hawai`i Hilo, the Lancers won four games in a row. Thieroff helped get the new winning streak started by going 5 for 7 in the first two wins of the trip with two home runs in each game and a total of 11 RBIs. In the opener against Hawai`i Hilo, Thieroff went 3 for 3 with two home runs, a single, a hit-by-pitch and six RBIs.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Ciara Stapp, California Baptist
P, So., 5-6 -- Yorba Linda, Calif.
Stapp continued her dominant start to her sophomore season with three complete games in Hawai`i, picking up three wins. Stapp tossed 21 innings with 22 strikeouts only one earned run allowed as she improved to 10-2 on the season with a 1.26 ERA. Stapp gave up nine hits and five walks in her first outing on the islands but limited the Vulcans to only four runs with just one of those being earned to earn the win. Two days later against Chaminade, the sophomore threw a three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and no walks.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Brooke Larsen, Academy of Art
RHP, Fr., 5-6 -- Sacramento, Calif.
Larsen helped Academy of Art earn three splits during a tough road trip to Southern California. The freshman tossed two complete games as she went 2-1 in 20 innings pitched with 23 strikeouts and four earned runs allowed. Larsen scattered seven hits and five walks in a complete game shutout against Azusa Pacific. The next day, she struck out nine batters in six innings despite taking a loss. Against Concordia, Larsen held the Eagles to just one run in a complete-game win to improve to 10-2 on the season with a 1.24 ERA. Larsen also made contributions at the plate with six hits in 19 at-bats, scoring three runs with a double and three RBIs.