WEEKLY RELEASE: Vikings ready for Northwest Nazarene, arch-rival Central Washington :: Western pitching second in GNAC, third in West Region with 1.88 ERA.

March 11, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Off to a great start, the Western Washington University softball team continues Great Northwest Athletic Conference action with a pair of road doubleheaders at Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington. The Vikings head to Nampa, Idaho, on Thursday (1:30 P.M.) and will play at Ellensburg on Saturday (12 noon). The two series mark the first true away games for Western, which is 12-5 overall, including a 3-1 mark at home and a 9-4 record at neutral sites.

The defending league champion Vikings are 2-0 in GNAC play, following a sweep of Montana State Billings on March 6. The following day the two teams split a non-conference doubleheader, moving Western to 12-3 in its last 15 games. The Vikings closed out the weekend sweeping NAIA powerhouse Simon Fraser, pounding out 27 hits and hitting for a .450 average in the series.

SCOUTING NORTHWEST NAZARENE

The Crusaders (0-19, 0-4 GNAC) have yet to win a game in 2008 and have been outscored 45-8 dating back to a 6-3 loss to the Vikings at the Central Washington Invitational. The Vikings lead the all-time series 28-3 and have won seven straight meetings with Northwest Nazarene. Catherine Lowry is hitting a team-high .289, while Haley Havern leads the club with one home run and four RBI. The Crusaders are hitting just .202 as a team with 32 runs scored in 19 games. Rachel Bare and Dana Shipley have split the starts for Northwest Nazarene, with respective ERAs of 6.52 and 8.16. Opposing hitters have belted 12 home runs and hit for a .388 average against the Crusader pitching staff.

Viking Career Leaders vs. Northwest Nazarene: Player AB AVG HR RBI Dotlich 6 .667 0 1 Wrigley 4 .500 0 0 Cosentino 2 .500 0 0 Barker 29 .379 0 5 Parkerson 12 .333 0 2 Anderson 3 .333 0 1 Teichler 29 .310 0 3

Pitcher IP H W-L ERA Hardin 5.2 5 1-0 0.00 Jorgensen 4.1 5 0-0 4.85

SCOUTING CENTRAL WASHINGTON

The Wildcats (6-10, 3-1 GNAC) have won three of their first four league games, after winning just three of their first 12 games. Seven of Central's 10 losses have been by one run, including four setbacks to nationally ranked opponents - St. Mary's (TX), Humboldt State, Seattle U. and Western Oregon. The Wildcats boast one of the top offenses in the GNAC, led by Player of the Year candidate Mallory Holtman. Holtman is hitting .457 with six homers and 16 RBI. As a team Central is averaging 1.1 home runs per game and has scored 51 runs in 14 games. Linze Vlahovich leads the pitching staff with a 2.21 ERA and 31 strikeouts, but is just 1-6. Kat Reime has started five games with a 3.21 ERA. The Vikings won six of eight meetings in 2007, including a four-game sweep at Ellensburg.

Viking Career Leaders vs. Central Washington: Player AB AVG HR RBI Pendergrast 20 .400 0 1 Anderson 3 .333 0 0 Teichler 44 .318 1 12 Barker 40 .275 0 2 Flem 22 .182 2 5

Pitcher IP H W-L ERA Rosencrants 8.0 4 1-0 0.00

ROSEN-SATIONAL

Jessica Rosencrants pitched 18-1/3 innings, allowing just four runs and striking out 13, while holding Montana State Billings hitters to a .115 average last week. Rosencrants earned the win in both conference games last Thursday, shutting out the Yellowjackets 6-0 before pitching two innings of relief in the nightcap. On Saturday, Rosencrants pitched a nine-inning complete game, losing on an unearned run in the top of the ninth. In three appearances, she had as many strikeouts (13) as base runners allowed (10 hits and 3 walks).

SAVING GRACE

Due to a limited pitching staff in the early going, starter Jessica Rosencrants has made three relief appearances this season, earning a pair of saves. One more would match the school single-season record of three, shared by Amanda Grant and Devon Fliss. Grant shares Western's career save record of five with Alison Haakaus.

GOING LONG

Sophomore Meghan Flem belted a pair of home runs at the Lead-Off Classic, lifting her within one of the school's career record. Carlena Herd hit 12 home runs from 1999-2002. Flem set the single-season mark in 2007 with nine home runs as a freshman. Flem's home runs against MSU Billings and Cal State Stanislaus each held up as the game-winning run in a pair of Viking victories. With her home run versus the Yellowjakets, Flem has now homered against every GNAC team but Seattle U.

VIKING CAREER HOME RUN LEADERS
Player               Years      Total
Carlena Herd         1999-2002     12
Meghan Flem          2007-Present  11
Adrienne Moore       2002-2005     11
Cortney Walton       2004-2006      9
Ashley Osman         2004-2007      9

RECORD WATCH

Senior catcher and designated hitter Liza Teichler is closing in on Viking the career record for doubles and is also approaching the top five for hits and runs batted in. Teichler hit .368 (64-for-174) with 15 doubles, four home runs, 40 RBI and 33 runs scored, earning 2007 GNAC Player of the Year accolades. Here is a look at how she stacks up against the top-5 in the Western record books:

Name                 Hits   Name             2Bs    Name             RBI
Jen Brandolini       194    Cathy Johnson    38     Cathy Johnson    104
Jessi Williams       174    Liza Teichler    27     Carlena Herd     103
Andi Greenen         166    Andie Greenen    25     Adrienne Moore    90
Mandy Harvey         153    Carlena Herd     25     Carlena Herd      84
Cathy Johnson        151    Adrienne Moore   24     Megan McPhee      77
#12 Liza Teichler    123                            #8 Liza Teichler  67

TWIN KILLING

Western's defense stole the show in Sunday's exhibition doubleheader versus NAIA power Simon Fraser. The Vikings turned three doubleplays in Sunday's second game and one in the first game. All three of game two's twin killings were started at third base by freshman Kelsey Anderson.

SIMON SAYS BASE HIT

Western pounded out 27 hits and combined for a .450 average in an exhibition doubleheader sweep of Simon Fraser. Freshman Michelle Wrigley led the attack with six hits, three runs and three RBI. Wrigley hit .750 for the day, followed by Jenna Mohrweis (.600), Caitlin Dotlich (.500), Liza Teichler (.500), Kelsey Anderson (.400), Meghan Flem (.375), Katie Barker (.286) and Lisa Pendergrast (.286). The games were exhibition contests and do not count towards the teams overall record or statistics. But, what if...?

Western's team batting average would have risen 21 points to .287, while its on-base percentage would have jumped 27 points to .341 and its slugging percentage would have improved 22 points to .388. Not bad for a day's work...

OUT OF THE BOX

Western's 12-5 start matches the program's best start to open a season. The Vikings were also 12-5 out of the gate in 1998 and 2000, eventually winning 33 and 32 games in those years, respectively. Western was just 8-9 through 17 games in 2007, before finishing the campaign with a school record 34-win season. With two wins at Northwest Nazarene Thursday, the Vikings will open a GNAC season 4-0 for the first time since 2005, matching the best league start in program history.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Western finished the 2007 season with a 10-4 record at Viking Field, including eight of the final nine home contests of the year. The Vikings finished 7-3 in conference home games and 3-1 in non-conference tilts. Western opened its 2008 home slate with a conference sweep of Montana State Billings on March 6. The Vikings are 3-1 at Viking Field, including a 2-0 mark in conference play. Western also swept an exhibition doubleheader versus Simon Fraser on March 9.

Morgan Parkerson

IN THE CLUTCH

Junior Morgan Parkerson has continued to excel in clutch situations for the Vikings. Parkerson is hitting a team-best .500 (6-for-12) with runners on base and runners in scoring position. She is also perfect a (2-for-2) with runners on third and less than two outs. Parkerson is hitting .333 in 21 at bats this season and has successfully advanced base runners 69-percent of the time.

MAKING THEM EARN IT

Through 17 games, Western pitchers Jessica Rosencrants (1.46 ERA), Emily Hardin (1.66) and Jen Jorgensen (3.07) have teamed up for a 1.88 earned run average and 81 strikeouts and just 25 walks. The Vikings' ERA ranks second in the GNAC, behind Seattle U. (1.68), and 3rd in the West Region behind Seattle U. and Hawaii Pacific (1.04).

FOURTH AND LONG

Western has outscored its opponents 14-1 in the fourth inning this season (65-43 overall) and is 11-1 when leading or tied after four innings this season.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Viking head coach Lonnie Hicks celebrated his 59th birthday with a GNAC sweep of Montana State Billings on March 6. The first game also marked Hick's 300th career game as Viking head coach. Now in his seventh season, Hicks is 168-135 (.554).

HIT PARADE

The Vikings belted a season-high 12 hits in a 5-4 win over Montana State Billings on March 7. The offensive attack marked the most hits in a game for a Western team since a 16-6 win over arch-rival Central Washington on April 26 of last year. That win finished off a four-game sweep over the Wildcats at Ellensburg.

WALKING OFF WITH A WIN

Senior Lisa Pendergrast sparked a pair of Viking victories with walk-off base hits in a series Montana State Billings. Pendergrast's double to right center scored Caitlin Dotlich from first base to give Western a 2-1 win in eight innings on March 6. The following day, the right fielder singled to center, plating the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Pendergrast is 9-for-20 (.450) in the last six games, driving in four of her seven RBI during that span. Pendergrast was named co-player of the week in the GNAC for the week of March 2-9.

EXTRA EFFORT

Three of Western's last nine games have gone into extra-innings. The Vikings are 2-1 in extra-inning contests this season, already matching their 2007 extra-inning win total. Western was 2-4 in extra-inning games last season. Extra-frames or not, the Vikings are playing some long games recently. Western's last five outings, including a pair of exhibition wins over Simon Fraser, have each topped the two-hour mark.

FLASHING THE LEATHER

Senior second baseman Katie Barker leads the team and ranks third overall in the GNAC with a fielding percentage of 1.000 in 66 chances. Barker is the only player in the conference to start every game at a middle infield position and not yet make an error this season. She also served as the pivot on three double plays in an exhibition sweep of Simon Fraser on Sunday.

Michelle Wrigley

TOPPING THE CHARTS

Outfielder Michelle Wrigley ranks eighth in the GNAC and is second among freshmen, trailing only Saint Martin's Kristine Kaneshiro, with a .358 average. Wrigley leads the conference in runs scored (13), is third in doubles (6) and eighth in total bases (25). Wrigley is 10-for-20 in the last seven games, a stretch that does not include a 6-for-8 performance in a pair of exhibition games versus Sinon Fraser.

SAC LUNCH

Western leads the GNAC in sacrifice bunts per game, putting down 16 in 17 contests (.94 per game). Three Vikings rank among the top four in the league in sacrifice bunts, led by Katie Barker, who ranks third in the conference with four. Liza Teichler and Kelsey Anderson are both tied for fourth with three sacrifices.

COMING UP ROSES

Junior transfer Jessica Rosencrants pitched 28 of a possible 39 innings in six games at the Lead-Off Classic. Rosencrants finished the tournament with a 3-1 record, a 2.00 ERA and a .229 opponents' batting average. Rosencrants pitched the final 16-2/3 innings of the tournament for the Vikings, retiring 50 of 56 batters and allowing just three runs. She set a school record by retiring 21 straight during one stretch in which she cut down eight Western New Mexico Mustangs and 13 MSU-Billings Yellowjackets in order. Rosencrants finished the week with 25 strikeouts and just two walks en route to being named GNAC Pitcher of the Week for February 10-16.

STARTING WITH A BANG

Freshman Caitlin Dotlich's first hit was a memorable one. Dotlich struck for a three-run homer during a four-run Viking first inning in a 7-1 win over Eastern New Mexico. In doing so, Dotlich became the first Western player to homer for her first career base hit since teammate Morgan Parkerson. Parkerson collected her first career hit with a two-run shot against Western Oregon on April 7, 2006.

NATIONAL WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY

Western catcher Liza Teichler and former pitcher Jackie Quint were among those honored on the floor of the Washington State Senate on Feb. 6 for National Women and Girls in Sports Day. The annual resolution is passed by the senate each year in an effort to recognize the commitment and courage of female athletes.

30 ROCK

Western won a school record 34 games during the 2007 season, turning in the fifth 30-win season in program history. With 30 wins in 2008, Viking head coach Lonnie Hicks would match former bench boss Art Phinney with a school record 186 career wins. Hicks is currently 165-134, good for a .552 winning percentage, in six seasons at Western.

TRIPLE THREAT

Three Viking newcomers were teammates at Inglemoor High School. Pitcher Emily Hardin and catchers Samantha Rutherford and Michelle Wrigley all started and lettered for the Inglemoor Vikings the past three seasons. As seniors, the trio led the team to a 24-5 mark and a third-place finish in the Class 4A state tournament.

REST FOR THE WEARY

Viking sophomores Hannah Becker and Megan Fowler will redshirt the 2008 season while recovering from injuries. Both players were projected starters. Becker hit .264 with four home runs and 19 RBI as a catcher during her freshman year, while Fowler started 39 games in a utility role.

CONFERENCE CHAMPS

The Vikings captured the program's first Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship in 2007. Western finished with a 15-5 league mark, edging Western Oregon with a double-header sweep on the final weekend of the regular season.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

Western qualified for the NCAA West Regional for the second time in program history last season, winning a school record 34 games in the process. The Vikings suffered a pair of agonizingly close losses to Cal State Stanislaus (2-0) and Sonoma State (3-1) in regional action at Turlock, Calif.

2007 ACCOLADES

Western swept all three major Great Northwest Athletic Conference awards in 2007. Departed senior Jackie Quint was named Pitcher of the Year, while battery mate Liza Teichler was honored as the league's Player of the Year. Head Coach Lonnie Hicks capped the trifecta when he took home Coach of the Year accolades. Quint, Teichler and center fielder Misty Britt were named first-team GNAC All-Stars, while infielders Nicole Walker and Meghan Flem were second-team picks.

Three Vikings earned regional honors. Teichler and pitcher Sarah McEnroe were named second-team All-NFCA West Region all-stars. Teichler was also named to the Daktronics West Region first-team, while Quint earned second-team honors.

ON THE WEB

For up-to-date statistics, box scores of every game, records, stories, etc., see the Western Athletic web page at www.wwuvikings.com. Live statistics for home games will be available on the Western GameDay page, beginning April 4, versus Seattle U. Live stats will also be posted for away games when available. Up-to-date league standings and statistics can be found on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web page at www.gnacsports.com.