March 12, 2008

SEATTLE, Wash. - Jessica Rosencrants' journey to Western Washington began a long way from Bellingham -- 2,305 miles, to be exact.

The junior pitcher from Sequim started her collegiate softball career in Cape Girardeau, Mo., at Southeast Missouri State, which she left after her freshman year. After a stop last year at Peninsula CC in Port Angeles, Rosencrants made her way to Western.

Rosencrants has posted an 8-3 record with a 1.46 earned-run average and two saves in 13 appearances this season for the Vikings, who are the defending Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions. Western is 12-5 overall, matching the school's best start, and is 2-0 in GNAC play.

She was recruited to be the ace of Western's staff and the transition to her third school in as many years has been seamless on and off the field.

"She's adjusted well and has fit right in with the rest of the team," said Western coach Lonnie Hicks. "The team is totally confident when she's on the mound. Jessica is a very confident pitcher and she's always mentally under control."

Rosencrants was named GNAC Pitcher of the Week for her mid-February performance in the Division II Lead-Off Classic at Phoenix. There she struck out 25 batters in 28 innings, setting a school record by retiring 28 straight, and throwing a one-hit shutout against Montana State-Billings.

Two weeks later at the Central Washington Invitational, Rosencrants again won three of four decisions and had a save. She struck out 10 and scattered four hits in a 1-0, eight-inning shutout versus the host Wildcats.

Hicks said Rosencrants' effectiveness is based on her ability to change speeds and keep batters guessing.

"She's just an all-around excellent pitcher," said Hicks. Her changeup, curve and screwball are all absolutely dynamite, and she's moving her pitches around with different speeds all the time. She'll pop a 58 mile-per-hour fastball at you, then throw you a 47 mile-per-hour changeup, and follow that with a 50 mile-per-hour screwball. Trying to get good timing on her is very hard to do. She's very tough to hit."

As for the rest of the season, Rosencrants' goals are clear.

"I want to win every game I pitch," she said. "I just want to stay consistent and keep getting better with each game."

Also at WWU

Softball: Outfielder/shortstop Lisa Pendergrast (Burlington-Edison) has been named Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball Player of the Week.

Women's basketball: Redshirt freshman guard Amanda Dunbar (Marysville-Pilchuck) became just the third frosh in school history to lead the team in scoring and the first since Lori deKubber in 1981-82.

Men's basketball: Coach Brad Jackson (Hudson's Bay of Vancouver) missed Western's season-ending win over Northwest Nazarene last Saturday due to illness. It was the first absence of his 23-year coaching career at WWU covering 674 games.

Seattle Pacific

Women's basketball: The Falcons host Saint Martin's in the opening round of the NCAA D-II tournament Friday. SPU has beaten the Saints 20 straight times at home, dating back to Jan. 14, 1984.

Men's basketball: SPU gets a third shot at Central Washington in the opening round of the NCAA D-II Tournament Friday in Anchorage, Alaska. Central topped SPU 97-85 and 105-96 (OT) earlier this year.

Gymnastics: Freshman Anissa Madrid (Kennedy of Burien) scored a season high 9.700 on floor exercise last weekend at Sacramento State.

Seattle U.

Men's basketball: On Senior Night last Saturday, center Travis Welt (St. George's of Spokane) scored a career-high nine points, while forward Ryan Coldren (Fall Creek, Ore.) finished with 14, his 18th game with at least 10 points this season.

Women's basketball: Senior guard Jackie Thomas (Curtis of University Place) set a season school record with 84 steals, while junior forward Chelsie Morrison (Portland, Ore.) did the same in three-point percentage by hitting 48.1 percent (50 of 104).

Track and field: SU set seven school outdoor records last Saturday at the Peyton Invitational, led by freshman d'Andre Benjamin (Mililani, Hawaii) and freshman Rachel Purcell (Mission Viego, Calif.) with two each.

Softball: Through the first 16 games, SU has committed only seven defensive errors for a .986 team fielding percentage. After posting two victories for the Redhawks over Montana State Billings over the weekend, senior Erin Martin (Valencia, Calif.) has been named GNAC pitcher of the week.

Washington

Baseball: Freshman Troy Scott (Auburn) has started 10 of 11 games at first base. Over the weekend against Cal Poly, he went 5 for 9 with two doubles, three RBI and his first college home run.

Softball: Freshman shortstop Morgan Stuart (Riverside, Calif.), MVP of the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament in Honolulu, hit .526 with two doubles, two home runs and a tournament-high 12 RBI. Freshman right-hander Aleah Macon (Upland, Calif.) was named Most Valuable Pitcher, going 4-0 with a 1.35 ERA and a tournament-best 24 strikeouts.

Men's golf: Sophomore Nick Taylor (Abbotsford, B.C.) has been the Huskies' top finisher in their last three tournaments, including two top-10 finishes.

Tennis: The 37th-ranked Washington women host No. 34 Washington State at noon Friday in the first of two meetings between the rivals. Both the Huskies (9-5, 0-4 Pac-10) and Cougars (11-5, 0-4 Pac-10) have risen steadily in the rankings, and despite only the latter meeting counting in the Pac-10 standings, Friday's match has rankings and possible NCAA implications.

Other colleges

Central Washington: With 10 wins in the last 12 games, the baseball team is ranked eighth in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II West Region poll.

Eastern Washington: Eagles cross-country teams earned all-academic team honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, while Mattie Bridgmon (Laramie, Wyo.) was named to the all-academic team with a 3.65 grade-point average.

Evergreen State: Freshman Ryan Lara (Franklin Pierce of Tacoma) broke his own 400-meter school record at last Saturday's Mount Hood Open with a time of 51.16. Lara has changed the record books four times this season.

Northwest: Freshman guard Erika Hornyak (Everett) led the Cascade Conference in free-throw shooting with a 90 percent average.

Pacific Lutheran: Junior Taylor Hacker (Gig Harbor) won the women's hammer throw with a toss of 167 feet, 10 inches at Saturday's Peyton Invitational. It was a lifetime best and third-best in PLU history.

Saint Martin's: First-year men's golf coach Kris Swanson (Capital of Olympia) has resigned to pursue becoming a PGA professional.

Whitworth: At last Saturday's Sasquatch Mini Meet in Spokane, freshman Courtney Hutchins (Selah) qualified for the NWC Championship in her first javelin competition, throwing 120-5. Whitworth is sending two athletes to the NCAA Division III indoor track and field championships this week in Ada, Ohio. Cody Stelzer (The Dalles, Ore.) will compete in the high jump and Emmanuel Bofa (Emerald Ridge) will race in the 800 meters at the meet, which is being hosted by Ohio Northern.

Elsewhere: Junior first baseman Kyle Stalker (Sammamish of Bellevue) of Willamette hit six home runs in a recent four-game series against Lewis & Clark. Stalker was 6 for 9 in the series with 13 RBI.