Dana Gandolfo became Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s first NAIA All-American softball player since the program began in 2001. Gandolfo was recently named a First-Team 2009 NAIA All-American.

“Dana is the first All-American we have had here,” remarked head softball coach Cody Hooper. “She fits the Northwestern softball mold. Dana is a good kid, student and player. Every award she gets is a testament to her hard work and dedication. The groundwork of all our former players, and what they have done to help build this program, has earned us the chance to recruit players like Dana.”

Gandolfo, a 5-11 junior outfielder from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, finished her second season for the Rangers. She led Northwestern in batting average (.432), hits (64), runs batted in (54), triples (5), slugging percentage (.750) and on-base percentage (.485). Gandolfo set a new record for batting average in a season with her .432 average and tops the category for most runs batted in during a season with 54. She struck out only four times in 148 at bats and had 10 doubles and nine home runs.

Gandolfo was also a first-team Sooner Athletic Conference outfielder for the second consecutive season.

2009 NAIA Softball All-Americans

The Northwestern Oklahoma State University softball team placed five athletes on the All-Sooner Athletic Conference Softball Teams, including a first-team selection, two second-team members, an honorable mention performer and a gold glove team member.

Dana Gandolfo headlined the Rangers’ all-conference list, gaining first-team honors in the outfield, for the second consecutive season. The junior from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, led Northwestern in batting average (.432), hits (64), runs batted in (54), triples (5), slugging percentage (.750) and on-base percentage (.485). Gandolfo set a new record for batting average in a season with her .432 average and tops the category for most runs batted in during a season with 54.

Natalie Vasquez and Heather Hokeah were both recognized as members on the second-team.

Vasquez, a junior catcher from Houston, Tex., hit .306 while playing in all but one game behind the plate. She had seven doubles, five home runs and drove in 33 runs.

Hokeah, a senior outfielder from Anadarko, played 42 games and held a .331 batting average. She recorded seven doubles, a triple and three home runs, while having a .469 on-base percentage.

Four-year first baseman, Tanya Parker, was named to the honorable mention squad. Parker hit .354 for NWOSU and was second on the team in doubles with 11. The Native of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, had three triples, four home runs and 37 runs batted in. She ranks in the top ten in virtually every career record category and leads in games played (208), at bats (633), runs scored (117), base on balls (70) and stolen bases (44).

Kati Jo Gabaldon was recognized as one of ten players to make the Gold Glove Team. The senior outfielder made several fine defensive plays in centerfield while also hitting .326 with 12 doubles and seven home runs. From Belen, N.M., Gabaldon recorded 119 putouts in 131 chances.

Northwestern finished the season at 25-31 and will lose five seniors.

After playing five games at the Sooner Athletic Conference Softball Tournament at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, the Ranger softball team went 3-2 over the weekend to finish their season with a 25-31 overall record.

The Rangers battled back after a 6-1 loss to Oklahoma Baptist on Friday morning and went on to defeat USAO, 7-4, in an elimination game. Northwestern’s Jeana Hancock provided the fireworks, going deep twice. Hancock’s second home run of the game was a walk off three-run shot. She finished the game with three hits and five runs batted in during four plate appearances.

Amy Ramirez recorded the win to improve her record to 10-5. She pitched a complete game, allowing just two earned runs and struck out three batters.

Northwestern rounded out Friday edging off Southern Nazarene in the last inning to sneak by 1-0.

During the bottom of the seventh innings, Kati Jo Gabaldon and Natalie Vasquez had bunt singles, before Tany Parker followed with the game-winning RBI single.

The Rangers had five hits and Amy Ramirez (11-5) pitched the complete game, giving up just a hit in the fourth inning.

Parker owned two of the Rangers hits. Heather Hokeah, Gabaldon and Ashley Vasquez also singled in the game.

Because of rainfall amounts, Saturday’s games got pushed back to Sunday.

Northwestern disposed of Rogers State with a 5-2 win during the 2 p.m. game.

Ramirez picked up her 12^th win of the season, pitching her 10^th complete game of the season. She struck out four and allowed six hits in seven innings in the circle.

Northwestern scored a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings, breaking open a 1-1 tie after two complete innings of play.

Parker and Christina Mueller had three hits in the game, while NWOSU picked up 11 hits.

The Ranger’s final game was against No. 2 Lubbock Christian. Northwestern was held to just one hit, while LCU run-ruled Northwestern in five innings and took home the 8-0 victory. LCU advanced to the title game after defeating Oklahoma Baptist.

Eighth seeded Northwestern Oklahoma State University will take on ninth seeded Oklahoma Baptist in the first round of the 2009 Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament at 10 a.m. on Friday May 1 at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

The Rangers come into the tournament with a 22-29 overall record and have a 9-17 mark in the SAC. Oklahoma Baptist is 6-20 in the conference and 26-27 on the season. Northwestern was victorious in the only meeting between the two teams in Shawnee during mid-April, downing the Bison 9-3 and 6-3.

The winner of the NWOSU-OBU game will take on No. 1 ranked Lubbock Christian, while the loser will play the loser of the USAO-St. Gregory’s game.

Complete SAC Softball Tournament Bracket

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.

In game one, Rogers State held a 5-2 lead after three innings. The Hillcats scored a pair of runs in the second inning and tacked on three more in the third inning, while Northwestern scored a solo run in the first inning as Heather Hokeah singled in Tanya Parker and scored a single run in the second inning as Christina Mueller scored on Parker’s fielder’s choice.

Rogers State added a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings, while the Rangers closed the seventh with another single run.

Meagan Lack fell to 9-15, pitching 5.1 innings. She struck out four and recorded four earned runs, while giving up 10 hits. Renea Tarwater pitched the remaining 1.2 innings and didn’t allow a hit or run, while striking out two batters.

Kati Jo Gabaldon picked up two hits in three at bats. Northwestern had eight hits, all singles.

Amy Ramirez (9-5) got the complete game win in game two, pitching all seven innings. She allowed just one earned run and six hits, while fanning five Hillcats in 35 batters faced.

The Rangers scored a run in the third inning and added three more in the sixth inning on five hits. Rogers State’s lone run came in the top of the seventh, before RSU left two runners on base to end the inning.

Parker led the Ranger hitters with a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate that included a triple. Jacki Kopacek and Jeana Hancock had two hits each. Northwestern outhit RSU 10-6.

Northwestern finished the regular season at 22-29 overall and at 9-17 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The team will head to Oklahoma City for the SAC Tournament beginning on Friday, May 1.

With the recent rainy weather, Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s softball doubleheader with Rogers State University, scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at the Alva Rec. Complex, has been changed.

The Rangers and Hillcats originally scheduled doubleheader will remain on Tuesday and start at 2 p.m., but the venue has been changed to Ann Lacy Stadium on the campus at Oklahoma City University.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.

On Friday, the Rangers failed to get a hit in their opening game against the eighth ranked Stars.

Meagan Lack started the game, pitching three and a third innings and was tagged with all nine runs. Amy Ramirez pitched the final two thirds of an inning.

Northwestern did reach base in the fourth and fifth innings. Tanya Parker walked in the fourth inning and reached base on a wild pitch, while Heather Hokeah reached base on an error in the fifth inning.

In the second game of the day, against Southwestern (Kan.), Northwestern didn’t have any trouble disposing of the Moundbuilders.

Southwestern scored a run in the first inning, while the Rangers held them scoreless over the next five innings. Northwestern picked up four runs in the fifth inning and tacked on six more in the seventh for the run-rule victory.

Four Rangers had two-hit games. Tanya Parker and Jeana Hancock went deep, as Parker picked up five runs batted in.

Lack picked up the win in relief, pitching five innings and allowing just one hit on the afternoon.

The Rangers started off Saturday with a 6-3 win over Southwestern. Northwestern scored single runs in the first, third and sixth innings and posted three runs in the fifth Kati Jo Gabaldon’s two RBI double and on a Southwestern error.

Lack recorded her second consecutive win in relief. She pitched 4.2 innings, allowed no runs and a hit, while striking out one batter. Renea Tarwater started the game and pitched 2.1 innings.

Gabaldon led the Rangers, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run.

In the second meeting against Oklahoma City, the Stars again scored nine runs as the Rangers were able to score once.

With a 3-1 lead, OCU scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth to get the win.

Northwestern was out hit 12-4 as four Rangers hit singles.

The Ranger softball team (21-28, 8-16) will host Rogers State on Tuesday, April 28 in the final regular season conference doubleheader at the Alva Rec. Complex. First pitched is slated for 2 p.m.     

ALVA, Okla.

The Rangers knotted the game up at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, after Oklahoma Christian held a 3-0 advantage. Northwestern scored two of the three runs on a Dana Gandolfo triple and then Natalie Vasquez drove in Gandolfo to tie the game.

Both teams posted a solo run in the sixth inning and were scoreless through seven innings.

With the scored tied at 4-4, the teams were forced to use the international tie-breaker. Oklahoma Christian moved its runner to third with the first batter and scored with a single. The Eagles upheld the one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Northwestern was sat down in order.

Renea Tarwater (4-9) pitched the complete eight innings, giving up only one earned run. She struck out one and walked one.

Both teams had eight hits. Gandolfo led the Rangers with a 2-for-2 performance as she had half of the team’s runs batted in.

In game two, the Rangers and Eagles were deadlocked at 1-1 after the first inning, but the Eagles exploded for nine hits over the next four innings to run-rule NWOSU, 9-1 in five innings.

Northwestern was out-slugged 11-4 by the Eagles.

Kati Jo Gabaldon had a double and a single in two trips to the plate, while Gandolfo tripled (her second of the day and fifth of the season) and Jackie Kopacek singled.

Meagan Lack (7-13) took the loss for Northwestern. She pitched an inning and faced 10 batters. Amy Ramirez finished the final four innings, striking out one and allowing two earned runs.

The Ranger softball team (27-16, 10-8) will play Oklahoma City University once on Friday and once on Saturday in conference action. Northwestern will also play Southwestern College (Kan.) a game each on Friday and Saturday. All four games will be played on the campus of Oklahoma City University.

Northwestern’s conference doubleheader with Oklahoma City University has been changed from the original date of Tuesday, April 21 to split games between Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25. The Oklahoma City University Tournament has been cancelled due to participating teams needing to make up missed conference games due to inclement weather.

Northwestern will play Oklahoma City on Friday at 4 p.m. and follow with a game against Southwestern (Kan.) at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Rangers will play a noon game against Southwestern (Kan.) and follow up with a 2 p.m. game against Oklahoma City. Both games against Oklahoma City will count as Sooner Athletic Conference games.

The Rangers next game is set for a home conference doubleheader with Oklahoma Christian on Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Alva Rec. Complex.

SHAWNEE, Okla.

The Rangers came back from a 3-1 deficit through three innings, scoring eight runs over the last four innings. Kati Jo Gabaldon, Jeana Hancock and Christina Mueller all went deep for the Rangers, as the team pounded out 12 hits.

Renea Tarwater received the start and pitched three innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out one. Amy Ramirez got the win in relief to improve her record to 7-4. Ramirez pitched four innings and allowed just two hits.

Three Rangers had two-hit performances, including Dana Gandolfo, Hancock and Mueller.

The Rangers and Bison went into extra innings, after playing to a 3-3 tie through seven. Northwestern erupted for three runs in the top of the eighth as Gandolfo singled in a run, Hancock hit a sacrifice fly and Heather Hokeah homered.

Again, Northwestern hit three home runs, as Hokeah hit two home runs and Mueller hit another one.

Ramirez picked up her second win of the day and eighth win of the season, throwing three innings of relief work. She didn’t allow a hit and struck out one. Meagan Lack began the game in the circle for NWOSU.

Jackie Kopacek led the way with a 3-for-4 performance.

The Ranger softball team (19-24, 8-12) is off for the weekend and will next travel to Oklahoma City University on Tuesday, April 21 to play a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.