AZUSA, Calif. –- They didn't necessarily save their best for their last, because certainly they've been pretty good all along, but they did indeed make their last a most memorable moment.
Playing in the final game at the Cougar Softball Complex, 4-year senior pitchers Kris Franks and Michelle Coleman each fired complete-game victories to lift Azusa Pacific to a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of Vanguard. Behind Franks' effort, the Cougars took the first game 4-1 before Coleman led them to a 5-2 win in the second game.
"It's great to see seniors go out with performances like that," said Cougar coach Lori Kwiatkowski. "They put up numbers that in some sense will allow them to always remember their last game at home, and to a coach, that is very pleasing."
In the opening game, Franks was dominant in the pitcher's circle, limiting Vanguard to just 4 hits, half of which the Lions got in the third inning when they scored they scored their only run. Franks struck out a career-high 12 batters, including at least one in every inning. She stuck out 5 of the first 7 batters she faced, and was as equally strong at the end, closing the game by striking out 4 of the final 6 Lions. Only Jade Christiansen's 2-strike, fly out to centerfield to end the game kept Franks from tying the school single-game record of 13 strike outs.
The Cougars used 4 hits in the fifth inning to tally 3 runs and snap a 1-1 tie. With runners at the corners and 1 out, Tami Carter scored on a wild pitch that also allowed Courtney Cleaves to scoot from first to third base. Lori Shimasaki then singled home Cleaves to make it 3-1, and Justine Barnett doubled home Shimasaki to cap the outburst.
With Franks at patrol, Vanguard never threatened the Cougar cushion. No Lion reached second base over the final 4 innings. With the victory, Franks improves to 10-9 while lowering her ERA to 1.97. The 12 punch outs push her career strikeout total to 344, second most in program history (Julie Todd holds the record at 474).
Coleman's path to victory in the second game was a polar opposite to Frank's performance. Her effort nonetheless as just as effective. A hurler who relies on pitch control and the defense behind her, Coleman never enjoyed a 1-2-3 inning. In fact, she danced in and out of trouble all night. The Lions put at least one runner on second base in every inning while collecting 10 hits. However, Coleman produced under pressure out nearly every time required, forcing Vanguard to leave 8 runners on base for the game, including 5 in scoring position.
"Michelle batted all the way through," said Kwaitkowski, "and continually came up with big pitches at just the right moments."
Azusa Pacific moved out to a 3-0 lead after 4 innings. Carter scored an unearned run in the second inning on a botched pick-off attempt at third base. The Cougars added 2 more runs in the third on back-to-back singles up the middle by seniors Jessica Mikesell and Cassi Sweeney.
Carter completed the Cougar scoring in the fifth inning with a 2-out, bases-loaded single to center that scored Barnett and Sweeney.
Coleman, who struck out 3 and didn't walk a batter (she's walked just 1 batter in 61.1 innings this season), picked up her eighth win in 10 decisions this season.
On the day Carter led the Cougar offense with her third- and fourth-straight 2-hit games by going a combined 4-for-6 at the plate with 2 RBIs and 2 runs. She has now hit safely in 9 straight games and upped her batting average to .376. Barnett was 3-for-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs as well. Shimasaki was 3-for-6 with 3 runs, an RBI and 2 stolen bases to give her a team-leading 23 swipes on the season.
The sweep guarantees Azusa Pacific's 12th straight winning season. The Cougars improve to 26-20 overall, 10-12 in the GSAC. Vanguard falls to 24-29 overall, 4-18 in the GSAC.
Azusa Pacific closes out the 2006 season at Point Loma Nazarene, Saturday (April 29) at noon in San Diego.
