Senior Natalie Mickelson, one of the program’s most prodigious power hitters, and freshman Erika Marmolejo, who was making her Cougar debut just 3 weeks after joining the team, each launched a pair of home runs to lead Azusa Pacific to 9-5 and 13-1 victories over Chaminade.
Marmolejo, who signed with Loyola Marymount University out Merced (Calif.) High last summer but transferred to Azusa Pacific at the semester break, made her first hit as a Cougar memorable, cranking a 3-run bomb to left field to highlight a 6-run third inning which proved to be the difference in the first game.
In the nightcap, Mickelson, who is second on Azusa Pacific’s all-time home run chart, launched a second-inning 3-run shot and then closed the game with another 2-run blast for the 23rd and 24th home runs of her career. In between, Marmolejo hit a solo homer to centerfield as Azusa Pacific cruised to its sixth season-opening sweep in the program’s 23-year history.
The Cougars had doubleheaders earlier in the week at BYU-Hawaii (Monday) and Hawaii Pacific University (Tuesday) rained out to open the island trip and the season. Nonetheless, they remained patient and made the most of their first opportunities by collecting 30 hits off 3 Chaminade pitchers.
Marmolejo, who walked in her first at-bat as a Cougar before hitting the 3-run home run, followed with a run-scoring single in her next at-bat to push the Azusa Pacific lead to 7-0 through 4 innings of the first game. The Cougars added another run in the fifth when newcomer Heather Gilbertson scored on a wild pitch to give the Cougars an 8-run advantage.
Behind the pitching of junior Erin Halma, who escaped a bases-loaded jam with an inning-ending strikeout in the third, Azusa Pacific moved to within an out of ending the game in the fifth. However, the Silverswords strung together 4 consecutive 2-out hits to score 2 runs and keep the game alive.
A Nicole Llorens single up the middle scored Halma in the sixth to complete the Cougar run tally. Halma surrendered 2 more 2-out runs in the sixth before giving way to freshman Carissa Piper with 1 out in the seventh.
In the second game, Azusa Pacific plated 5 runs each in the first and second innings to race out to 10-0 lead. Freshman Leslie-Anne Picone’s bases clearing triple capped the first inning outburst. Mickelson’s 3-run home immediately followed by Marmolejo’s bomb highlighted the second inning.
Junior pitcher Bre Anderson was the primary benefactor of the Cougar onslaught, working all 5 innings and surrendering just 1 earned run before the game was called. It was her longest stint in the circle since working 6 innings in a 3-2 victory over Concordia, April 24, 2007.
For the doubleheader, Marmolejo went 5-for-6 with 6 RBIs, a double and 2 home runs in her collegiate debut. Mickelson finished with a 5-for-7 effort at the plate with 7 RBIs. Picone was 4-for-7 with 4 RBIs on the night and was perfect on all 8 of her chances in her first game as a shortstop after playing second base in high school.
Azusa Pacific will conclude its Hawaii trip today with a make up of Tuesday’s Hawaii Pacific rain-out beginning at 4 p.m. (PST).
