UAM Cotton Blossoms Draw Another Split with Gorillas

Courtesy University of Arkansas at Monticello Athletics Department

MONTICELLO — The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team responded from a 10-1 loss in the first game on Sunday to defeat Pitt State 7-1 in the second game to record the double-header split as well as split the four-game weekend series with the Gorillas.

Pitt State (4-4) picked up right where they left off from Saturday by racking up 10 runs off 14 hits in the first game on Sunday, highlighted by a four-run second inning and a five run sixth inning. Katelyn Birchfield and Kayla Sears each tallied three hits for the Gorillas, while Jordan Bradshaw led the team in run production with three runs batted in.

UAM (16-8) scored its lone run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI infield sacrifice fly out from sophomore Sara Matthews to score junior Summer Huddleston, who led off the inning by getting hit with a pitch and moved to third on back-to-back singles from junior Channing Tharpe and sophomore Sydney Tipton.

Senior Randa Perry (7-5) took the loss after allowing all 10 runs off 13 hits with five strikeouts and only one walk in the first three innings and the final inning. Junior Courtney Wilson provided two innings of relief in between, keeping PSU scoreless on only one hit with one strikeout and no walks.

Kendyl Shelburn (1-0) earned the win in complete-game style, allowing one run off four hits with 11 strikeouts and four walks.

Sophomore starting pitcher Katie Slaughter (7-2) allowed the Blossoms to bounce back in game two by only allowing one run off three hits with eight strikeouts and no walks in the complete-game victory.

UAM took advantage of a two-out PSU error in the bottom of the third to score two runs, while the Gorillas earned their only run of the game on a solo homerun from Katelyn Birchfield in the top of the fifth to cut the UAM lead to 2-1.

The Blossoms put the finishing touches on the win with a five-run sixth inning, highlighted by three consecutive run-producing at bats – an RBI single from Randa Perry, an RBI grounder from junior Brittany Eitel and a two-run double from Tharpe. Matthews got in on the run production with an RBI single two batters later.

Kylie Harpst (1-1) took the loss for PSU after allowing seven runs (three earned) off seven hits with no strikeouts and no walks in the first 5.1 innings.

The Cotton Blossoms are back in action next weekend on the road in Ada, Okla. for a four-game Great American Conference series against East Central University.