Cotton Blossoms Softball Swaps Shutouts with Delta State

Courtesy University of Arkansas at Monticello Athletics Department

MONTICELLO — The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team exchanged a pair of shutouts on Wednesday at home, losing the first 3-0 before rallying for 12 hits in a 9-0 win the second half of the non-conference double header.

UAM (18-10) was limited to just six hits in the first game, two coming from sophomore Sara Matthews, who had a double in the third and an infield single in the sixth. The Cotton Blossoms managed only three scoring opportunities, once in the second, once in the third and once in the sixth, but the team left runners on base each inning for a total of seven left stranded throughout the contest.

The Lady Statesmen (10-12) started their scoring in the top of the first inning on an RBI groundout from Kaitlin Moore. DSU finalized the scoring in the top of the fifth on a two-run homerun from Mariah Alvarez.

Senior Randa Perry (7-7) took the loss after allowing three runs off 10 hits with five strikeouts and two walks in a complete-game effort. DSU’s Miller Maddox (2-2) earned the complete game shutout victory after allowing just six hits while striking out 10 and not allowing any walks in her seven innings in the circle.

UAM wasted no time to snap its scoreless streak in the second game with a five-run first inning off four extra base hits, including a two-run homerun from junior Brittany Eitel. Matthews started the scoring with a two-run double earlier in the inning.

Junior Beth Johnson put UAM up 6-0 in the third with a solo homerun to left center, which was followed later in the inning with an RBI infield single by sophomore Kara House.

Johnson finalized the scoring in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run homerun again to left center. It marked Johnson’s second multi-homerun game of the season.

UAM sophomore starter Katie Slaughter (9-2) set down DSU in order in the top of the fifth to give the Cotton Blossoms their fourth run-rule victory of the season. Slaughter earned her first complete-game shutout of the season, holding DSU to just three hits with six strikeouts and no walks in five innings. Slaughter tossed three perfect innings and held DSU to just two scoring opportunities.

Lauren Kendall (3-5) took the loss for DSU after allowing five runs off five hits in just a third of an inning.

The Cotton Blossoms are back in Great American Conference action this weekend at home against Southeastern Oklahoma State for a four-game series starting Friday, March 15. First pitch of Friday’s double-header is set for 1 p.m. at Blossoms Field. Southeastern is currently ranked No. 5 the latest NCAA Division II National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 Poll.