SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – The 18th-ranked University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team is still alive in the hunt for the 2010 Gulf South Conference Championship after going 2-1 on the first day of the championship tournament.

The Cotton Blossoms (50-10) began the day with a 2-0 shutout victory over North Alabama in a pitching dual, featuring seven strikeouts by both team's starting pitchers.

UAM starter Kayla Jackson (27-5) earned her 11th shutout of the season and 29th complete game after giving up only five hits and not allowing a walk with seven strikeouts to tie UAM's single-season record for wins.

UAM plated two runs in the game off only three hits. The Lions out-hit UAM by a final margin of 5-3.

The Cotton Blossoms began the scoring in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by senior Becca Tipton to plate senior Emilie Hobbs, who doubled to lead off the inning.

In the fourth, UAM added its final run on an RBI single by sophomore Jennifer Hickman to score junior Sarah Hayslip, who reached on error earlier in the inning.

After the conclusion of the UNA game, the Cotton Blossoms switched fields to take on 2nd-ranked Valdosta State in a winner's bracket game. The Lady Blazers beat UAM 7-1.

UAM plated its lone run in the top of the second inning on an RBI single by Hobbs to score junior Kendra White, who singled earlier in the inning.

The Lady Blazers scored three runs in the first inning, two runs in the third and one run in each of the fifth and sixth innings.

Sophomore starter Amanda Nordberg (18-3) took the loss after allowing five runs off six hits with four strikeouts and only one walk in 2 1/3 innings of work.

After tournament officials decided to schedule a third game for each team of the day, the Blossom bats came alive in a 10-2 win over Henderson State in an elimination game.

All but one UAM spot in the lineup had at least one hit, and the team combined for 18 hits to score its 10 runs.

Sophomore Katie Bowman and Hayslip each went 4-for-5 in the win. Hayslip homered to left fiield in the seventh to take the team lead this season with 15 round-trippers. Tipton also homered in the win, a solo shot in the top of the fourth.

Jackson picked up her second win of the day, and in doing so, broke UAM's single-season record for wins at 27. She went the distance in the win over HSU, allowing two runs off six hits with four strikeouts and no walks.