MONTICELLO – Junior Kendra White smashed a three-run game-winning homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team a 3-1 victory over Ouachita Baptist on Saturday. OBU won the first game 7-4.

White’s homerun came on the first pitch of the at bat after freshman Faith Lund reached on a walk, followed by an infield single from sophomore Katie Bowman to set up the game-ending blast. It was White’s fourth homerun of the season.

The Cotton Blossoms (31-6, 8-2 GSC-West) had only reached scoring position once in the win before the seventh inning, when sophomore Kayla Jackson reached on a fielder’s choice in the fourth and moved to second on an infield single by junior Sarah Hayslip.

Hayslip and senior Becca Tipton led the team in hits after each went 2-for-3 at the plate.

Sophomore Amanda Nordberg (12-1) earned the complete-game win after allowing only one run off seven hits with six strikeouts and only two walks in her seven innings of work.

In the 4-7 loss in the series opener, OBU (26-12, 7-7 GSC-West) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead on a two-RBI single by pitcher Kristen Rigsbee in the top of the first inning, then added another run in the second off a fielding error by UAM sophomore shortstop Jennifer Hickman.

After the Cotton Blossoms responded with one run in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by sophomore Meagan Wilson, the Lady Tigers added two more runs in the third on a two-run homerun by Haley Chambers to give OBU a 5-1 edge.

UAM cut the OBU lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the third on a two-RBI double by Hayslip, scoring senior Emilie Hobbs and Hickman, who reached on consecutive singles earlier in the inning.

OBU added its final runs on a two-RBI single by Taylor Austin in the fifth for a 7-3 lead.

Lund entered the circle in the sixth and held OBU scoreless and only allowed two hits over the final two innings of the game. However, it was Lund that ended the game in the bottom of the seventh on a swinging strikeout, leaving two runners stranded. Two batters prior to Lund’s at bat, Jackson gave UAM its fourth and final run of the game with an RBI single to score Hobbs, who singled to lead off the inning.

Jackson (16-3) took the loss, her first defeat since a 0-2 loss to Missouri Western on February 28. She allowed seven runs (five earned) off eight hits with four strikeouts and only one walk in five innings of work.
 

The two squads conclude the four-game GSC series on Sunday (3/28) with a double-header starting at 1 p.m. at Blossoms Field.