MONTICELLO – With its two wins over Illinois-Springfield on Sunday, the University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team is now on a school-record 14-game winning streak. Final scores on Sunday were 9-2 and 12-6 to pick up the four-game sweep over the Prairie Stars (0-6).
 
The Cotton Blossoms (21-4) tied the school record with its 9-2 win in the first game, highlighted by a five-run fifth inning and sophomore Kayla Jackson’s complete-game pitching performance.
 
Jackson (11-2) picked up her 12th complete game of the season after allowing two runs (both unearned) off five hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks. After allowing both of UIS’s runs in the top off the first off two fielding errors, Jackson retired 12 batters in a row with seven strikeouts over the first four innings before allowing a single in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
 
Junior Sarah Hayslip led the Blossoms offensively, going 3-for-3 at the plate with three-run producing at bats. The Houston, Texas native smashed her third homerun of the season with a solo shot in the second, followed by an RBI-single in the fourth and an RBI-double in the fifth.
 
Senior Emilie Hobbs went 2-for-4 at the plate, highlighted by a two-RBI double down the right field line in the fifth that ended the five-run inning.
 
Senior Becca Tipton tallied her sixth homerun of the season with a solo shot to right center in the bottom of the sixth.
 
In the second game, the Cotton Blossoms had to come from behind to record the school record 14th straight victory after allowing five runs in the top of the second.
 
UAM started the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first with an RBI-sacrifice fly out by freshman Faith Lund, followed by an RBI-single from Jackson.
 
After UIS’s five-run second, UAM brought the score to within one run in the bottom of the third with two runs and took the lead in the fourth with a five-run inning, highlighted by Hobbs’ go ahead RBI-single, followed by sophomore Jennifer Hickman’s RBI-double and Tipton’s two-RBI single. Hayslip added her fourth RBI of the day with an RBI-single later in the inning.
 
The Cotton Blossoms added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a two-RBI homerun from Hickman, her second round-tripper of the season. Hobbs preceded Hickman’s homer with an RBI-single to make her 2-for-4 in the game with a pair of RBI and two runs scored.
 
Hickman led the team offensively, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and four runs scored.
 
Sophomore Amanda Nordberg (8-1) recorded the win in relief after allowing only one run, which was unearned, and held UIS to only one hit in the final five innings of the game. Nordberg recorded seven strikeouts and only gave up three walks.
 
The Cotton Blossoms continue its 12-game home stand this Tuesday with a non-conference double-header against Arkansas-Pine Bluff starting at 1 p.m. at Blossoms Field.