DECATUR, Ala. – The No. 24 University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team beat West Florida 4-3 and North Alabama 6-3 on the final day of the Gulf South Conference Crossover to finish the event with a 4-2 record, the best among all GSC-West teams.
 
The Cotton Blossoms (41-8, 18-4 GSC) now hold a seven-game lead over Henderson State for first place in the GSC-West standings. UAM and HSU are set to battle next weekend in a four-game conference series in Arkadelphia.
 
In the 4-3 in over West Florida (33-10, 12-8 GSC), the Cotton Blossoms began the scoring in the bottom of the first on a two-run homerun by junior Sarah Hayslip, who finished the game 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored.
 
After UWF’s Shannon Miles smashed a solo-homerun in the second to tighten the UAM lead to 2-1, the Cotton Blossoms answered with an RBI double by sophomore Kayla Jackson in the fourth to score Hayslip, who walked earlier in the inning.
 
The Argos added another run in the fifth on an RBI double by Amber Ingram. UAM sophomore starting pitcher Amanda Nordberg then worked out of a bases-loaded jam, inducing Ashleigh Allgood into a foul out to first base to end the inning.
 
UAM took a 4-2 lead in the sixth thanks to sophomore Katie Bowman’s solo homerun to right field. The Argos responded in the seventh with one run on an RBI single by Allgood.
 
Nordberg (15-2) earned the win after allowing three runs off five hits with three strikeouts and six walks in six and a third innings of work. Sophomore Randa Perry recorded her second save of the season after allowing only one hit in two thirds of an inning.
 
In the 6-3 win over North Alabama (21-25, 8-12 GSC), senior Becca Tipton led the team after going 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and one run scored. The Dermott, Ark. native lifted UAM to a 4-0 lead with a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Cotton Blossoms began the scoring on an RBI single by senior Emilie Hobbs and added another run in the third when Tipton scored on a throwing error by the UNA centerfielder.

Tipton's run-producing hit in the sixth was half of UAM's runs in the inning. Bowman and Hayslip scored later in the inning on an error.

Jackson (22-4) picked up the win after allowing three runs (all unearned) off six hits with seven strikeouts and only one walk in six and two thirds innings of work. Freshman Faith Lund recorded her first career save after inducing UNA's Jennifer Sharp into a 6-3 groundout to end the game with the potential tying run on deck.

Wednesday's (4/14) scheduled double-header at Arkansas-Pine Bluff has been canceled, giving UAM six days to prepare for Henderson State. The four-game GSC series against the Lady Reddies is set to begin on Saturday, April 17 with a double-header at 1 p.m. at Dee White Field on the HSU campus.