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Softball By: Brian Ramsey

UAM CLINCHES FIRST-EVER SPOT IN GSC FINALS

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team captured its first-ever appearance in the finals of the Gulf South Conference Championship Tournament with a 2-1, nine-inning win over No. 4 Valdosta State and a 5-1 win over West Alabama on Saturday.

The Cotton Blossoms (43-12) broke a school record in the win over Valdosta State with a third win in the conference tournament. Despite the outcome of the team’s second meeting against West Alabama of the weekend, UAM would have been in the finals. With the win over UWA, Valdosta State, which defeated Alabama-Huntsville 4-2 on Saturday, will have to beat UAM twice on Sunday to win the conference championship. UAM is in good position to capture its first ever outright GSC championship in any sport in the last season as a member of the league.

In the win over VSU (36-9), both squads were scoreless through the regulation seven innings. UAM’s only chance of scoring was wiped out in the fourth, when sophomore Chasity Desselle was gunned down at the plate trying to score from second on a base hit from sophomore Faith Lund. Desselle was running for junior Kayla Jackson, who led off the inning with a single.

After Desselle was put out, UAM was still in good position to put a run on the board with runners on second and third with just one out. However, senior Sarah Hayslip slipped and fell after taking her lead from third and was picked off on a throw from the VSU catcher to the shortstop covering third.

The Lady Blazers only reached scoring position twice during regulation and scored its only run in the top of the ninth inning due to three defensive errors committed by UAM.

In the bottom of the ninth, UAM put together three consecutive hits to tie it up – a double by Jackson, a single from Hayslip and RBI single by sophomore Faith Lund.

With runners on first and third, junior Randa Perry put down a bunt that allowed Hayslip to score the game-winning run. It was Perry’s second game-winning squeeze bunt of the tournament.

Jackson (26-5) collected her third consecutive win of the tournament, going the distance for UAM with one unearned allowed off five hits. The Hallsville, Texas native struck out three and did not give up a walk.

The win over VSU advanced UAM into the final four of the tournament, pitting the team against West Alabama for the second time. UAM defeated UWA 1-0 in the opening round game on Friday.

In Saturday’s win over the Tigers (34-16), UAM found itself ahead early for the first time of the weekend with a run in the second on a sacrifice fly out from freshman Brittany Eitel and a solo homerun from Jackson in the third, her 11th round-tripper of the season.

UAM then took advantage of a pair of UWA walks and a pair of singles to take a 4-1 lead. Freshman Beth Johnson had an RBI single in the inning, while Perry scored on a wild pitch after freshman Summer Huddleston drew a walk to load the bases.

The Tigers scored their lone run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Rebecca Schick.

UAM loaded the bases again in the seventh and finalized the scoring with an unearned run a dropped throw by the UWA catcher from the shortstop Taylor Miller, who was attempting to retire junior Katie Bowman at the plate.

Jackson earned the win again and has now tossed 30 consecutive innings in the tournament. In the win over UWA, Jackson allowed one run off seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

Sunday’s final round between UAM and VSU is set to begin at 11 a.m. If the Lady Blazers beat UAM, the “if necessary” game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The UAM Sports Network will provide live play-by-play coverage at KGPQ-FM 99.9 (STATION CHANGE) in Southeast Arkansas and online at uamsports.com. The GSC will also provide a live video stream of the game via New Media Television. In addition, the VSU Athletics Department will provide live statistics. All links will be available at uamsports.com.
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