Box Score

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The UAM Cotton Blossoms have advanced to the Championship Round of the inaugural Great American Conference Tournament today by defeating the Southern Arkansas Muleriders 8-0 in five innings.

The Blossoms struck early-and-often in their third game of the tournament today against the No. 6 seeded Muleriders. Maggie Sands scored the first run of the game with a bases-loaded walk to Sara Matthews. The Blossoms left three stranded in the inning, but weren’t done yet.

Katie Bowman scored in the second inning after reaching on an error by the Mulerider first baseman. Summer Huddleston moved her up with a sacrifice bunt and Sands put her on third with a single to left. That set up Beth Johnson’s RBI grounder to third to put UAM up 2-0.

Kara House scored the first of two runs in the third off another SAU error to give the Blossoms the 3-0 edge. The error allowed Bowman to reach first, she then stole second to put herself in scoring position for Summer Huddleston to drive her in with a hard hit single up the middle, 4-0.

Three walks in the bottom of the fourth set up the four-run final inning for UAM as both Kayla Jackson and Sara Matthews reached with one out, then Brittany Eitel loaded the bases with two away for Jennifer Hickman.

The senior shortstop laced a triple over the Mulerider centerfielder to clear the bases, and adding to the calamity for Southern Arkansas, the Lady Riders allowed her to waltz home after a fourth error put Bowman on first to put the run-rule in effect, 8-0 going into the top of the fifth.

Kayla Jackson closed out the shutout with a 1-2-3 inning, getting two groundouts and a final strikeout to put the game away in five. The Hallsville native went the full five innings for the Blossoms, giving up just two hits with no walks and four strikeouts in 16 batters-faced.

The Blossoms will face off with the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm in the championship tomorrow  afternoon. SOSU will have to hand UAM two consecutive losses to take the crown away from the Blossoms. The game will be carried live on KHBM in Monticello and online at uamsports.com/live.