Game 3 | Game 4
MONTICELLO, Ark. – The UAM Cotton Blossoms completed the four-game sweep of Arkansas Tech today, defeating the Golden Suns 6-0 and 6-3.
The Blossoms (28-10, 16-2 GAC) got things going in the bottom of the first after Maggie Sands drew a leadoff walk from Victoria Huie. She moved up thanks to a sacrifice bunt from Beth Johnson and came home on two wild pitches to put UAM up 1-0.
Kayla Jackson helped herself out considerably with a leadoff triple down the left field line. Sara Matthews was hit by the next pitch to put runners at the corners and set up a double steal attempt. Arkansas Tech (14-22, 8-14 GAC) catcher Maddie Roncketto made the throw up to second in an attempt to get Matthews freeing up the plate for pinch runner Kara House at third, who beat the throw home for the second UAM run, 2-0.
The game exploded in the fourth inning thanks to a series of hits, hit batters, and errors by the Golden Suns that put the game firmly out of reach. Brittany Eitel led the inning with a single to center. Katie Bowman drew a walk and Summer Huddleston was hit by Huie to load the bases with no outs. Maggie Sands took advantage of a fielder’s choice to get to second after a missed throw at the plate allowed two runs to score. Two more runs scored before the end of the inning, putting the Blossoms in command, 6-0.
Kayla Jackson got the complete game no-hitter with five walks and five strikeouts in 25 batters faced. The win is her third of the series and 19th of the season.
The second game was scoreless into the third inning. Summer Huddleston got a one-out walk to get things going. Maggie Sands got a single to move her into scoring position for Kayla Jackson. The senior got a double to center to plate both Huddleston and Sands to break the stalemate. From there, the Blossoms got RBI singles from Sara Matthews, Jennifer Hickman, and Katie Bowman. UAM got five in the inning off five hits.
The Blossoms got one more run in the bottom of the fourth after Huddleston reached again, this time on an error by the shortstop. Kayla Jackson got her third RBI of the game with another double to center to make the score 6-0, Blossoms.
Arkansas Tech got their first runs of the day in the top of the seventh with a four-hit inning off starter Katie Slaughter. Kayla Jackson came in with one out to close the door on the Suns before the threat grew into an emergency. She saved the win for Slaughter and collected her third save of the season.
Slaughter went six-and-a-third innings in her ninth win of the season. The freshman gave up the three runs on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Jackson threw the top of the seventh giving up no hits with one strikeout to end the game.
The Blossoms will return to action this Tuesday as they host Delta State University in a makeup doubleheader. First pitch with the Lady Statesmen is slated for 1 p.m. at Blossoms Field.
