ALVA, Oklahoma – The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team opened its Great American Conference road series against Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday with a pair of losses, dropping the first game 5-2 before falling in the second game 8-2.

After missing six games due to injury, sophomore McKenzie Rice hit a solo homerun in her first at bat on Saturday to give the Blossoms an early lead. However, the Blossoms (24-21, 12-16 GAC) were limited to only two base runners in the next five innings.

During the scoreless stretch for UAM, the Rangers (21-26, 15-19 GAC) scored five runs, highlighted by a pair of homeruns from Jordan Haya.

The Blossoms attempted a two-out rally in the seventh, but a pinch-hit RBI single by freshman Ashton Currey was all the Rangers allowed.

Rice accounted for two of UAM's four total hits in the loss, and she was the only starter with any hits. Currey's pinch-hit RBI in the seventh drove in freshman Breanna Sanders, who collected a pinch-hit single earlier in the inning.

In the second game, both of UAM's runs came on one swing, a two-run homerun by sophomore Korie Parker in the top of the second inning. It gave the Blossoms a 2-1 lead.

The Rangers posted crooked numbers on the scoreboard in each of the final three innings to record the come-from-behind win and sweep the double-header. Haya again was NWOSU's offensive leader with a 2-for-4, three-RBI performance in the second game.

Parker went 2-for-3 for UAM, but senior Lacy Blanchard led the team with a three singles in her three plate appearances. UAM had a total of seven hits in the loss.

UAM and NWOSU wrap up the four-game set on Sunday with a double-header starting at noon.