MONTICELLO, Ark. - The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team earned a split of a midweek doubleheader against top-ranked Southern Arkansas by picking up a walk-off win in game two Wednesday. The Blossoms fell 4-1 in game one, but rebounded to take game two in dramatic fashion 2-1 at Alvy Early Softball Field.
With the doubleheader split UAM moves to 4-5 overall and 4-3 in Great American Conference play this season.
GAME ONE: SAU 4 - UAM 1
UAM trailed from the outset of game one after starter Maddie Chalenburg gave up a leadoff home run in the top of the first inning.
The Blossoms got a runner on in the first and second frames, but left them stranded. SAU (3-1, 1-1 GAC) tacked on another run in third on the second solo home run of the day for Laina Suesue.
Chalenburg surrendered another run in the fourth, but managed to limit the damage leaving a pair of runners stranded. In the bottom of the frame UAM struck for its only run of the contest on an RBI-single by Sierra Gasca.
The Muleriders added one insurance run in the fifth putting the Blossoms behind 4-1.
UAM put one runner on in each of the final three innings, but once again failed to push any runs across the plate to ultimately drop game one 4-1.
Chalenburg (L, 1-2) ended with the loss tossing seven innings while giving up four runs on seven hits and striking out four.
Victoria Taylor (W, 3-0) earned the win allowing one run on six hits in five innings of work. Elisa Favela (S, 1) picked up the save pitching two scoreless innings.
GAME TWO: UAM 2 - SAU 1
The second game of the day started in a similar fashion as UAM starter Jamie Franks allowed SAU to strike in the first inning to plate one run. However, Franks settled in to leave two stranded before holding the Muleriders to just two hits over the final six innings.
Both teams were quiet at the plate until the bottom of the fifth when the Blossoms put together three hits in the frame to bring home a run on a Mahayla Mitchell RBI-single to tie the game.
Franks put SAU down in order in the sixth and seventh to give UAM a chance to earn a win in the final inning.
Bailey Camp and Mitchell forced SAU into a pitching change after picking up back-to-back singles to begin the frame. With the Blossoms down to their final out in the inning, Grace Neal put the ball in play and UAM capitalized on a fielding and throwing error by the shortstop as Camp raced all the way home from second to score the game-winning run. The Blossoms earned a split of the doubleheader winning in walk-off fashion 2-1 in game two.
Franks picked up the victory on the mound allowing just one run on three hits in seven innings pitched.
Sydney Wader took the loss giving up two runs on seven hits in six innings of work.
UP NEXT
The Blossoms are back in action Friday at Alvy Early Softball Field against Arkansas Tech. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
