MONTICELLO, Ark. - The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball could not keep pace at the plate dropping both games in a doubleheader against Harding Saturday. The Blossoms lost the first game of the day 11-2 before falling 9-1 in the series finale at Alvy Early Softball Field.

UAM falls to 7-16 overall on the season and 6-14 in Great American Conference play. Harding improves to 19-6 on the year and 12-5 in league contests.

GAME ONE: HU 11, UAM 2

The Blossoms struck first in game one of the twin bill bringing across one run in the bottom of the second. Haley Godeaux picked up a one-out single and advanced into scoring position on a groundout by Bailey Camp. The next hitter, Mahayla Mitchell, drove in Godeaux with an RBI-single to put UAM on top early. That's all the Blossoms would get in the frame as the bases were left loaded.

After sitting down the Lady Bisons in order in the first and second, Jamie Franks allowed two runs to score on four hits in the top of the third.

UAM left at least one runner stranded in the next two frames, before Harding managed to plate another pair against Franks in the fifth to make the score 4-1.

The Blossoms got one run back in the home half of the sixth when Caroline Tedder scored on a wild pitch.

Harding, however, would break the game open in the top of the seventh scoring seven runs on six hits before Franks worked to leave the bases loaded to end the frame.

The bottom of the seventh went quietly for the Blossoms as UAM fell 11-2 in game one of the doubleheader.

Franks (L, 3-5) ended with the loss allowing 11 runs, five earned, on 14 hits across 7.0 innings on the mound.

Jessica Bridges (W, 5-2) earned the win giving up two runs on eight hits in 7.0 innings pitched.

GAME TWO: HU 9, UAM 1

Sam Stephens got the start for the Blossoms in game two and quickly found a way to work out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the first thanks to a line out to Katelynn Stamper who doubled off the runner at first to end the inning.

The third inning did not end as fortunately for Stephens after the Lady Bisons loaded the bases again with no outs before launching a grand slam to open the scoring.

UAM turned to the bullpen bringing in Alexis Pevehouse to limit the damage and get out of the inning trailing just 4-0.

Godeaux picked up the first hit of the contest for the Blossoms in the bottom of the fourth, but the next three hitters were retired to end the frame.

In the top of the fifth, Harding plated two more runs on three hits against Pevehouse.

The Blossoms responded in the home half of the frame scoring on a sacrifice fly by Summer Perkins to get on the board.

Harding tacked on another three runs in the sixth to go up by eight.

Hannah Holdbrook led off the bottom of the inning with a single, but that was all at the plate for the Blossoms as they fell 9-1 in six innings in the series finale.

Stephens (L, 1-3) took the loss after surrendering four runs on five hits in 2.0 innings.

Pevehouse worked 3.2 in relief giving up five runs on eight hits. Maddie Chalenburg recorded the final out of the sixth facing just one hitter.

Lily Tanski (W, 13-3) picked up the win allowing one run on four hits in 6.0 innings of work.

UP NEXT

The Blossoms hit the road for a midweek battle against GAC-rival Southern Arkansas Tuesday, April 6. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.