MonticelloLive

Sarah Reed (Sr., McKinney, Texas) swatted a pair of home runs to boost the University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms (37-16, 13-8 GSC) to a doubleheader sweep over the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns, as the Blossoms picked up 5-4 and 4-3 victories. Reed’s first home run of the day broke the Gulf South Conference team record of 78, previously held by the 2006 Delta State Lady Statesmen.

Arkansas Tech took an early lead in the top of the second inning, scoring a single run on a squeeze play to pull ahead 1-0. Reed’s record-setting homer came in the bottom of the third inning, giving UAM a 2-1 lead.

The Golden Suns knotted the contest at 2-2 on a fielder’s choice in the fifth inning, before Reed hit her second home run of the day, a three-run blast to give UAM a 5-2 lead. The Golden Suns narrowed the gap to 5-4 in the sixth, but Kate Brady (Jr., Longview, Texas) shut down ATU in the seventh to seal the victory.

Brady picked up the win after allowing four runs, all earned, on nine hits in seven innings while fanning three. Reed was a perfect 2-for-2 with five RBI in the victory.

In the finale, the Golden Suns took an early lead once again, scoring a single run in the top of the first on an Erica Meza single, before the Blossoms knotted the contest on an RBI single by Jenny Dunn (Jr., Adelaide, Australia) in the bottom of the frame. Meredith Heckel (Jr., Hot Springs, Ark.) gave UAM a 2-1 lead with a solo homer to lead off the third, but the Golden Suns tied the contest on a wild pitch in the fifth.

Brady hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to pull UAM ahead once again, but the Golden Suns were able to narrow the gap to 4-3 in the top of the sixth inning. However, starter Alison North (Fr., Marion, La.) settled down and shut down the Golden Suns in the seventh to seal the victory.

North picked up the win after scattering nine hits over seven innings, allowing three runs, two earned, and fanning one.

The Cotton Blossoms will conclude their four-game set with Arkansas Tech with a Monday doubleheader. First pitch from Russellville is set for 1 p.m.