MonticelloLive

After lying dormant for their first game, the University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms’ (33-13, 9-5 GSC) offense struck early and often in the second game as the Blossoms split a doubleheader with the Henderson State Lady Reddies, falling 8-0 in the opener but winning the finale 12-2.

The Cotton Blossoms were held to just two hits in the opening contest by Katie Corbell, who picked up the shutout win for the Lady Reddies after tossing six innings and fanning two.

HSU scored two runs in the first and four runs in the second inning to jump ahead to a 6-0 lead, chasing UAM starter Kate Brady (Jr., Longview, Texas) after 1 1/3 innings, seven hits, and six runs, four earned.

However, the second game saw the Cotton Blossoms offense come to life against Corbell, who also drew the game two start. Sarah Reed (Sr., McKinney, Texas) blasted a two-run homer in the top of the first inning to give UAM a 2-0 lead after one inning. UAM tacked on a pair of runs in the second on a two-run single by Meredith Heckel (Jr., Hot Springs, Ark.) to extend their lead to 4-0.

UAM’s lead was pushed to 7-0 as Joleah Oxner (Sr., Monticello, Ark.) hit a three-run homer in the top of the third, and the UAM lead was extended to 9-0 after back-to-back RBI singles by Reed and Becca Tipton (Fr., Dermott, Ark.) Brady closed scoring for UAM in the third with a three-run homer of her own, giving UAM a 12-0 lead.

HSU broke through in the fourth inning, scoring a run on an RBI single and pulling to within 12-2 on a Kelcie Glidden home run in the fifth inning.
However, it was too late for HSU as the eight-run rule was invoked after the fifth inning. Alison North (Fr., Marion, La.) picked up the win for UAM after allowing six hits and two runs over five innings. Reed, Brady, and Oxner all had two hits in the win while Heckel picked up three.

The Blossoms return to action on Saturday, April 7, as they host Henderson State University in a Gulf South Conference doubleheader. First pitch from
Blossoms Field is set for 1 p.m.