MONTICELLO – The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team is set to enter the 2009 Gulf South Conference Championship Tournament as the No. 2 seed from the West division after recording a day two split with Arkansas Tech, losing the first game 2-1, followed by a 5-3 win in game two.
 
The Blossoms (38-15, 17-13 GSC) will face the East’s No. 3 seed, West Florida on Friday, May 1 at 2:30 p.m. at the Greenbrook Softball Complex in Southaven, Miss. The winner of that game plays at 7:30 p.m. Friday, with the loser playing Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
 
In the first game against Arkansas Tech (40-20, 19-9 GSC), UAM plated its only run in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI double by freshman Katie Bowman, plating senior Lindsey Randall, who led off the inning with a double to center field.
 
From that point, ATU starting pitcher Morgan Rodgers only allowed the Blossoms into scoring position on three different occasions, resulting in 10 UAM runners left on base.
 
ATU received offensive production from Rodgers in top of the fourth off an RBI sacrifice fly to the game at 1-all, ultimately forcing the game into one extra frame. The Golden Suns scored the winning run in the top of the eighth with an RBI single by Jessica Fields, plating Tiphani Moon, who doubled down the left line earlier in the inning.
 
Freshman Kayla Jackson (23-8) took the loss after tossing all eight innings, allowing two runs off nine hits with only one walk and two strikeouts.
 
Rodgers earned the win after tossing seven innings, allowing one run off eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Casey Hammons earned her fourth save of the season after inducing three consecutive groundouts in the bottom of the eighth.
 
In the second game, UAM scored two runs in the fourth and three runs in the sixth to come from behind after Tech took a 2-0 lead through three innings.
 
In the fourth, senior Amy Mardis started the scoring after drawing a bases-loaded walk, followed later with an RBI single by freshman Haleigh Winnon.
 
In the sixth, Randall delivered the big blow, a two-RBI single to center to conclude her 2-for-4 game. Bowman scored Randall in the next at bat with an RBI single to center of her own.
 
Freshman Amanda Nordberg (4-0) earned the win in relief after shutting out the Golden Suns in the final two innings off three hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Nordberg was also 1-for-1 at the plate with a run scored.
 
Rodgers (16-11) was charged with the loss after tossing the final two and two thirds innings, allowing three runs off six hits.
 
Seniors Savanah Morin, Heather Greer, Lindsey Randall, Becca Sustaire and Amy Mardis were honored with a special “Senior Day” ceremony prior to the first pitch.