RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team improved to 4-0 overall this season with a 4-0 win over Missouri-St. Louis and a 9-1 win over Southwest Baptist on Saturday in the Spring Slam Tournament hosted by Arkansas Tech.
 
In the win over Missouri-St. Louis, freshman Kayla Jackson (Hallsville, Texas) recorded her second win is as many days after pitching her first career shut-out. She threw the complete game of seven innings, allowing only three hits while striking out eight Lady Triton batters.
 
The Blossoms scored all of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by a two-RBI double from freshman Randa Perry (Collierville, Tenn.).
 
Freshman Katie Bowman (Decatur, Ark.) finished the game as the only Blossom to record more than one hit. She went 2-for-3 with a single and a double.
 
In the win over Southwest Baptist, UAM jumped out to an early lead by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Lindsey Randall (Keithville, La.) led off with a single to left field, followed by an infield singe by Bowman. Two batters later, junior Becca Tipton (Dermott, Ark.) smashed a two-RBI double, scoring both Bowman and Randall.
 
The Blossoms added three more runs in the third inning started by an RBI-single from Jackson, scoring Bowman, who led off the inning with a double. Jackson reached second base on the play, allowing her to score on Tipton’s RBI-single to right field. Later in the inning, freshman Meagan Wilson (Longview, Texas) reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed junior Emilie Hobbs (Nacogdoches, Texas) to score. Hobbs also reached base on a fielder’s choice two batters earlier.
 
In the fourth inning, the Blossoms exploded with four runs, thanks in part to a three-RBI double by senior Becca Sustaire (Hallsville, Texas). Senior Kayla Temple (West Monroe, La.) brought Sustaire to the plate with a single to right field in the following at bat.
 
Freshman Amanda Nordberg (San Antonio, Texas) recorded the win in her first appearance of the season in a complete-game effort. In her five innings, she allowed one un-earned run off two hits, while striking out two and walking only one of 18 batters she faced.
 
The Blossoms continue play in the ATU tournament tomorrow (Sunday) with an 11 a.m. contest against Northeastern State and a 1 p.m. re-match with Lincoln.