MONTICELLO – The University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team swept its way through the first of a two-day series against Delta State with a pair of shutout wins, first winning 2-0 followed by a 9-0 win in five innings.
 
The two wins keep UAM No. 1 in the Gulf South Conference West Division standings. Prior to Wednesday’s games, the two squads were only separated by one tenth of a point.
 
In the first game, freshman starting pitcher Kayla Jackson was responsible for the win both on the mound and at the plate. The Hallsville, Texas native smashed a two-RBI single through the middle of the infield in the bottom of the sixth inning to break the scoreless streak for both teams.
 
Jackson (20-4) is now tied with Lindsey Kight and Kate Brady for third place in UAM’s single-season record book for wins after tossing her eighth shutout and 21st complete game of the season. She tossed all seven innings, only giving up three hits while also picking up five strikeouts.
 
DSU’s Edie Oliver (15-8) took the loss after allowing Jackson’s go-ahead single in the sixth. Overall, Oliver allowed two runs off five hits and struck out six batters in her six innings of work.
 
In the second game, UAM used a five-run second inning thanks in part to a throwing error by DSU pitcher Kate Moreland. Junior Becca Tipton highlighted the inning with a two-RBI single to left field.
 
UAM started the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first frame thanks to a two-RBI double by Jackson, who completed her three-RBI game with an RBI-double in the second inning.
 
The Blossoms ended the game’s scoring in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run homerun by senior Lindsey Randall, her eighth blast of the season.
 
Freshman Randa Perry (7-3) earned the win after tossing a complete-game three hitter in her five innings of work. Moreland (4-4) took the loss for the Lady Statesmen after allowing all nine runs off eight hits in her two and two thirds innings of work.
 
UAM (32-7, 11-5 GSC) and DSU (23-17, 11-9 GSC) conclude the series tomorrow (Thursday) with a 1 p.m. double-header at Blossoms Field.