MONTICELLO – Freshman Katie Bowman had two game-winning hits as the University of Arkansas at Monticello softball team defeated Henderson State 4-3 in nine innings, followed by an 8-7 win in 10 innings to win the series 3-1 and clinch a berth into the 2009 Gulf South Conference Championship Tournament.
 
The Blossoms improve to 37-12 overall, 16-10 in the GSC and get a much-needed day of rest before hosting Arkansas Tech this weekend for a four-game series with the GSC-West title on the line.
 
HSU drops to 17-33 overall and 6-20 in the GSC.
 
In the first game, UAM plated one run in the bottom of the first inning off an RBI groundout by freshman Kayla Jackson. In the second, the Blossoms pushed two more across with an RBI single by senior Amy Mardis and an RBI groundout by junior Emilie Hobbs.
 
The Lady Reddies used a two-RBI double by Kayla Lucas in the top of the third to pull within one at 3-2. Both teams remained scoreless until the top of the seventh, when HSU scored an unearned run to force the game into extra frames.
 
After one and a half scoreless innings, senior Lindsey Randall led off the bottom of the ninth inning through the infield and later moved to third on a groundout.
 
Bowman then stepped in and delivered her first game-winning hit of the day, an RBI single through the right side of the infield to plate Randall from third, giving UAM the victory.
 
Jackson (23-6) earned the win and tossed all nine innings, allowing three runs (two earned) off five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. HSU’s Melissa Decker (8-18) took the loss after allowing four runs off 12 hits with two walks and one strikeout.
 
In the second game, UAM plated a pair of runs in each of the first and second innings, highlighted by a two-RBI double by Jackson in the second.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the UAM lead was extended to 6-3 after back-to-back run-producing at bats, starting with a single up the middle by Jackson, ending with a double to right field by junior Becca Tipton.
 
The Lady Reddies plated three runs in the top of the seventh and held UAM scoreless in the bottom of the inning to force the game into extra innings once again.
 
After two scoreless innings, the international tie-breaker rule was used, placing the last out in the lineup on second base before the first at bat of the inning.
 
The Lady Reddies scored one run in the 10th, giving them a 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the frame.
 
Freshman Meagan Wilson led off the inning by executing a sacrifice bunt to perfection, moving pinch-runner Heather Greer to third.
 
After a pair of infield singles, Bowman capped off her 3-for-5 game with her second game-winning hit of the day, legging out an infield single to the second baseman, scoring Greer and junior Bethany Falcon to end the game.
 
Freshman Randa Perry (9-6) earned the win in relief after tossing the final three and two thirds innings, allowing only one run off two hits with one walk and five strikeouts. HSU’s Kari Panno (0-1) took the loss after allowing two runs off four hits in her three and two thirds innings of work.
 
The Blossoms are set to conclude the regular season and its stretch of 12 games in six days this weekend, when the team hosts Arkansas Tech, which currently clings to first place in the GSC-West.
 
The series starts Saturday, April 25 with a 1 p.m. double-header at Blossoms Field in Monticello.