Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ADA – The East Central University softball team split the final day with Arkansas-Monticello at Lady Tiger Field in Great American Conference action.  The Lady Tigers (20-15, 12-11 GAC) fell in the opening game of the day 4-9 and then won 10-3.

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ECU was led by senior Gina Mengwasser, who hit two home runs in the second game of the day and .500 for the day. 

Mengwasser had a .500 average for the day, with three hits, three runs score and four RBIs.  Junior Kaile Marcum also hit .500 for the day, with two hits and two runs scored.

Redshirt freshman Sydney Dow earned the win in the circle, moving her season record to 6-2 for the season.  She allowed four hits and three runs, with eight strikeouts.  Freshman Nicole Nordie started the opening game of the day, striking out four.  Junior Brianna Nunley threw the last three innings, with two Ks.

The Lady Tigers will now hit the road for their next GAC series, April 4-5 at Southern Arkansas.  Double headers are scheduled for both days, with Friday, April 4 starting at 2 p.m. and Saturday, April 5 starting at noon.

Game 2 – ECU 10, UAM 3
The Cotton Blossoms (22-17, 13-13 GAC) opened the scoring with one run in the top of the first.

ECU got on the board in the bottom of the second, taking the lead with four runs.  Mengwasser started the inning with a walk and was advanced to second when sophomore Jordynn VanPelt singled to short.  Both runners were advanced when Dow hit a sacrifice bunt, allowing sophomore Amanda Edmundson to earn an RBI when she hit a single up the middle.

Marcum kept the inning going by drawing a walk and Patterson earned an RBI with a single through the right side to load the bases.  Junior Chelsea Patterson then hit into a fielder's choice that sent the throw home, but it was errant and allowed two runs to score for the 4-1 advantage.

The Lady Tigers added three more runs to their total in the bottom of the third.  Sophomore Leah Tigert was hit by a pitch to start the inning and was batted around when Mengwasser hit her first home run of the day, and sixth of the season ,to left center.  After the first out Dow stepped to the plate and added her fifth home run of the year for the 7-1 lead.

ECU increased the lead to 9-1 in the bottom of the fourth.  Sophomore Autumn Suydam hit a leadoff single and was sent home when Mengwasser hit her second home run of the day.

UAM added two runs to their total in the top of the fifth for a 9-3 score before the Lady Tigers added their final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth.

Marcum started the inning with a single to right center and was sent home when Patterson hit a triple to right field for the 10-3 final.

Game 1- UAM 9, ECU 4
The Cotton Blossoms came out ready to play and went up 0-3 after scoring a run in the first three innings.

Junior Kayci Snider cut the deficit to 1-3 in the bottom of the third with her first home run of the season to left center, but UAM added a run in the fourth and three in the fifth to increase the lead to 1-7.

Suydam added a run in the bottom of the fifth with her first home run of the season over the center field fence for a 2-7 disadvantage.

UAM added two runs in the top of the seventh to lead 2-9.

The Lady Tigers were not done fighting and scored two in the bottom of the seventh.  Mengwasser led off with a double to left field that just missed going over the fence.  She was sent home during the next at-bat when VanPelt hit her seventh home run of the year to left center for the 4-9 final.