MONTICELLO, ARK. – The East Central University softball team earned two wins at Arkansas-Monticello, not allowing a single run to be scored against them in the first two of four Great American Conference games.

The Tigers (15-10, 12-5 GAC) were led by junior Taylor Davis, with a .714 batting average, five hits and three runs scored.  Junior Jordynn VanPelt added a .571 average, four hits, four runs and four RBIs.

Juniors Lacey Paulk and Marissa Shaffer each earned a complete game win in the circle.  Shaffer threw the first game, striking out five and allowing just three hits.  Paulk was in the circle in the second game, allowing four hits and striking out four.

The Tigers and the Cotton Blossoms (16-9, 8-6 GAC) will finish the series Sunday, March 29 starting at noon.

Game 1 – ECU 8, UAM 0
The Tigers came out ready to fight and scored a run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.  Junior Autumn Suydam was hit by a pitch as the leadoff batter and then stole second.  She was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Kaile Marcum and sent home when VanPelt singled to right field.

The game remained with a 1-0 score until the top of the sixth when ECU took control and scored six runs for a 7-0 advantage.  VanPelt started the inning with a single to left and was sent to third on a double by Davis to right center.  The bases were loaded on a drawn walk by senior Lacey Williams-Wenholm. 

That set up two runs to score when senior Lauren Reeves reached on an error.  The bases were reloaded on a walk by senior Samantha McGraw.  Senior Kayci Snider then sent two runs home with a single to center.  Senior Peyton Watson loaded the bases again with a single to center, all before the first out of the inning.

The final two runs were scored by Marcum when she doubled to left field.

ECU added another run in the top of the seventh inning after Williams-Wenholm drew a lead-off walk, Reeves singled and Snider earned the RBI on a ground out to short.

The Tigers defense then held strong in the bottom of the seventh for the 8-0 win.

Game 2 – ECU 10, UAM 0
The second game of the day remained scoreless until the top of the fourth when ECU sent four runs home.  VanPelt started the inning with a single to left center and was followed on base with singles from Davis and Williams-Wenholm to load the bases.  That set up Reeves for two RBIs when she singled to center field.  McGraw kept things going with an RBI producing single through the left side.  Watson sent the final run home when she grounded out to short.

The Tigers added three more runs in the fifth inning.  VanPelt was hit by a pitch and Davis walked to put two runners on when Williams-Wenholm hit a home run to right center for the 7-0 lead.

ECU kept up the offensive pressure, scoring three more runs in the top of the sixth for a 10-0 advantage.  Watson reached with a triple to right center and Marcum was walked to put two runners on when VanPelt hit her 10th home run of the season.

The Tigers then forced UAM into a three-up; three-down situation in the bottom of the sixth to end the game with a 10-0 score.