MONTICELLO, ARK. – The East Central University softball team split the final two games in the four-game Great American Conference series at the University of Arkansas-Monticello. The Tigers (16-11, 13-6 GAC) fell 1-9 in five innings in game one and then rebounded with a 5-2 win in game two.
ECU was led by senior
Peyton Watson, with a .600 average, three hits and two RBIs. Junior
Taylor Davis also hit .600, with three hits, two runs and one RBI.
Junior
Marissa Shaffer earned the win in the circle for the Tigers, throwing a complete game. She allowed four hits, two runs and struck out three.
ECU will now return home for one the final two home series of the season, Thursday, March 2 and Friday, March 3 against Southern Arkansas. A double-header is set for both days, with Thursday's set to start at 2 p.m. and Friday's at 1 p.m. at Tiger Field.
Game 2 – ECU 5, UAM 2After having a rough start to the day on offense, the Tigers started game two on fire at the plate, scoring four runs. Davis led off with a single to third and was followed on base by senior
Kaile Marcum with a single to right field. Junior
Jordynn VanPelt was next and struck out, but since the final pitch was a wild pitch it allowed her to reach base and load the base path.
Senior
Lacey Williams-Wenholm then earned two RBIs with a single up the middle and two more runs were added when senior
Peyton Watson followed with a single up the middle herself.
ECU added a run in the second inning for a 5-0 lead. Junior
Autumn Suydam reached on a walk and was sent to second on a ground out by Davis. Marcum joined her on base with a single to short and VanPelt earned the RBI with a single to left field.
The Cotton Blossoms (17-10, 9-7 GAC) cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth, but were only able to plate two runs for a 5-2 ECU lead.
Both teams then held each other scoreless throw the final three innings for the 5-2 final.
Game 1 – UAM 9, ECU 1 (5)After not scoring any runs and allowing 18 in day one of the series, the Cotton Blossoms came out ready to play on day two. The game remained scoreless until the third inning when UAM had a strong offensive performance, with eight runs.
The Tigers tried to respond in the top of the fourth, as j Davis led off the inning with a home run to left center. However, that was all the offensive that ECU could produce and they trailed 1-8.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Cotton Blossoms then earned a single run to put the run-rule into effect and they won 1-9.
