ADA – On the final day of 2018 regular-season action, the East Central University softball team claimed two wins over Arkansas-Monticello, which gave then a 3-1 record for the series.  The Tigers (23-28-1, 18-23-1 GAC) first claimed a 2-1 victory and then a 4-2 mark in the series finale.

ECU tallied a .333 batting average for the day, while only allowing the Blossoms (11-42, 11-31 GAC) to hit .208.  Five of the Tigers hit over .400 on the day, with junior Aundrea Hamric leading the way with a .500 average.  Hamric tallied two hits and a run.  Senior Claresha Clemons led the team with two RBIs, while adding two hits.

Freshman Jacey Henry picked up a complete-game win in the opener, allowing three hits and one run, while striking out four.  Freshman Jessica Sisemore added a second win in the series, throwing a complete game in the second game, allowing eight hits and two runs (one earned) and striking out three.

ECU will now get ready for the 2018 Great American Conference Championship tournament, May 2-5 in Bentonville, Ark.  The Tigers will first face the 2018 regular-season champion, Southern Arkansas, Wednesday, May 2 at 3:30 p.m. at Tiger Athletic Complex.

ECU 2, UAM 1
The opening game of the day was a defensive battle, with neither team scoring until the fifth inning, when the Tigers took a 1-0 lead. 

Junior Ellanee Allison started the inning with a double and was advanced to third when the next batter grounded out.  That allowed Clemons to earn her first RBI of the day with a single through the left side.

The sixth inning was again scoreless, but the Blossoms tied the game in the top of the seventh at one.

It looked like the game would go to extra innings, as the first two batters for ECU were retired.  However, junior Breecia Crawford started the rally with a single to right.  Hamric followed with a single and senior Alissa Taylor hit a walk-off double to score Crawford for the 2-1 final.

ECU 4, EAM 2
The second game started like the first, with no team scoring until the fourth inning, when the Tigers took a 1-0 lead. 

Henry singled and was sent to second on a wild pitch.  Clemons sent her home with a double down the left line for the first run of the game.

ECU added two more runs in the fifth for a 3-0 advantage.  Hamric hit a one-out single and was joined on base when Taylor singled.  Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, which allowed Henry to earn the first RBI when she reached due to an error.  The second run then scored with Clemons grounded out to second.

The Blossoms tried to fight back, scoring two runs in the sixth for a 3-2 deficit.  However, the Tigers added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth for the 4-2 lead.  Allison and sophomore Catherine Barrera singled and Allison then scored when junior Kahlie Barrett doubled.

UAM was able to get two runners on base in the top of the seventh, but ECU's defense held strong for the 4-2 win.