MONTICELLO, Ark. – After sweeping the Friday doubleheader over Arkansas-Monticello with a 9-6 opening victory followed by a 7-5 win in game two, the East Central University softball team officially earned their spot in the Great American Conference Championship Tournament in Bentonville, Arkansas May 4-6.
 
The last time softball made its way to the GAC Tournament was in 2019 as the No. 5 seed.
 
ECU's offense exploded in the series' opening game with an RBI single from Gabi Quintanilla driving in Elyse LeClair for the Tigers' first run before a three-run home run from Rachelle Mengwasser in the top of the second inning allowed ECU to jump out to an early 4-0 lead.
 
The Cottom Blossoms chipped away at the ECU lead, tacking on one run in the bottom of the second inning and another in the third to cut the lead in half, but the Tigers pushed back.
 
With two outs in the top of the fourth, Vanessa Tamayo doubled to right center before Mengwasser blasted her second ball out of the park to boost the Tigers' lead back up to a four-run advantage at 6-2.
 
UAM added two runs in the home half, while ECU added one in the top of the fifth after Quintanilla drove in Megan Lesko to bring the score to 7-4, but the Cotton Blossoms wouldn't go away.
 
In the home half, UAM threatened a comeback after adding two runs on four hits to trail 7-6, but LeClair's RBI single in the sixth inning and Quintanilla's solo homer in the seventh settled the game one 9-6 victory in favor of the Tigers.
 
Taia Harris picked up the win in the circle, going 4.1 innings while giving up six runs on six hits and striking out three. Lauren HerrNeckar came in relief, throwing 2.2 innings and giving up no runs on two hits.
 
Gabi Quintanilla went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Vanessa Tamayo and Rachelle Mengwasser went 2-for-3.
 
ECU struck first again in game two by adding a run in the top of the first after Zoe Acosta drew a walk to plate Megan Lesko for the 1-0 lead.
 
However, a 2 RBI single from UAM in the home half put the Cotton Blossoms ahead 2-1.
 
The Tigers tied the game, though, in the next frame when Lesko doubled to center to drive in Rikki Hadley.
 
Two scoreless innings went by before action picked back up in the fifth inning.
 
Although a UAM wild pitch allowed LeClair to score and reclaim the lead 3-2, it was short-lived as the Cotton Blossoms immediately responded with two runs on two hits to go up 4-3.
 
UAM would extend their lead late in the game after another run in the sixth gave them a two-run lead at 5-3, but ECU wasn't done battling yet.
 
In the top of the seventh, Kaleigh Ham led off with a single, followed by another from LeClair and a fielder's choice from Lesko to load the bases with no outs. Quintanilla then singled up the middle to score the first run before Mengwasser drew a walk to plate the tying run.
 
UAM managed to get two outs with the bases loaded, and the score tied 5-all, but an error by the shortstop allowed two more Tigers to cross home plate for the 7-5 win and birth the GAC Championship Tournament.
 
Taylor Spence got the win in the circle, pitching 2.0 innings in relief while allowing no runs on two hits.
 
Elyse LeClair, Megan Lesko, and Gabi Quintanilla had two hits, while Kaleigh Ham had one.
 
The East Central University softball team will finish the series against Arkansas-Monticello with a single game tomorrow, April 29 at 9 a.m.