AUSTIN – The softball team at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin softball team opened the Heartland Conference portion of its schedule and played victim to 2-0 and 2-1 losses to St. Edward's.
The Falcons played the Hilltoppers inning for inning in both games as St. Edward's gathered 12 combined hits while the Falcons had 11.
In the first game, both
Desiree Valero and St. Edward's pitcher Paige Sandahl were cruising in the circle tossing shutouts through the first four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, the Hilltoppers manufactured their first run when Lexi Stephens reached on a bunt single, allowing Brianna Bozon to score from third. Bozon led off the inning with a walk and later moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jenny Varteressian. Ally Valdez grounded out to Valero moving Bozon to third before Stephens broke the scoreless tie with her single.
Meagen Bailey kept the rally going for St. Edward's with a single up the middle allowing Stephens to score making it 2-0.
UTPB got a pinch-hit single from
Tieifa Dueberry in the top of the seventh, but was unable to bring her home as the Hilltoppers took the first game of the series.
In the second game, St. Edward's struck first with a run in the bottom of the first before
Courtney Cernoch doubled to left center to score
Whitney Kuhrt, who reached on a single up the middle, to tie the game at one.
The score would remain that way until Bailey came through again in the bottom of the seventh, this time with a one-out infield single, allowing Marissa Thome to score from third, giving the Hilltoppers the sweep.
UTPB fell to 10-15 on the year and 0-2 in the Heartland Conference, while St. Edward's improved to 14-13 overall and 2-0 in league play.
The two teams will play the third and final game tomorrow at noon in Austin.
