The University of Texas of the Permian Basin softball team gave itself a chance to earn a berth into the upcoming Heartland Conference Tournament by taking a 3-1 win over Texas A&M International in the first game. The Falcons could have possibly solidified that spot, but the Dustdevils escaped with a 2-1 victory in the night cap to keep their chances in limbo.
UTPB, which is in fourth place in the league standings, is one game ahead of Newman for the final spot in the post-season tournament. The Jets, who had their double header with Panhandle State cancelled today due to high winds, will play two tomorrow against the Aggies before playing the third game of the series Sunday. If Newman sweeps Panhandle State, it will earn the fourth and final spot in the Heartland Conference tournament since it holds the tie-breaker over the Falcons.
Freshman pitcher
Desiree Valero shut down the Dustdevils, who have two of the top three hitters in the league as well as the top two home run leaders, to just two hits in the opener. She held a shutout until the top of the sixth when TAMIU scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Victoria Beltran.
UTPB put the pressure on early with a run in the bottom of the first.
Alisha Carrasco led off the frame with a single through the left side before stealing second on the next pitch. A groundout by
Tomie Ellard moved Carrasco to third and would later score on an infield single by
Courtney Cernoch.
Erica Rangel would make it 2-0 after hitting her first home run of the year in the second to lead off the inning. UTPB would put up its third and final run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by
Cene Padilla, which was deep enough to score
Tieifa Dueberry, who led off the inning with a double to left that missed clearing the fence by inches.
Valero improved to 11-7 on the year after striking out two and walking three.
In the second game, two runs in the third inning by A&M International were all it needed as Kyndall Reaves and Victoria Beltran held on for the 2-1 victory. Samantha Garcia reached on a two-out fielder's choice and would later steal second. A pop up by Alexis Gonzalez just in front of home plate was mishandled by the Falcons, allowing Garcia to score from second to break the scoreless tie. A wild pitch allowed Gonzalez to reach second before Beltran hit an RBI double to right, giving TAMIU a 2-0 edge.
UTPB cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third when
Alisha Carrasco hit an infield single, but a throwing error by Reaves outside of the circle allowed Carrasco to clear the bases for the Falcons' lone run of the game.
The Falcons threatened in the fifth inning when they had runners on second and third with one out, but a pickoff on third and a strikeout later ruined its last chance to score.
If UTPB wins tomorrow and Panhandle State steals a victory from Newman, the Falcons will advance to the Heartland Conference Tournament which will be played in San Antonio on Friday, April 29.
