The University of Texas of the Permian Basin softball team suffered a pair of losses against St. Edward's Friday afternoon, dropping a nine-inning contest 3-2 before a 10-4 loss in Odessa, Texas

Both team's starting pitchers cruised through the first three innings of game one as each gave up one hit and walked none, with St. Edward's Sarah Debrow striking out six and Desiree Valero ringing up three through the first nine outs.

Lauren Brode put the Hilltoppers on top in the fourth, driving a 2-2 pitch with one out in the inning over the fence in left center for a 1-0 lead.

St. Edward's added another run in the top of the sixth when pinch hitter Katelyn Perch successfully dropped a bunt to first base, bringing in Marissa Thome from third to increase its lead to 2-0.

UTPB made a comeback in the top of the seventh, beginning as lead-off pinch hitter Lesli Ericson reached on an error at short. Kati Walker re-entered to run and a passed ball and wild pitch moved her over to third, and a line drive into right by Taleas Marble brought her home to cut the lead down to one.

Chelsey Morgan followed with a double to the wall in right center and advanced to third on the throw in, but Marble was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first for the inning's first out.

Kara Isbel came through in the next at bat, flying out deep enough to right field to allow Morgan to score to tie the game at 2-2 and send the game to extra innings.

Faith Roberts gave the Hilltoppers the lead once again in the top of the ninth, homering to center field with two outs to claim a 3-2 lead.

Marble was able to get into scoring position with two out, roping a double into the gap in right to get to second, but she was left stranded on base as a pop up behind second ended the game.

Debrow picked up the complete game win for St. Edward's, striking out 12 and allowing a pair of unearned runs in the seventh. She gave up four hits and walked none in nine innings.

Valero took the loss for UTPB, giving up three runs, two of them earned, in nine innings off of four hits with no walks and four strike outs.

St. Edward's struck first in game two, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a lead-off home run from Faith Roberts. The Hilltoppers added a second run in the inning as Kendall Lucas reached second on a fielding error on a fly ball to right, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground ball to the right side of the infield.

UTPB got a run back in the bottom of the second when Nikki Brailsford doubled into center, scoring Amber Gutierrez.

St. Edward's responded with a three run third inning behind a pair of RBI base hits to increase its lead to 5-1.

Kara Isbel scored another run for UTPB in the third, driving a ball up the middle of the field to score Taleas Marble with two outs to pull within 5-2.

The two teams traded runs in the fifth, St. Edward's scoring on a home run to right and the Falcons on a sac fly by Isbel to score Ericson.

The Hilltoppers put the game out of reach in the sixth, scoring four runs behind a home run, an error on a pick off atempt at third with the bases loaded, sacrifice fly and two-out single into left.

Isbel drove in her third run of the game in the bottom of the seventh on a single back up the middle to drive Marble home.

The teams are back in action Saturday afternoon for the third and final game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for noon.