UTPB softball rallied after falling behind early Saturday afternoon, scoring five unanswered runs in a 5-2 win over Oklahoma Christian before the Eagles offense took over in a 17-3 defeat of UTPB at the Odessa College Softball and Tennis Complex.

Martha Thomas got the Eagles on the scoreboard right away in the bottom of the first, homering with two outs to take a 2-0 lead.

UTPB grabbed a run back in the of the inning as Cene Padilla led off the bottom of the first with a single into right and Kati Walker reached on a bunt to the right of the circle, beating the throw as the ball was missed by the OC first baseman to allow Padilla to advance to third. Walker got caught in a rundown between first and second during the next at bat, giving Padilla the opportunity to score at the plate without a play as Walker was tagged out at first to pull within 2-1.

Jackie Guzman gave the Falcons their first lead of the day in the bottom of the fourth, hitting her second home run of the season on a 2-2 pitch to right center, scoring Jackie Guzman to lead 3-2.

Amber Gutierrez followed suit two batters later, drilling her team-leading sixth home run of the season to straightaway center to lead by a pair.

Anna Hollingsworth put UTPB up three later in the inning, doubling to left center to score Kara Isbel from second as the Falcons left the bottom of the fourth leading 5-2.

Desiree Valero rebounded in the circle after giving up runs in the first, blanking the Eagles over the remaining six innings. She picked up her fifth win of the season while allowing four hits and two walks, striking out a pair in the outing.

Oklahoma Christian broke open a scoreless game two in the top of the third inning, scoring six runs in the frame, three on a home run by Lauren Pittman.

UTPB answered a run scored by OC in the top of the fourth with a run of its own as a Chelsey Morgan double inside the left field line scored Kati Walker from second.

The Falcons pulled to within 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth as Cene Padilla homered to center with Kara Isbel on base.

Oklahoma Christian put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth, scoring 10 runs off of seven hits in the inning before closing out the game in the bottom of the sixth.

The two teams match up in the rubber game of the series Sunday afternoon, with first pitch on the campus of Odessa College scheduled for noon.