WICHITA FALLS, TX– An explosive six-run sixth inning during the afternoon's first game propelled the University of Texas Permian Basin softball team to a doubleheader split on the road at Midwestern State on Saturday.
MSU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with a two-run homer in the first and a run-scoring single in the third before UTPB was finally able to string together some offense with two outs in the top of the fifth.
Mia Quintero took a 2-2 count pitch deep to left field for a double that scored
Emily Andress from second base to cut the deficit to 2-1.
An
Aubree Beggs single to centerfield with no outs in the top of the sixth brought in
Belicia Urdiales to tie the game at 2-2.
An Andress sacrifice bunt saw
Madison Brown score after advancing to third on the sacrifice and then home on an errant throw by the third baseman.
Jullia Bumford's RBI single back to the pitcher scored Beggs before a
Morgan McQueen bases-loaded walk scored
Aracely Araiza to put the Falons up 5-3 for what would prove to be the game's winning run.
Aryell Aguiar closed out the UTPB scoring when she sent a blast into right field for a two-out, two RBI single scoring Quintero and Bumford.
MSU would tack on a single run in the seventh before
Destini Trahan (2-9) clamped down and closed out the game by tossing all seven innings giving up four runs with just two being earned, four walks, two strikeouts and one wild pitch.
Aguilar went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI to lead the way for the Falcons.
In game two,
Taylen Thurman's sacrifice fly to right field scored Urdiales in the top of the fifth inning.
MSU tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on an infield single just two pitches after being induced into a double play for the stanza's first two out. The game stayed close, but Midwestern ended up one run better in game two.
Aguilar would once again lead the hitters with a 2-for-3 performance in Game 2 for a total of five hits on the day.
Abby Cousins (2-4) took the loss in the circle for the Falcons going six innings and gave up seven hits with two earned runs on five strikeouts, a walk and a wild pitch.
Next up for the Falcons is the final game of the series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
