ODESSA, Texas (January 31, 2025) – Year one of the AubreeAna Avila-Oropeza era for The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team kicked off with two wins over Schreiner University on Friday at the UTPB Softball Park. The Falcons started off their 2025 season with a 7-0 shutout win behind freshman pitcher Jessica Cantrell, and then came out on top 7-6 thanks to a walk-off triple in the bottom of the eighth inning by sophomore Gabriella Cabrera.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 7, Schreiner 0):

• Making her collegiate debut in the circle after being named a Lone Star Conference Pitcher to Watch, Cantrell (1-0) allowed just three hits while walking seven but striking out 10 in seven innings.
• Cantrell stranded 10 runners on base and six in scoring position while getting a popout to junior Lauren Lopez at second base to get out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning.
• Sophomore Emery Aguilar got the first hit of the season with a bunt single in the bottom of the first inning.
• UTPB scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning after senior Samantha Rodriguez and Lopez both singled and freshman Mia Serrato walked to load the bases. With two outs, junior Keri Sanford delivered a two-run single up the middle. A fielding error by the third baseman on the next at bat by Aguilar allowed two more runs to score.
• UTPB added to its lead as Sanford led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to center, advanced to third base on another bunt single by Aguilar, and then scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by sophomore Taylor Ramirez.
• A dropped fly ball in left field in the bottom of the fifth allowed two more runs to score as four of UTPB's seven runs in the game were unearned.
• Sanford would finish 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored.
• Aguilar was also 2-for-4 while Rodriguez and Lopez were both 2-for-3.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 7, Schreiner 6):

• UTPB trailed 3-0 before scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and then trailed 6-4 before scoring twice to tie it in the bottom of the fifth.
• After leading the Falcons' offense in game one, Sanford started off the mid-game rally in the bottom of the fourth inning with a leadoff single. Then after a single by Aguilar, Ramirez fouled off multiple two-strike pitches and endured a hard-fought battle before drawing the walk to load the bases. Sophomore Kaylee Moses then sent a triple off the fence down the right field line to clear the bases and tie the game at 3-3. That was followed by a sacrifice fly to center by Rodriguez to score Moses and give UTPB the lead for the time being.
• Another triple, this time by Sanford, brought in UTPB's first run in the bottom of the fifth inning before yet another bunt single by Aguilar scored Sanford to tie it at 6-6.
• Freshman Layla Torres (1-0) entered to pitch in the top of the sixth inning and stranded two runners in scoring position. She would allow just one base runner in the seventh and eighth innings to give UTPB a chance to win it in the bottom of the eighth. She would finish with just one hit allowed in the final three innings to earn the win.
• In the bottom of the eighth, it was yet again Sanford who got things started for the Falcons, this time with a single to right field. Two batters later and with Aguilar representing the winning run at second base, Cabrera delivered the game-winning triple over the right fielder's head.
• It was the third RBI-triple of the game for the Falcons.
• Sanford was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, making her a combined 5-for-8 with four runs scored and three RBI's from the top spot in the lineup during Opening Day.
• Aguilar was 2-for-3 and also scored twice in game two, making her a combined 4-for-7 from the No. 2 spot. She was also 2-for-2 on stolen base attempts on the day.

 
Next Up: Games three and four of the series against Schreiner will be a 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, on Saturday, February 1, from the UTPB Softball Park.