HOBBS, N.M. (February 12, 2025) – Only three days before the start of Lone Star Conference action, The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team traveled to the University of the Southwest for a nonconference doubleheader on Tuesday, February 11. In the end, the Falcons won game one 16-5 in six innings but fell 2-0 in the second game.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 16, USW 5):

• Each of the first four batters of the game for USW scored in the first inning as the Mustangs sent 10 batters to the plate and would lead 4-2 after the first inning.
• USW took back a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but would be held off the scoreboard with just one hit the rest of the way.
• Still trailing 5-4 entering the sixth inning, UTPB exploded for 11 runs on nine hits. Each of the first nine batters in the inning scored, and the final blows were back-to-back home runs by Keri Sanford (three-run home run to left field) and Laila Vasquez (solo home run to center field).
• Sanford finished 4-for-4 with five runs scored, three RBI's and a walk.
• Jessica Cantrell pitched the final 6.2 innings allowing just one walk while striking out nine.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 0, USW 2):

• UTPB went down 1-2-3 in the first two innings before a groundout to second base in the third inning left the bases loaded after three singles.
• UTPB would finish with three hits the rest of the way and again left the bases loaded in the fourth inning.
• Michaella Baker would draw two walks for the Falcons.
• USW scored on a two-out RBI-double to left field in the second inning and added another run in the fifth inning after three straight singles to start the inning were followed by an RBI-groundout to second base.
• Layla Torres (1-3) pitched the first three innings while Cantrell pitched the final four innings.

 
Team Records:

• UTPB moves to 5-5 while USW is now 1-7.

 
Next Up: The Falcons start Lone Star Conference play at 1 p.m. this Friday (Feb. 14) as they host the top team in NCAA Division II in The University of Texas at Tyler.