ODESSA, Texas (March 2, 2025) – It was a brutally windy day during game one at the UTPB Softball Park, but it was a victorious day as well as The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team was not fazed, rose to the occasion and earned the first Lone Star Conference win of the AubreeAna Avila-Oropeza era with a 3-2 victory over St. Edward's University in game one. The go-ahead and winning runs for the Falcons in the third inning of game one came on a bases-loaded bunt by Taylor Ramirez. The second game of the day, however, saw the Falcons go down 11-0 in five innings.

Game 1 (UTPB 3, SEU 2):

• SEU got an unearned run in the first inning as a leadoff bunt single was followed by a steal of second base, an errant throw down to move her to third base, and an RBI-groundout.
• Keri Sanford led off the bottom of the first with a single through the left side, stole second base, and just slide in safely under the tag on a single up the middle by Carlee Quintero to tie the game at 1-1. The Falcons would load the bases after a hit by pitch by Michaella Baker and a single to right field by Kaylee Moses, but a pair of strikeouts kept UTPB from being able to take the lead at the time.
• Jessica Cantrell (4-5) got a called strike three to work around back-to-back two-out walks and a wild pitch to leave two runners in scoring position in the top of the second.
• Just as she did in the top of the first inning, Katie Dillon led off the top of the third with a bunt single and stole second base, but this time after being moved to third, she was thrown out at home after a groundout to the third baseman, Samantha Rodriguez, and then a groundout to Lauren Lopez at second base stranded the go-ahead run at third base.
• With one out in the bottom of the third, a walk by Quintero, a single to left center by Baker and a bunt single by Moses loaded the bags for the second time in the game for Ramirez. This time, Ramirez came through with a bunt single to score Quintero, and then an errant throw by the Hilltoppers' third baseman trying to get the force out at home allowed the pinch runner, Mia Serrato, to score as well.
• That would prove to be the most important run of the Falcons' season so far as back-to-back sacrifice bunts by SEU in the top of the sixth scored a run to make it a one-run game. Then after a two-out bunt single and another errant throw on a steal of second base put the tying run on third base, Cantrell got a huge called strike three to maintain the lead.
• Cantrell proceeded to toss a 1-2-3 seventh inning featuring back-to-back groundouts to Sanford at short to end it. For the second out of the inning, Sanford had to stay on top of nasty hop before making the throw and recording the out.
• Cantrell allowed six hits, two total runs, one earned run, four walks and six strikeouts en route to earning the fourth win and fourth complete game of her freshman campaign.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 0, SEU 11):

• After an unearned run in the top of the first for the Hilltoppers, Sanford continued her strong defense ranging past the third base line for a catch in foul territory to end the inning and prevent any further damage.
• It was not the only flashing of leather in the game as there was a nice diving catch by Gabriella Cabrera out in right field for the final out of the top of the seventh inning.
• SEU, however, would take advantage of a trio of UTPB errors in the third inning to score five more unearned runs, the final four of which came on two outs, including a big three-run home run to left field.
• UTPB committed two more errors in each of the next two innings and had eight errors in the game.
• Only two of the nine runs surrendered by starting pitcher Meghan Gattis (0-5) went down as an earned run.
• For SEU, Kylen Padgett (4-2) limited the Falcons to three hits while earning the complete-game shutout.
• UTPB was unable to do anything with back-to-back one-out singles by Sanford and Serrato in the third inning as a pair of fielder's choices ended the frame, and then a two-out single by Cabrera was followed by a hit by pitch by Lopez to put two runners on in the fourth inning before a strikeout to again leave a runner in scoring position.
• UTPB left a runner in scoring position for the third inning in a row in the fifth when Aguilar walked with two outs and quickly stole second base when she noticed it was unoccupied after her walk, but a groundout to shortstop ended the game.

 
Team Records:

• With its first conference win of the season, UTPB is now 1-11 in the Lone Star Conference and moves to 6-16 overall, only one win shy of its win total during the 2024 season.
• St. Edward's is now 12-10 overall and 6-6 in the LSC.

 
Coach's Quote:

• "I am very proud of all of the hard work these girls have put in," spoke Coach Avila-Oropeza. "They have so much heart and grit, a little bit more of it finally showed today. They deserve the win, and I know there's more to come."

 
Next Up: UTPB will try to get that next win on the road in Oklahoma next weekend, taking on No. 18-ranked Oklahoma Christian University starting at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 7, followed by Cameron University starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 9.