ODESSA, Texas (April 6, 2025) – Playing in front of one of its largest crowds at home this season, The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team gave the home fans what they were looking for with a 6-2 win in game one against Sul Ross State University. Game number two was dramatic and came down to a great catch by left fielder Carlee Quintero to end the game and preserve a 5-4 win for the Falcons.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 6, SRSU 2):

• After Keri Sanford (single) and Emery Aguilar (walk) both got on to lead off the bottom of the first, a sacrifice bunt by Quintero moved them both into scoring position, and then an RBI-single through the left side by Kelsey Valo tied the game at 1-1. Unfortunately, a dropped popout led to a 3-6-4 inning-ending double play for the Lobos to strand the go-ahead run on third base.
• A nice defensive play by Nia Brown at third base on a Lobos' bunt attempt with one out and two runners in scoring position helped Aguilar (2-4), UTPB's starting pitcher, put up a scoreless top of the second inning. UTPB then did not waste its chance with two runners in scoring position in the bottom half as Sanford sent out a two-out RBI-single into right field to score Mia Serrato, who had walked with two outs to start the rally.
• Pitching with a lead in the third inning, Aguilar again kept the Lobos off the scoreboard by stranding another runner in scoring position (second base), and then she followed that up with a 1-2-3 fourth inning.
• Another unconventional double play led to the Falcons having a runner thrown out at home plate in the bottom of the fourth, but Aguilar followed that up with her second-straight 1-2-3 inning and fourth-straight scoreless inning in the fifth.
• After her RBI-hit in the first inning, Valo got her pitch on a 2-0 count and drove in a run in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out standup double off the bottom of the fence in left field center, making it a 3-1 Falcons' lead going into the final two innings.
• A walk, a single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth for the Lobos, and Tori Owens, SRSU's hero from game one on Friday night, delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to score one run, but Aguilar got a popout to Serrato at second base to get out of the inning and strand runners on first and second base.
• UTPB was able to get the run back and more in the bottom of the sixth when Serrato delivered a two-run double off the fence again in left center field, making it 5-2 Falcons still with nobody out in the inning. Aguilar then helped her own cause with an RBI-single to center field to score Serrato and make it a four-run lead (6-2) going into the final inning.
• A 6-3 double play on a popout ended the top of the seventh inning as Aguilar finished with a line of seven innings pitched, six hits allowed, two runs allowed, two walks and one strikeout to go along with her first complete-game victory of the season.
• Sanford and Valo (RBI-single, RBI-double) were both 3-for-4 for the Falcons offensively while Serrato was 2-for-2 with a two-run double and two runs scored.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 5, SRSU 4):

• For the second game in a row, Valo delivered an RBI-single through the left side in the first inning, this time scoring Aguilar to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.
• Still up 1-0 in the top of the third inning, Aguilar made a nice catch running backwards in center field to end the inning and rob a potential game-tying, extra-base hit for the Lobos.
• After a double to center field by Samantha Rodriguez to put two runners in scoring position for UTPB in the bottom half of the inning, starting pitcher Jessica Cantrell (5-13) stepped into the batter's box in and made it back-to-back doubles for the Falcons as she brought home both runners with a deep shot down the right field line. Cantrell then hustled home and beat the throw on a sacrifice fly to center field by Lauren Lopez, making it a three-run third-inning for UTPB that would end up being very important at the end.
• With a runner in scoring position on second base with one out in the top of the fourth, Cantrell won a long battle with a swinging strikeout on a 2-2 count, and then got a foul out to Quintero in left field to end the inning and keep the Lobos scoreless for the time being.
• Cantrell's second RBI-hit of the game was a single through the left side to score Rodriguez in the fifth inning and make it 5-0.
• Back in the fourth inning, UTPB had the bases loaded with nobody out but came up empty, and that almost came back to haunt the Falcons as the wheels nearly fell off in the top of the sixth inning.
• Cantrell allowed one hit by Sul Ross in each of the first five innings and left a runner at second base in the first, fourth and fifth innings, but the Lobos broke through with a two-run home run smashed to left center field in the top of the sixth inning.
• Sul Ross then added two more runs in the sixth inning as an RBI-double down the left field line scored a runner from first base, just barely avoiding the tag at home plate, and then an errant throw from the catcher on a stolen base attempt at second base allowed another run to score from third base.
• With the tying run on second base still in the sixth inning, Cantrell turned up her intensity and got a flyout to Aguilar in center field and a popout to Sanford at shortstop to escape the inning with a one-run lead (5-4).
• Just three outs away from the win in the top of the seventh, Cantrell gave up a leadoff single to left field and got a deep flyout to Aguilar in straightway center field for out number one. Then with both the tying run and the go-ahead run in scoring position with just one out, Cantrell got a foul out to the shortstop, Sanford, down the left field line for out number two.
• The final out was nerve-racking, as the catcher, Samantha Bustos, sent a shot toward the fence in left center field, but Quintero, made a diving catch going into the fence to save the game.
• Cantrell allowed 10 hits, four total runs, two earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts while recording her fifth win and 11th complete game of the season.
• Cantrell was also 2-for-3 at the dish with both a two-RBI double and an RBI-single (3 total RBI's). In addition to scoring the first run of her collegiate career, Cantrell record the first extra-base hit and first two-hit game of her career.
• Rodriguez finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a double while Sanford and Aguilar were both 2-for-4 from the top-two spots in the lineup.

 
Team Records:

• UTPB improves to 8-34 overall, surpassing its win total from the 2023-24 season (7 wins), and moves to 3-29 in the Lone Star Conference.
• After earning its first-ever LSC doubleheader sweep on Friday against the Falcons, SRSU now falls to 10-31 and 7-25 after being swept on Sunday.

 
Coach's Quote:

• UTPB Head Coach AubreeAna Avila-Oropeza said, "It was a great team effort. We had all components working as one. Everyone did their job. I'm very proud of each and every one of the girls and all their hard work. I know there's more to come."

 
Next Up: UTPB will play on the road at Lubbock Christian University starting at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 11, marking the start of a two-week road swing (8 games) for the Falcons.