WICHITA FALLS, Texas (February 22, 2026) – The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team closed out its first weekend of Lone Star Conference action with a 2-0 shutout win by Jessica Cantrell in game one at Midwestern State University. It was the Falcons' first road conference win since April 21, 2023, at Texas A&M International University. The accomplishment was short-lived, however, as MSU came out for revenge in game two and delivered an 18-1 victory in five innings over the Falcons.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 2, MSU 0):

• UTPB got off to a good start and scored in the top of the first inning. Angelina Arriaga walked with one out and was followed by a single down the left field line by Laila Vasquez and a bunt single by Carlee Quintero to load the bases. Then a fielder's choice hit to shortstop by Gabriella Cabrera scored Arriaga to make it 1-0 Falcons.
• However, a caught stealing ended the inning for UTPB in both the top of the first and the top of the second innings.
• After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, Cantrell (4-1) was able to strand the tying run on third base after getting back-to-back swinging strikeouts.
• Cantrell got her third straight swinging strikeout to start off the bottom of the second inning, and then after a one-out walk, she struck out the final two batters looking to strike out the side.
• With the outfield playing shallow against Keri Sanford in the top of the third inning, Sanford hit a one-out triple over the head of the right fielder. After scoring the first run of the game in the first inning, this time Arriaga delivered an RBI as she hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Sanford and make it a 2-0 Falcons' lead.
• Cantrell was officially in a groove after getting another swinging strikeout to start off the bottom of the third inning, giving her six strikeouts in the last seven at bats.
• Cantrell allowed the first hit of the game for MSU to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning, but responded with six straight outs to move the game into the sixth inning.
• After a leadoff error at shortstop put a runner on base in the bottom of the sixth, Cantrell responded with back-to-back swinging strikeouts, giving her 10 strikeouts on the game.
• The second hit of the game by MSU was just of the reach of Sanford at short to put runners on the corners with two outs, but Sanford redeemed herself as the Mustangs put the runner at first base in motion. That drew the throw from Arriaga down to second, and with the runner retreating to first base trying to give the runner at third base time to score, Sanford ran her down and tagged her out before the run could score.
• After a leadoff walk, the third hit of the game for the Mustangs was a double to center field that put two runners into scoring position with just one out in the bottom of the seventh.
• Cantrell was able to get a groundball right back to her for the second out, and then a lengthy battle ensued between Cantrell and the batter, Erikha Ibarra-Subia, who drew the 15-pitch walk to load the bases.
• That brought up Hayeli Acosta, who was swinging on the first pitch and lifted a foul ball to right field that hung up long enough for Cabrera to run under it and make the catch.
• Cantrell was able to record her fourth complete game and second shutout of the season. She allowed just three hits in seven innings while striking out 10 and walking five. It was also her third game this season with double-digit strikeouts.
• UTPB doubled up MSU in the hit column (6-3) and was led by Sanford with two hits and a triple.
• It was the seventh loss in a row for MSU while Kayleigh Bowers, who was a Lone Star Conference Pitcher to Watch, fell to 0-6 on the season despite giving up only five hits and two runs in six innings pitched.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 1, MSU 18):

• It was a tougher go for UTPB in game two as MSU scored nine runs in the first two innings.
• MSU started off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and a bunt single. That led to a pair of runs as four of the first five Mustangs in the lineup recorded either a hit or a walk. The only Mustang in the top-five spots in the lineup to not reach base in the first inning placed a sacrifice bunt to score the first run of the game.
• That led to a huge seven-run second inning for MSU. Starting with a one-out single, six straight Mustangs recorded either a hit or a walk, scoring three runs in the process. That was followed by a sacrifice fly to score the fourth run of the inning, and then the scoring binge was capped off with a three-run home run to center field.
• MSU refused to slow down and added eight more runs on seven hits in the bottom of the third inning.
• The UTPB offense got leadoff walks by Quintero and Presley Crawford in the second and third innings, and then got its first hit of the game with a leadoff double to right center field by Lilly Chavez in the fourth inning. Chavez would score UTPB's lone run of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field by Amathyst Gonzalez.
• UTPB second and final hit was a one-out single down the right field line by Crawford in the seventh inning, giving her both a hit and a walk in the game.

 
Team Records:

• Now at 8-5 overall, UTPB surpasses its win total from 2024, and is just one win away from matching its win total from 2025.
• MSU moves to 3-11 overall.
• Both UTPB (1-3) and MSU (1-5) picked up their first Lone Star Conference wins of the season.

 
Coach's Quote:

• UTPB Head Softball Coach David Martinez said, "We will take the split today. It is obviously hard to win in this league, so any win is something we can be excited about. In game one, Cantrell obviously threw really well. She finished with a complete game, but it was a total team effort with timely hitting and good defense as well. In game two, we just got off to a bad start and we could not get things going at all. We are coming along. There are a lot of baby steps involved, but we will get there. Overall, Coach Brooke and I are proud of how the team played this weekend. We are moving in the right direction. This team is really close-knit, and they back each other up. The girls are starting to buy in to what Coach Brooke and I are telling them, and the pitchers are really trusting her pitch calling."

Next Up: UTPB will play at home for the first time in LSC action, taking on Texas A&M University-Kingsville starting at 2 p.m. on Friday, February 27, followed by Texas A&M International University starting at 12 p.m. on Sunday, March 1.