ODESSA, Texas (March 1, 2026) – The UT Permian Basin softball team wrapped up its first weekend of home Lone Star Conference action by coming up just short in both games against Texas A&M International University on Sunday. The Falcons fell 2-1 in game one and 3-2 in game two.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 1, TAMIU 2):

• Despite a leadoff single and a swipe of second base by Keri Sanford in the bottom of the first, Kylie Goad (2-7) struck out the side swinging for TAMIU.
• With two runners on with just one out in the top of the second, Jessica Cantrell (5-2) got a swing-and-a-miss strike three followed by a called strike three to retire the side. UTPB also had two runners on with one out in the bottom half, but also came up empty.
• After recording one hit in each of the first two innings, TAMIU scored first in the top of the third inning as after a one-out double banged off the fence down the right field line, a two-out single to center field brought her in.
• The top of the fourth inning for TAMIU began with a leadoff hit by pitch followed by a bunt single before a popout on a bunt trying to move the runners up. Then after a second try at a sacrifice bunt was successful at moving the two Dustdevil runners into scoring position with two outs, Cantrell got a flyout to Kaylee Moses in center field to keep it a one-run game.
• After making a play with her glove to end the top half of the inning, Moses then used her bat in the bottom of the fourth, smacking a two-out home run to dead center to knot the score at one run apiece.
• With two runners in scoring position for the second inning in a row for TAMIU, this time with no outs in the top of the fifth, a collision between the UTPB left fielder and shortstop on a sacrifice fly to left field allowed the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run to score from third base.
• Cantrell did a great job to limit the damage, facing two runners in scoring position for the second time in the fifth inning but getting back-to-back popouts to get out of the inning.
• However, the UTPB offense went down 1-2-3 in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, including three straight strikeouts in the seventh.
• Both pitchers went the distance. Cantrell allowed seven hits, two runs, two walks and five strikeouts while Goad allowed just three hits, one run and one walk and had nine strikeouts.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 2, TAMIU 3):

• Three straight singles for TAMIU in the top of the second inning, the final one of which was a perfectly placed bunt single that died in front of home plate, loaded the bases with just one out. A grounder to third base resulted in an out at home plate for the second out, but then an error at third base on what would have ended the inning instead allowed a pair of unearned runs to score and gave the Dustdevils a 2-0 lead.
• UTPB scored an unearned run of its own in the bottom of the second when a single to left field by Amathyst Gonzalez got past the left fielder on an error, allowing Moses to put on the hustle and score all the way from first base.
• After a leadoff walk by Alivia Robinson and a single to center field by Carlee Quintero in the bottom of the fourth inning, the second groundball double play turned by the Dustdevils' defense in as many innings spoiled what looked like a promising start to the inning with two runners on and nobody out for UTPB. However, with Quintero still in scoring position at second base, UTPB was unable to get a clutch hit as a foul out to the catcher on a full count ended the inning.
• After a leadoff single by Gonzalez in the bottom of the fifth and an interference call on a stolen base attempt to put her on second base, this time UTPB was able to just push across the tying run on a two-out single to short by Sanford that saw an errant throw get away from the first baseman and allow Gonzalez to round third and score to tie it at 2-2.
• UTPB had a chance to try and bring in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth as Robinson led off with a walk and advanced to second on a groundout to second base by Quintero, but back-to-back flyouts to left field stranded her in scoring position.
• Priscilla Medina (3-2) pitched well for UTPB, navigating through each inning and keeping her team in it until the end. She stranded seven TAMIU runners on base in the first five innings. Unfortunately, a hit by pitch and a walk to start off the top of the seventh were followed by a hard-hit single up the middle to give TAMIU back the lead (3-2).
• With no outs and two potential insurance runs on base for TAMIU, Laila Vasquez came in to pitch for UTPB and got a groundball double play to third base followed by a swinging strikeout to keep it at a one-run deficit going into the bottom of the seventh.
• Then in the bottom of the seventh, Gonzalez sent the first pitch of the inning into left field for a leadoff single, putting the tying run on base. It was Gonzalez' third hit of the game (3-for-3) and was her second leadoff hit in the last two innings.
• Unfortunately, UTPB could not do anything with the leadoff hit as a fouled bunt on strike three was out number one, a called strike three was out number two, and then a lineout to third base was out number three.
• Medina pitched six innings allowing six hits, three total runs and just one earned run, and had four walks and eight strikeouts.

 
Team Records:

• UTPB falls to 9-8 overall and 2-6 in the Lone Star Conference.
• TAMIU improves to 6-15 overall and picks up its first two conference wins of the season (2-8).
• UTPB has only defeated TAMIU once since the end of the 2015 season.

 
Coach's Quote:

• UTPB Head Softball Coach David Martinez said, "It was a tough one for us today. Medina and Cantrell both threw well enough to win, but it goes back to hitting with runners in scoring position, and we did not do that today. We were one swing away in both games, but today was all about timely hitting. That was the key point for me. We had runners on base early, we just did not do our job enough of the time with moving runners over and hitting with runners in scoring position. We were just always one swing away, and that is really all you can ask for as a coach, the question is, who is going to step up and who wants to be in that situation. Coach Brooke and I have to do a better job of putting them in those types of situations this week to help them work on that. There are no easy conference games, and Texas A&M International is a good ballclub even though their record does not say it. We competed at times, but we did not put it all together. We have to raise our standards a little bit more. Now, it is about how you respond, and that is what we have to do this weekend for our next homestand against two really tough teams."

Next Up: UTPB returns home next weekend to host Texas Woman's University (Friday, Mar. 6; 2 p.m.) and The University of Texas at Tyler (Sunday, Mar. 8; 1 p.m.).