ODESSA, Texas (March 22, 2026) – The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team returned to Lone Star Conference action against The University of Texas at Dallas and fell 8-0 in five innings in game one and 6-3 in game two.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 0, UTD 8):

• Just two batters into the game, UTD's Julia Maniscalco hit a two-run home run to right center field.
• In the top of the second, a leadoff hit by pitch followed by a pair of infield singles with one out led to a two-out, two-run single through the left side.
• It was a rough game pitching for Jessica Cantrell (6-6), who allowed nine hits, eight total runs, six earned runs, zero walks and five strikeouts in three innings.
• Cantrell was UTPB's first baserunner of the game, hitting a leadoff double to left center field in the bottom of the third.
• After a pair of walks earlier in the inning, a line-drive double play back to the pitcher helped Presley Crawford put up the first scoreless inning against UTD in the top of the fourth.
• Crawford would then toss a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth and allowed zero hits and zero runs in her two innings of work.
• For UTD, Mere Cavazos (1-7) pitched a two-hit, complete-game shutout in which she did not issue a single walk.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 3, UTD 6):

• UTPB would hold two early leads (2-0 & 3-2), but could not hold on for the win.
• After a hit by pitch on the first pitch of the game, Angelina Arriaga threw out the runner trying to steal second base, helping starting pitcher Priscilla Medina (3-7) put up a scoreless top of the first inning.
• UTPB got on the board first in the bottom of the first as Arriaga and Alivia Robinson drew back-to-back two-out walks, and then Amathyst Gonzalez brought them both home with a two-run double to right center field.
• UTD scored an unearned run in the second inning after a groundball got by the second baseman on what would have been the third out of the inning.
• UTD then tied it up (2-2) with a one-out RBI-double to left center in the top of the third inning, but left more potential runs on the board. First, Arriaga threw out another would-be base stealer, this time at third base for the first out of the inning, and then the second out of the inning came as the runner rounded third base on a groundball to shortstop, and Keri Sanford made the heads-up play to throw behind her to third base to get her in a rundown.
• UTPB retook the lead in the bottom of the third. With runners at the corners and two outs, Gonzalez began to run toward second base and drew the throw down, and then Carlee Quintero took off from third base and just slid headfirst under the tag at home plate to make it 3-2 Falcons.
• After a 1-2-3 top of the fourth inning, an incredible diving stop behind third base followed by a strong throw across the diamond by Odalys Solis retired the side in a scoreless top of the fifth inning, making it two straight scoreless innings for Medina.
• However, in the top of the sixth, UTD threatened with a leadoff walk followed by a double over the head of the center fielder to put both the tying run and the go-ahead run in scoring position with nobody out. A double down the left field line just two pitches into the next at bat did the job of scoring both runners and giving the Comets the lead (4-3).
• Cantrell then came in to pitch and got back-to-back called strike threes before Arriaga again made her mark defensively, catching a foul out up against the fence behind home plate to retire the side in the top of the sixth to keep it at a one-run deficit.
• Down 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Gonzalez led off with a walk. Unfortunately, a 6-3 groundball double play ended the inning and kept the Comets in front.
• For the second inning in a row, it was a double down the left field line that stung the Falcons, this time scoring a runner from first base after a leadoff hit by pitch, making it a 5-3 Comets' lead in the top of the seventh. It was the third time on the day that UTD drew a hit by pitch to lead off an inning.
• UTD would add one more run in the seventh, sneaking in a runner from third base during a rundown (caught stealing) between first and third.
• UTPB would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh, ending the game with back-to-back groundouts.
• Medina finished with five innings pitched allowing seven hits, four total runs, three earned runs, and two walks.
• For UTD, relief pitcher Savannah Vanderpool (2-0) came in to pitch in the first inning and proceeded to pitch 4.1 innings in which she allowed just one hit, one run, three walks and seven strikeouts and put her team into position to take the lead in the top of the sixth.
• Katie Hart earned a two-inning save after not allowing a hit or walk over her two innings to end the game.
• The UTPB offense was held to two hits for the third conference game in a row, but finished with its second-most runs in a conference game so far this season.
• Gonzalez was 1-for-1 with two walks and a two-RBI double.

 
Team Records:

• UTPB fell to 11-18 overall and 2-16 in the Lone Star Conference while UT Dallas ended its eight-game losing streak and improved to 7-13 and 5-11.
• 2026 is the first season for UT Dallas playing in NCAA Division II and competing in the LSC.

 
Coach's Quote:

• UTPB Head Softball Coach David Martinez said, "That first game, it is what it is. Crawford came in and did her job pitching in the first game, so I want to give her a shoutout. The girls fought hard in the second game, but we just made costly errors. That is what hurt us in the second game. We got the timely hit we needed from Gonzalez, and Medina was throwing very well. It just did not our way. We are still proud of the fight the girls gave, but our rally just came up short."

Next Up: UTPB nearly has a week off, not playing until next Sunday, March 29, at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas.