ODESSA, Texas (April 12, 2026) – After winning game one 6-4, The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two to get within a run, but came up short by a final score of 8-7 to finish with a split against Western New Mexico University.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 4, WNMU 6):

• WNMU scored first in the first inning, but the Falcons prevented a second run as Odalys Solis threw out a runner at home plate.
• Priscilla Medina bounced back with a 1-2-3 second inning ending with back-to-back punchouts. She again struck out two in a scoreless top of the third inning.
• After WNMU was able to push across one run after a leadoff walk in the first inning, a leadoff walk by Mia Serrato led to UTPB's first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning as Carlee Quintero switched places with Serrato at second base, hitting an RBI-double down the left field line.
• A hard lineout to right field would leave Quintero stranded on third base as UTPB was unable to take the lead, and then the Mustangs retook the lead with three singles in the next half inning (top of the fourth).
• Then in the bottom of the fourth, a leadoff error started off a big inning for UTPB featuring an RBI-single to right center by Angelina Arriaga to tie it and a sacrifice fly to center by pinch hitter Kaylee Moses to just score Kelsey Valo and put the Falcons in front (3-2).
• With two outs still in the bottom of the fourth, Arriaga made her way to third base on a wild pitch by the Mustangs, and the Falcons made them pay as Serrato beat out a slow roller to second base to score Arriaga (4-2).
• It was a three-run fourth inning on just two hits for UTPB.
• UTPB went to the bullpen with a two-run lead in to the top of the fifth, but walked in a pair of runs to tie the game (4-4) with still nobody out in the inning.
• To try and stop the bleeding, the Falcons brought in Jessica Cantrell to pitch, and she responded with three straight outs to leave the bases loaded and keep the score tied.
• It was the second half inning in a row one of the teams scored multiple runs on just one hit.
• After smacking a one-out single off the second baseman in the next half inning (bottom of the fifth), Amathyst Gonzalez then took off from first base and ran through the stop sign at third base to score on a double down the left field line by Valo. Gonzalez just beat the throw home, scoring for the second inning in a row. In both innings, Gonzalez scored the first run for the Falcons, tying it at 2-2 in the fourth and giving UTPB a 5-4 lead in the fifth.
• Arriaga added an RBI-single to center field to make it 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth.
• After taking a two-run lead for the second inning in a row, this time UTPB was able to hold the advantage as Cantrell tossed a 1-2-3 sixth inning, giving her six straight outs since entering the game.
• The Mustangs went first-pitch swinging for a leadoff single to left field in the top of the seventh, and then with two on and two out following a hard-hit single back up the middle off Cantrell, she got a swinging strikeout to end the game.
• Cantrell (10-7) pitched the final three innings to earn the win and allowed two hits, zero runs and zero walks while striking out three.
• Medina allowed six hits, two total runs, one earned run, one walk and four strikeouts in her four innings to start off the game.
• Valo was 2-for-2 with a walk, Arriaga was 2-for-3 with two RBI-singles, and Gonzales scored twice, including scoring the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 7, WNMU 8):

• WNMU scored first off of Cantrell in the second inning, smacking a two-out double over the head of the left fielder for the first hit of the game. That hit also scored the first run of the game all the way from first base as the Falcons missed the cutoff and did not have an opportunity to try and throw her out at the plate like they did in game one.
• Quintero had the first hit for UTPB with a leadoff single to left field in the bottom of the second, and then the Falcons loaded the bases with two outs. In a hitter's count (2-0), Gabriella Cabrera went station-to-station with an RBI-single up the middle to score Quintero and tie it (1-1).
• Three pitches into the next at bat, a passed ball off the knee of the Mustangs' catcher allowed Arriaga to score and put the Falcons ahead (2-1).
• Cantrell allowed just one hit and one walk through the first three innings, but for the second time in the game, a two-out double for WNMU scored a run all the way from first base, this time a shot to left center just out of the reach of the center fielder, tying up the game (2-2) for a second time in the first four innings.
• Two batters later came the big blow, a three-run home run for center field made it 5-2 WNMU.
• After going 2-for-2 with a walk in game one, Valo kept her perfect start to the day going with two walks in her first two plate appearances in game two, including a four-pitch leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth as UTPB tried to answer WNMU's four-run inning in the top half.
• Alivia Robinson followed with a full-count walk to put two runners on with nobody out, and later Cabrera's second hit of the game was a single to right field to load the bases with two outs.
• Keri Sanford brought in a run with a single down the left field line, just over the third base bag, making it 5-3, but that would be all the Falcons would get. Leaving the bases loaded would come back to haunt the Falcons in the end after their comeback attempt in the final inning.
• The second two-out, three-run home run in as many innings for WNMU made it 8-3 in the top of the fifth.
• In the final inning, a pair of RBI-doubles down the left field line by Gonzalez (1 RBI) and Robinson (2 RBI's) scored the first three runs of the inning for UTPB, cutting the deficit to 8-6.
• A four-pitch walk by Moses pinch hitting put the tying run on first base, still with nobody out.
• The Falcons got to within one run (8-7) and had the tying run on second base with two outs, but a flyout to left field ended the rally.
• Gonzalez finished 3-for-4 while Cabrera (2-or-3) and Sanford (2-for-5) both added two hits.
• Valo was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.
• After leaving with the lead and pitching a strong first four innings in game one, Medina pitched the final two innings of game two and did not give up a hit or a run.

 
Team Records:

• UTPB moves to 15-24 overall and 6-22 in the Lone Star Conference while WNMU, which is in 10th place in the LSC, moves to 17-23 and 13-17.
• UTPB is now two wins away from tying its most conference wins since 2022.

 
Coach's Quote:

• Regarding his team's comeback attempt in game two, UTPB Head Softball Coach David Martinez said, "I liked that we were patient at the plate and we were swinging at what we wanted to hit. We are starting to develop that never-quite attitude where we are never out of the fight until the last swing."
• "Game one was a total team effort," added Martinez. "The pitchers allowed somebody else to come in and help them clean it up. We had to use the whole pitching staff to get that win, but winning in this conference is hard, so you have to do what you can to get a win. One thing we preach a lot about in this program is two-out hitting, and we saw that today for sure."

 
Series Combined Statistical Leaders:

• Kelsey Valo hit 3-for-4 (.750) with three runs scored, three walks, a .857 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage.
• Amathyst Gonzalez hit 4-for-7 (.571) with three runs scored and a .714 slugging percentage.
• Angelina Arriaga hit 3-for-6 (.500) with two runs scored and two RBI-hits.
• Gabriella Cabrera hit 2-for-5 (.400).
• Priscilla Medina (1.17 ERA) allowed six hits, two total runs, one earned run, three walks and five strikeouts in two appearances (1 start) and six innings.
• Jessica Cantrell (4.38 ERA) allowed nine hits, eight total runs, five earned runs, one walk and seven strikeouts in two appearances (1 start) and eight innings. She also earned the decision in both games (1-1).

 
Next Up: UTPB has a week before playing on back-to-back days on Sunday, April 19, at St. Edward's University and Monday, April 20, at St. Mary's University.