AUSTIN, Texas (April 19, 2026) – Returning to action for the first time in seven days, The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team won game one for the third series in a row with a 7-3 win at St. Edward's University. The win puts the Falcons just one win away from tying the most Lone Star Conference wins in a single season (8) in program history. In game two, however, the Falcons were held to without a baserunner for the first four innings and fell 5-2.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 7, SEU 3):

• UTPB fell behind 1-0 before recording an out in the bottom of the first as a leadoff walk, a stolen base and an RBI-single to center field got the Hilltoppers' day started off on a high note. However, the Falcons would answer right back in the second inning as Kaylee Moses, who was making her first start since March 6, delivered a two-out, three-run double to center field to flip the lead.
• UTPB added to its lead as Carlee Quintero led off the top of the third with a single through the left side of the infield. Two batters later, Amathyst Gonzalez tripled home Quintero with a hit to right field, and then Kelsey Valo scored Gonzalez with a sacrifice fly to right field to stretch the margin to four (5-1).
• Jessica Cantrell (11-8) struck back after the first inning with scoreless second and third innings in which she allowed just one baserunner in each inning. Then in the fourth inning, the Hilltoppers tried to steal a run on a bunt, but Cantrell fielded her position and threw to Angelina Arriaga for the tag. In the end, Cantrell put up three straight scoreless innings (2nd-4th) before allowing two singles, a sacrifice bunt, an RBI-single and an RBI-double to start off the bottom of the fifth, cutting UTPB's lead to two runs (5-3).
• With the tying run in scoring position with one out in the fifth, Cantrell got back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the inning. UTPB then added two insurance runs in the top of the sixth after a leadoff double to center field by Alivia Robinson, who later scored on an RBI-groundout to second base by Moses, who totaled four RBI's in her return to the starting lineup. UTPB took advantage of two defensive errors in the inning by SEU to take back control.
• Cantrell then went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth and again in the bottom of the seventh, giving her eight straight outs to end the ballgame.
• Cantrell allowed seven hits, three runs, two walks and four strikeouts in what was her 13th complete-game of the season.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 2, SEU 5):

• Each of UTPB's first 12 batters were retired by Kylen Padgett (4-13).
• Meanwhile, the Hilltoppers took advantage of a Falcons' error in each of the first two innings to take a 3-0 lead after two innings.
• Back-to-back walks to start off the bottom of the third inning were followed two batters later by an RBI-single up the middle to make it 4-0 Hilltoppers, and a one-out walk followed directly by an RBI-double to center field made it 5-0 in the fourth.
• UTPB's first baserunner came with a leadoff double to right field by Gonzalez in the top of the fifth, and she would score after a walk by Valo, a sacrifice bunt by Arriaga, and an RBI by Mia Serrato after an errant throw at third base on a grounder.
• Laila Vasquez came in to pitch in the bottom of the fifth and put up the first scoreless inning by the SEU offense with a 1-2-3 inning featuring three outs on the infield.
• After walking in the previous inning, Valo added an RBI-single down the left field line to make it 5-2 in the top of the sixth, scoring Keri Sanford who had led off the inning with a single through the left side.
• Vasquez pitched another scoreless inning in the bottom of the sixth to give UTPB a chance to try and rally in the seventh, but instead a 1-2-3 inning by Padgett was all she wrote.
• UTPB was limited to four hits by Sanford, Odalys Solis, Gonzalez and Valo.
• Padgett pitched all seven innings and allowed four hits, two runs, one walk and seven punchouts.
• During their meeting in Odessa, Texas, last year, UTPB picked up its first conference win of the season with a 3-2 win in game one over SEU, but in game two, Padgett limited the Falcons to three hits while earning a complete-game shutout in an 11-0 five-inning win.

 
Team Records:

• UTPB moves to 16-25 overall and 7-23 in the LSC while SEU moves to 13-32 and 10-24.
• Overall, UTPB has won one game in four straight series.

 
Coach's Quote:

• UTPB Head Softball Coach David Martinez said, "The first game was all about timely hitting. Kaylee and Amathyst both came through in the clutch, Jess had another stellar pitching performance, and the defense played really well behind her and remained calm whenever the other team tried to get going late in the game. In game two, we started late again and our rally came up short. The opposing pitcher did well in keeping us off balance until we finally made adjustments. Shoutout to Amathyst for breaking up the perfect game."
• On being one win away from tying the program record for conference wins in a season, Martinez added, "We have to just continue to do what we have been doing – focusing on the process and taking it game-by-game and inning-by-inning. If we focus on trying to win every inning and getting better every day, we will be okay."

Next Up: UTPB will finish off its back-to-back series on back-to-back days tomorrow (Apr. 20) at St. Mary's University.