SAN ANGELO, Texas (April 2, 2026) – After a tough 17-2 defeat in game one, Jessica Cantrell continued her standout sophomore campaign by leading The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team to a 3-2 win in game two at No. 12 nationally-ranked Angelo State University.

UTPB moves to 13-22 overall and 4-20 in the Lone Star Conference, and earns its first-ever win against Angelo State (30-9, 19-5) in San Angelo, Texas (25-1). It was also the Falcons' first nationally-ranked win since sweeping No. 22 West Texas A&M University at home on April 22, 2022.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 2, ASU 17):

• ASU scored at least twice in its four offensive innings, including a 10-run third inning.
• The UTPB offense left two runners in scoring position in the first inning, but scored twice in the second inning as Odalys Solis led off with a single up the middle and promptly scored on a first-pitch triple to right center by Ilyssa Foisy. Foisy then scored on a sacrifice bunt by starting pitcher Priscilla Medina. That made the score just a 3-2 deficit after an inning and a half.
• Amathyst Gonzalez added a two-out double to left center in the third inning, and Carlee Quintero finished with two infield singles for the Falcons' offense.
• The big third inning for the Rambelles saw 13 batters in the inning produce their 10 runs on seven hits, including back-to-back home runs to score the final three runs.
• Laila Vasquez made her return to the field for the first time in nearly a month after suffering an injury on March 6. She pitched the final 1.1 innings for the Falcons.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 3, ASU 2):

• Both starting pitchers limited their opponents to just one hit and one baserunner in the first two innings.
• UTPB then broke through first against Ashleigh Dendis (9-5) in the third inning, getting back-to-back one-out singles by Mia Serrato and Keri Sanford. Then with two outs and two runners on base, Michelle Balcazar came up big with a two-run double to left center field.
• Balcazar later scored on an RBI-single to center field by Kelsey Valo against relief pitcher Maddison Ruiz to make it 3-0 Falcons in the third inning, a run that at the time, nobody realized how important it would be in the end.
• Cantrell proceeded to put up a third straight scoreless inning in the bottom half of the third after a caught stealing at second base erased a two-out single to end the inning.
• ASU got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with a one-out triple to right center followed by an RBI-groundout to first base.
• UTPB left two potentially important insurance runs in scoring position in the top of the fifth.
• A great defensive play by Serrato on a backhanded play at second base got the second out in the bottom of the sixth.
• After seemingly everything was going wrong for UTPB in game one, things were going right and the team was making plays in game two.
• With a runner on second base and two outs still in the fifth, Cantrell got pinch hitter Amiya Jasso to line out to second base.
• A leadoff triple down the right field line by Kylie Forney gave the Rambelles a shot in the arm to start off the bottom of the sixth.
• Cantrell bounced back with back-to-back swinging strikeouts, but a two-out, RBI-double to right center by Dendis scored Forney to make it just a one-run game (3-2).
• With both the tying run and the go-ahead run on base after a hit by pitch, Cantrell came right at Greysen Collins with three straight strikes and a swinging strikeout (struck out the side) to keep UTPB in front heading into the final inning.
• With a one-run lead against a top-12 team in the country going into the bottom of the seventh, Cantrell hit the first batter in the inning.
• A sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position, and then a groundout back to Cantrell moved her to third base with two outs.
• With the game on the line against Forney, Cantrell got it to a 2-2 count, and then blew the final pitch by her for her sixth strikeout of the game.
• Cantrell (8-7) threw exactly 100 pitches and allowed six hits and two runs while not issuing a single walk.
• It was the 11th complete game of the season for Cantrell, but was arguably the biggest win of her career so far.
• Sanford was 2-for-4 for the UTPB offense while Balcazar (2 RBI's) and Valo (1 RBI) provided the crucial RBI-hits.
• After coming into the game to pitch with two outs in the top of the third inning, Ruiz did a nice job of limiting the damage by UTPB and preventing the Falcons from adding to their lead in the late innings. She finished with 4.1 innings pitched allowing three hits, zero walks and six strikeouts.
• UTPB outhit the No. 12 team in the country by one (8-7). The two teams combined for just one walk and both teams left five runners on base.

Coach's Quote:

• UTPB Head Softball Coach David Martinez said, "The girls bounced back from that first game, big time. It was a total team effort, from the energy in the dugout, to hitting with runners in scoring position, to the timely hitting, like Michelle's big two-out hit. Cantrell did a great job attacking the zone. Her and Coach Brooke had a plan, and they stuck with it, that was the biggest thing. With two outs and their best hitter up, we had a base open, but just like Coach Brooke said, we are going to challenge their best hitter with our best pitcher, and we went with that."
• On this being the first win in program history over ASU in San Angelo, Coach Martinez added, "That is awesome, and it shows where Coach Brooke and I are taking this program. It says a lot about this program and the girls this year, just giving them a chance and letting them show what they can do. This one is up there for me. It is definitely a top-three moment in my coaching career. It was a great atmosphere to be in, and overall it was just awesome to be a part of this accomplishment."

Next Up: After the Easter holiday, UTPB will return home to host Sul Ross State University beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 10, followed by Western New Mexico University at 12 p.m. on Sunday, April 12.