PORTALES, N.M. (May 2, 2026) – Eastern New Mexico University scored in each of its first seven offensive innings of the day, defeating UT Permian Basin 11-0 in five innings in game one and 12-3 again in five innings in game two.
Game 1 (UTPB 0, ENMU 11):
- The Greyhounds nearly sent two balls out of the park in the bottom of the first inning. After a one-out, first-pitch triple to right center field, Jessica Cantrell (12-10) got a foul out to third base for out number two, but then a double off the wall again in right center on a 3-2 count scored the first run of the game.
- Then after inside-the-park home run for ENMU made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second, Cantrell was able to strand a one-out double after getting another foul out to third base followed by a popout on a bunt back to the circle.
- UTPB grounded out three straight times in a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, and then back-to-back swinging strikeouts started another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second.
- UTPB's first baserunner came via a leadoff single to left field by Angelina Arriaga in the top of the third, and that was followed by a walk by Cantrell to put two runners on with nobody out, but the Falcons came up empty.
- Then in the bottom of the third, the Greyhounds led off with their fifth extra-base hit, hitting a double to left field. Just two batters later, a three-run home run to right center broke the game open (5-0) as ENMU continued to hit the ball hard.
- That ended the game for Cantrell, but UTPB could not get out of the inning without allowing another run as three of the next five Greyhounds drew a walk, the final one coming with the bases loaded.
- A grand slam down the left field line in the bottom of the fourth helped get ENMU past the run-rule margin (11-0).
- ENMU finished with 11 runs on 11 hits and hit eight extra-base hits (4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs) in four offensive innings.
- UTPB was held to two hits (Arriaga, Alivia Robinson) and one walk (Cantrell) by pitcher Marissa Rodriguez (10-3).
Game 2 (UTPB 3, ENMU 12):
- Game two followed a similar starting script as game one as UTPB grounded out three straight times in a 1-2-3 top of the first inning while a two-out double scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first.
- Then the second inning of game two started just as the third inning of game one did for UTPB, a single (Kelsey Valo) followed by a walk (Robinson). This time, however, UTPB did not come up empty as Kaylee Moses, delivered an RBI-double past the diving right fielder to tie it (1-1), and then a fielding error at second base on a ball off the bat of Arriaga put the Falcons in front (2-1) for the first time on the day.
- After each of the first four batters in the inning reached for UTPB, the Falcons then had the bases loaded with two outs, and Carlee Quintero came through with an RBI-single between two diving infielders on the left side to make it 3-1 still in the second inning.
- However, ENMU had an answer to lead off the bottom of the second as a nine-pitch at bat ended with a leadoff home run hit almost to the road in right field by Talia Martin, her second home run of the day.
- Just like UTPB in the top half, ENMU had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the second, and a two-run single to left field put the Greyhounds back in front (4-3).
- In all, ENMU sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the second and scored nine runs on eight hits, including five two-out RBI-hits to take a 10-3 lead.
- UTPB had one baserunner in each of the third and fourth innings, doing nothing with a one-out walk by Robinson in the third inning and a leadoff single to shallow left field by Gabriella Cabrera in the fourth.
- UTPB loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning, starting the inning with a leadoff single up the middle by Odalys Solis. With one out, Robinson drew her third walk of the game, and then Arriaga walked with two outs, but a called strike three was in there to end the game on the next at bat.
- Miranda Guillen (7-9), ENMU's pitcher to watch selection for the Lone Star Conference, picked up the win after pitching the final four innings for the Greyhounds and allowing three hits, no runs, four walks and five strikeouts.
- Priscilla Medina allowed three hits, two runs, zero walks and three strikeouts in the final 2.1 innings pitched by the Falcons.
Team Records:
- UTPB falls to 18-29 overall and 9-27 in the LSC. Game two was the end of five straight shutouts for UTPB vs. ENMU (19-26, 15-23).
Coach's Quote:
- UTPB Head Softball Coach David Martinez said, "ENMU swung the bats really well today. You have to tip your hat to them. I cannot really say anything else about it. We just could not get things going; we were hitting balls right at people. Moses and Quintero helped us get off to a 3-1 start in the second game, but they just came back on us and kept swinging. It is going to be hard tomorrow; we just need to continue to compete until the very end."
Next Up: UTPB heads to Canyon, Texas, for the final series of the season on Sunday, May 3, with a doubleheader against a top-six team in NCAA Division II, West Texas A&M University, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
