CANYON, Texas (May 3, 2026) – The UT Permian Basin softball team saved its toughest opponent of the season for last, falling 17-0 in five innings in game one and 11-0 again in five innings in game two as the Falcons finished their 2026 season at No. 6 nationally-ranked West Texas A&M University. Just like Eastern New Mexico University the day before, WT scored in each of its first seven offensive innings of the day.
Game 1 (UTPB 0, WT 17):
- WT's baserunning played a pivotal role in the first inning as after Abby Howell hustled down the line and beat out an inning-ending double play at first base, Howell took advantage of a mental lapse by the Falcons and stole second base, putting a runner in scoring position with two outs. That was followed by an RBI-single off the fence in center field. After an RBI-double to left field scored another run, a walk and an infield single loaded the bases with two outs before a fielder's choice to third base got Priscilla Medina (3-12) and the Falcons out of the inning.
- Missed opportunities with two outs continued to haunt the Falcons in the second inning as a wild pitch on strike three allowed the runner to reach first base instead of ending the inning. After four straight Lady Buffs reached after the second out was recorded in the first inning, seven straight batters reached with two outs in the second inning. WT at one point got four straight two-out RBI-hits (single, double, triple, single) in the second inning, and totaled seven two-out RBI-hits in the first two innings.
- It was a six-run, six-hit second inning for the Lady Buffs, but it would not be their biggest inning of the game as two errors in the bottom of the fourth led to seven unearned runs.
- WT's 19 hits were a season-high allowed by UTPB.
- For WT, starting pitcher Raegan Sucher and relief pitchers Laci Peskey and Ava Sharp combined to pitch a perfect game (15-up, 15-down).
- Peskey, WT's Lone Star Conference Pitcher to Watch, struck out four Falcons in her two innings, including three straight strikeouts in a 1-2-3 third inning, improving to 19-4 on the season.
- Candence Colborn, WT's LSC Player to Watch, nearly hit for the cycle as she went 3-for-3 with an RBI-double in the first inning, an RBI-triple in the second inning and a single in the third inning.
Game 2 (UTPB 0, WT 11):
- Sucher (5-0) returned to the circle to start off game two for WT and picked up right where she left off with another 1-2-3 inning.
- In the bottom of the first, leadoff hitter Bella Holland fell behind 1-2 against Jessica Cantrell (12-11), but ultimately wrapped up an 11-pitch at bat with a full-count walk, and then a first-pitch home run to left field by Jordyn De Los Santos on the next at bat let Cantrell know that there would be no easy at bats in this game.
- Facing an 0-2 count with two outs in the second inning, De Los Santos hit her second two-run home run in as many innings, this time going to the opposite field (right field). It was her 90th hit of the season, breaking WT's single-season record. Last week, De Los Santos again hit two home runs and tied the LSC single-game record with nine RBI's in game two at Texas A&M International University.
- After not hitting a home run in game one, WT hit one in each of the first three innings of game two as senior Trinity Kuntz led off the bottom of the third inning with a no-doubter to left field.
- Then after the second triple of the day by Colborn, Brooke Janning sent a homer to center field, the third two-run home run of the game for the Lady Buffs, making it 7-0 in the third inning.
- A three-run home run crushed to center field by Howell made it three home runs in the third inning and made the score 11-0.
- The third inning represented WT's second seven-run inning of the day.
- Sucher was nine-up, nine-down with three perfect innings, and then Peskey got two groundouts to start off the fourth inning before UTPB finally got its first baserunner of the day on a single up the middle and off the shortstop's glove by Kelsey Valo.
- Kaylee Moses added a one-out single to center field in the fifth inning for UTPB, but in all, Lady Buffs' pitching retired 30 of 32 Falcon batters on the afternoon.
Team Records:
- UTPB finishes its season 18-31 overall and 9-29 in the LSC.
- UTPB has not defeated WT (46-6, 36-4) since the 2022 season when the Falcons upset the No. 22-ranked and defending national champion Lady Buffs in both games.
- WT, now on a 12-game winning streak after beating UTPB, was coming off a Saturday afternoon in which the Lady Buffs clinched the program's sixth LSC regular-season title with a pair of top-25 win over No. 13 Angelo State University.
- The Lady Buffs were also recently tabbed second in the first numerical rankings for the NCAA Division II South Central Region.
Coach's Quote:
- UTPB Head Softball Coach David Martinez said, "Our first year went as planned. I thank the seniors for setting the foundation for years to come. They helped created a family atmosphere and helped hold the younger players accountable. They left this place better than they found it. This program will continue to grow after this year's success. I was really impressed with some of the milestones we hit this year, and I am excited to see where this program can go. This is the toughest conference in the nation, it is challenging to win games, and every win was hard-fought. In closing, I want to thank the seniors, administration and the families for believing in the coaching staff. We gave the girls something to believe in, and the future for this team is bright. Thank you to everybody, we are looking forward to next year, and want to build off of this year."
Season Highlights:
- Despite today's results, it was a great first season for the Falcons under Head Coach David Martinez.
- UTPB started the season 7-2 and went 9-2 overall in nonconference action.
- Coach Martinez concluded, "What we achieved on the field this season was not just about box scores or the wins and losses, it was about the resilience we showed when things got tough and the way we leaned on one another to reach new heights. Breaking records and accomplishing things that have not been done here in years is a testament to our hard work, grit and belief in each other."
- Feb. 22: UTPB closed out its first weekend of Lone Star Conference action with a 2-0 shutout win by Jessica Cantrell in game one at Midwestern State University. It was the Falcons' first road conference win since April 21, 2023.
- Feb. 27: An epic 10-inning affair resulted in a 2-1 win in game one for UTPB against Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Friday at the UTPB Softball Park. It was the first win for UTPB against TAMUK since March 4, 2017, and was the end of an 18-game losing streak against the Javelinas.
- Mar. 18: UTPB hit four home runs on the afternoon and did not allow a single earned run between both games in a midweek, nonconference clash against the University of the Southwest (N.M). In the end, UTPB won 9-2 in game one and needed only five innings to earn a 14-0 win in game two over the Mustangs. With a record of 11-16 overall after the two wins, UTPB reached double-digit wins for the first time in a season since 2022. It is also the most wins in a single season for UTPB's four seniors (Keri Sanford, Angelina Arriaga, Kelsey Valo, Gabriella Cabrera). Offensively, it was the first time UTPB hit at least two home runs in back-to-back games since February 5, 2023. Pitching-wise, it was the first time UTPB did not allow an earned run in back-to-back games since doing it in three straight games in 2022. Lastly, it was the first time UTPB did not issue a single walk in back-to-back games since April 26-27, 2019.
- Apr. 2: Jessica Cantrell continued her standout sophomore campaign by leading UTPB to a 3-2 win in game two at No. 12 nationally-ranked Angelo State University. It was UTPB's first-ever win against Angelo State in San Angelo, Texas (25-1). It was also the Falcons' first nationally-ranked win since April 22, 2022.
- Apr. 24: A one-hit shutout by Jessica Cantrell and a five-RBI game for Kaylee Moses helped UTPB win game one vs. Midwestern State University 8-0 in six innings and tie the program record for most Lone Star Conference wins in a single season. Then in game number two, the record fell as UTPB registered six consecutive hits in the middle of a five-run third inning while Laila Vasquez tossed her second shutout of the season, helping lead the Falcons to a 7-0 victory. UTPB improved to 18-25 overall and 9-23 in the LSC, breaking the previous program record of eight LSC wins set in 2022. In addition, the Falcons' 18 overall wins tied for the second-most in a single season in program history, while their 16 Division II wins were the most. In addition to sweeping an LSC opponent for the first time this season, it was the Falcons' first time earning back-to-back shutouts in LSC action in program history (joined the LSC starting in the 2017 season). Lastly, game one vs. MSU was UTPB's first run-rule win in LSC play since March 6, 2022.
