Maldonado Extends Hitting Streak to 11 as Offense Piles up 21 Hits at UTPB

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ODESSA, Texas – Junior Ariana Maldonado (Albuquerque, NM/Cibola) remained on a tear Friday as she posted a pair of hits in the opener and then added a double in the second game. After UT Permian Basin claimed game one 8-1, it was a battle in game two with the teams combining for 13 runs and 32 hits before the Falcons pulled out the 7-6 win in nine innings in Lone Star Conference action.

Maldonado did all she could to lead the offense in extending her hit streak to 11 games, tying her high she set earlier this year. Junior Carolyn Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City) also had her hitting streak to 11 games following game one, but wasn't able to get a hit in game two.

UTPB (14-27, 3-17 LSC) started early in the opener. A two-run homer by Adrianna Berzoza in the first inning had the Falcons out to a 2-0 lead. In the second, a fielder's choice RBI and error on a double-steal moved the lead to 4-0.

The Falcons piled on three more in the fifth before WNMU (4-33, 2-18 LSC) got on the board in the sixth. With one out, Maldonado delivered as she drilled the first pitch to left for a solo homer. UTPB closed the scoring with a run in the home half of the inning.

The Lady Mustangs tried to make it interesting in the seventh as Castillo singled, but was gunned down trying to stretch for a double. Freshman Alexis Gonzalez (Phoenix, AZ/Deer Valley) followed with a single and after junior Yasmeen Gastelum (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle) was hit-by-pitch to put two runners on before a fielder's choice out ended the game.

Maldonado and Castillo tallied two hits each, while Maldonado had the only RBI. Maritza Rojas posted three hits to lead UTPB, while Berzoza added two hits. Berzoza also drove in three runs.

In the circle, sophomore Lyana Waddell (Winkelman, AZ/San Manuel) went all six innings for WNMU as she allowed seven earned runs to take the loss (3-16). Cindy Juarez went all seven innings for UTPB to grab her fourth win (4-6) of the year after allowing just one earned run.

In game two, it was a complete reversal from the first game as both offenses were ready to roll. Maldonado got the scoring started in the first inning as she doubled to right to score junior Tycee Coplan (Taylor, AZ/Snowflake) who opened the inning with a single.

The score would remain 1-0 into the fourth when the Lady Mustangs added on. Redshirt sophomore Clarissa Moreno (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) quickly doubled the lead when she opened the frame with a solo shot to center on the first pitch. The inning was far from over, as Gastelum singled and after Coplan added a single, senior Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) singled to center to plate freshman Dominique Gonzales (Chandler, AZ/Hamilton) to extend the lead to 3-0.

Berzoza connected on her second home run of the day when she leadoff the home half of the fourth with a solo shot. UTPB ended up loading the bases in the inning, but redshirt freshman Alicia Habitzreuther (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena) worked out of the jam getting a lineout to second and a fly out to left to preserve the 3-1 lead after four.

The Falcons were not to be denied in the fifth. They opened the frame with three straight singles and after a fielder's choice out, they tied the game with a two run single up the middle. Another single to left pushed UTPB in front and after a squeeze play brought in the fifth run, a double-steal made it 6-3 for the Falcons after five.

Just when it looked like WNMU was in trouble, Habitzreuther came through with the clutch hit in the seventh. Garcia opened the inning with a single and after an out, freshman Grisdey Paredez-Alvarez singled to put runners at first and second. Habitzreuther then stepped up and ripped a 1-0 pitch deep to left for a three-run home to know the game at six.

UTPB nearly won the game in the home half of the inning as a walk and a fielder's choice put the first two runners on. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, a failed squeeze and a groundout to third sent the game into extra innings.

In the eighth, UTPB again had the winning run in scoring position at second when Berzoza doubled with two outs, but a groundout ended the inning.

In the ninth, the Falcons put together a two-out rally to pull out the victory. After a leadoff singled, a foul out and pop out quickly marked two outs. Then a single to left-center put runners at the corners for Jessica Gonzalez who singled to right on the first pitch to score the winning run for UTPB.

Garcia led the offense with three hits. Coplan, Paredes-Alvarez, Moreno, Gastelum and Gonzales all added two-hit games. Habitzreuther drove in three runs. Berzoza collected four hits to lead UTPB, while April Arellano had three hits. Arellano drove in two runs to lead the team.

In the circle, Habitzreuther went the first seven innings for WNMU and allowed six earned runs to get the no decision. Waddell came on in relief and went the final 1.2 innings and took the loss (3-17) after allowing one earned run on four hits. Sloan Springfield started for UTPB and went the first 6.1 innings and allowed six earned runs before taking the no decision. Maritza Rojas was strong in relief as she went the final 2.2 innings to get the win (6-8) as she didn't allow a baserunner and added a pair of strikeouts.

The two teams will finish their four-game series tomorrow (Saturday) beginning at 11 a.m. Mountain Time. The first game of the day will be a Lone Star Conference contest, while the second game will be a non-conference game.

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Players Mentioned

#17 Carolyn Castillo: 3B/1B; 5' 5"; Junior; R/R

#14 Mariangela Garcia: SS; 5' 5"; Senior; R/R

#12 Yasmeen Gastelum: C; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#5 Alicia Habitzreuther: 2B/SS; 5' 6"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#9 Ariana Maldonado: OF; 5' 3"; Junior; R/R

#7 Clarissa Moreno: C; 5' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

#11 Lyana Waddell: P; 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R

#1 Dominique Gonzales: 2B/OF; 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R

#2 Tycee Coplan: UT; 5' 5"; Junior; L/R

#6 Alexis Gonzalez: 2B; 5' 3"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#17 Carolyn Castillo
: 5' 5"; Junior; R/R
: 3B/1B

#14 Mariangela Garcia
: 5' 5"; Senior; R/R
: SS

#12 Yasmeen Gastelum
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: C

#5 Alicia Habitzreuther
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: 2B/SS

#9 Ariana Maldonado
: 5' 3"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#7 Clarissa Moreno
: 5' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: C

#11 Lyana Waddell
: 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R
: P

#1 Dominique Gonzales
: 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R
: 2B/OF

#2 Tycee Coplan
: 5' 5"; Junior; L/R
: UT

#6 Alexis Gonzalez
: 5' 3"; Junior; R/R
: 2B