Editor’s Note: This is not UTEP softball’s most recent game.
For the final time in program history, the University of Texas at El Paso Miners (UTEP) (9-12, 1-2 Conference USA (C-USA)) opened C-USA play against the Sam Houston Bearkats (16-10, 2-1 C-USA), who last visited the Helen of Troy Softball Complex in 2024.
The series had previously ended in back-to-back UTEP victories, but it was Sam Houston who claimed a 9-0 upset in the third game.
This time around, the tables were turned. Sam Houston went into the final game of this season’s series off a two-game win streak propelled by sophomore pitcher Tiffany Sanchez’s no hitter in game one and a 13-run first inning in game two.
After losing six straight to the Bearkats dating back to 2024, UTEP lit up the skies with their bats in the series finale, beating the Sam Houston 3-2.
Game One
Both teams entered March 6’s opener off midweek losses. The Miners dropped their 10th game of the season to the University of New Mexico and Sam Houston lost their ninth to Lamar University.
Junior transfer from Lamar Veronica Harrison set the tone for the Bearkats. Harrison connected with the pitch dealt by true freshman pitcher Tatyana Vega and blasted a two-run home run, her 24th of the season.
Harrison’s home run was followed by four consecutive runs through the following six innings. One defining moment occurred in the top of the third inning. Junior Bella Perez skied Vega’s pitch, soaring past the outfield for a solo shot home run.
Vega’s night ended as she was relieved by sophomore pitcher Ariana Flores, who is in her first year with UTEP after transferring from Pima Community College in Arizona.
Flores minimized the damage, allowing only one more run. Defensively, Sanchez gave the Miners no room to breathe by pitching a no-hitter, becoming the first Bearkat to do so since 2021.
Sam Houston beat UTEP 6-0 to claim game one.
Game Two
UTEP sophomore pitcher Serenity Jacoway was given the start. Jacoway is the only returning pitcher on the Miner pitching staff and made her season debut against Houston Christian on Feb. 27, which resulted in a UTEP win.
However, the Bearkats clawed away at Jacoway’s pitches. In the top of the first, the Bearkats scored 13 runs on six doubles, one home run and a single. Sam Houston’s offensive presence forced Miner head coach TJ Hubbard to relive Jacoway with Flores in the first inning. Flores pitched the rest of the game.
UTEP collected seven hits, led by redshirt-freshman and Michigan State Spartans transfer Jordan Creduer, who prior to this year, had not played softball since her junior year of high school. Creduer was injured her senior year and redshirted last season with the Spartans.
Despite leading Sam Houston in hits, 7-6, the Miners lost 13-5 in 5 innings.
Game Three
On the verge of getting swept in their final C-USA series opener, the Miners struck quickly.
In the bottom of the second inning, senior Bri Garcia, the hometown hitter, connected on a pitch dealt by senior pitcher Makenzi Jenkins and advanced to second base.
Waiting on third, true freshman Aaliyah Betancourt sped home to score, giving the Miners its first lead of the series.
But the Bearkats would not go away without a fight. In the top of the third inning, freshman Sophia Lundstrom connected on a Flores pitch, allowing redshirt-junior Morgan Holiday to score and tie the game at 1-1.
To open the bottom of the fourth, senior Halle Hogan hit a home run. A week earlier, Hogan had blasted her first home run in a 16-3 mercy rule victory over Tarleton State and she did it again against Sam Houston.
After allowing runners on first and second, Vega relieved Flores. With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth after walking Harrison for the second time that day, Vega allowed no runs.
The Bearkats loaded the bases again and Vega could not get UTEP out of the jam. By walking Harrison for the third time, Lundstrom walked in a run, tying the game as 2-2.
Up came sophomore Marissa Burchard, who was on the C-USA All-Freshman Team last year. Burchard collected her second hit of the series with a double.
Two years ago, UTEP walked off Sam Houston on a hit by fifth-year player Kenna Carranza, a former transfer from Grayson College. This season, Carranza, now a veteran on UTEP’s squad, once again delivered.
A bobble in left field gave Burchard enough time score, clinching UTEP’s first C-USA win of the season.
The Miners later faced Ariona State University (20-6, 0-3 Big 12), where their momentum slowed on March 10. UTEP fell to the Sun Devils 10-1 in the matchup.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro is the multimedia editor for The Prospector and can be reached at [email protected] or Instagram and X @sebastianpn8, and on LinkedIn @sebastianperez-navarro.
