DENTON, Texas - The UTEP softball team (12-21, 2-8 Conference USA) fell to North Texas (19-7, 8-2 C-USA) 10-2 in six innings in its series opener Friday evening at Lovelace Stadium.
 
Aiming Higher and Higher

• UTEP pitcher Isabell Kelly threw a season-high of 5.2 innings while matching her career-high four strikeouts.
• Centerfielder Aaliyah Rebolledo registered a career-high four putouts
• The Miners matched the programs third best record of stolen bases in a single game, swiping five bases in tonight's series opener.

 
The Mean Green jumped to a quick 5-0 lead in the first frame as they posted back-to-back RBI singles by Kalei Christensen and Kailey Gamble, and a three-run home run from Tayla Evans.
 
The Miners landed on the board in the fourth, closing the deficit 5-1, as Ajia Richard sent one up the middle to plate Lexi Morales who led off the inning with a walk and swiped second shortly after.
 
UTEP's Savannah Favre made her way around the diamond quickly in the fifth as she got a base hit off a single to second base, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch all before Zaylie Calderon's third pitch was thrown. Favre is now 7-for-7 in stolen bases on the season. Karina Somoza stepped up to the plate to pinch hit for Aaliyah Rebolledo, a wise decision by UTEP head coach TJ Hubbard as Somoza locked in another RBI making way for Favre to cross the dish with the score now 5-2.
 
North Texas scored five more runs over the next two innings. Molly Rainey's sacrifice fly plated Cierra Simon in the fifth. Over the sixth inning, Sydney Ingle recorded UNT's second homerun of the game, and Christensen and Gamble once again put up RBI singles to extend the lead 9-2. Another sacrifice fly by Rainey allowed Christensen to score ending the game in a 10-2 run-rule.
 
Miner Quick Hits

• Karina Somoza: 1-for-1, RBI
• Ajia Richard: 1-for-3, RBI

 
ON DECK
UTEP will continue its three-game series versus North Texas Saturday, April 2, at 12 p.m. MT. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats also available.

---

Help support UTEP student-athletes by making a gift to the Miner Athletic Club. Visit givingto.utep.edu/mac today!
 
For complete coverage of UTEP Softball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @utepsoftball (Instagram) and @UTEPSoftball (Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.