Saint Martin’s University opened its 2026 softball season with a statement win Friday, knocking off top-ranked and two-time defending national champion UT-Tyler 9-5 at the First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas.
The upset highlighted a 2-0 opening day for the Saints, who also cruised past Chadron State 9-1 earlier Friday to begin the season unbeaten.
UT-Tyler entered the weekend as the No. 1 team in the nation after a dominant 62-5 championship campaign last season. During that run, the Patriots allowed seven or more runs just twice.
Saint Martin’s wasted no time challenging that trend.
Saint Martin’s 9, Chadron State 1 (5 innings)
The Saints opened the season with fireworks in the opener against Chadron State. After Bridget Johnson worked a quick three-up, three-down top of the first inning, Haley Agena launched a solo home run in the first at-bat of the season to give Saint Martin’s an early lead.
Kaylee Walker followed with an RBI double later in the inning to make it 2-0.
Chadron State briefly answered with a solo home run in the third, but Saint Martin’s responded emphatically. Shelby Lawson and Taylor Orgeles each blasted two-run home runs in a four-run third inning, pushing the Saints in front 6-1.
The Saints closed out the victory in the fifth. Orgeles and Jules Detrinidad delivered RBI hits before Lawson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to end the game.
Johnson earned the win in the circle, allowing one run on three hits over four innings with three strikeouts. Orgeles went 2 for 3 with three RBIs, while Lawson drove in three runs and scored twice.
Saint Martin’s 9, UT-Tyler 5
Agena again set the tone in the nightcap, homering on the first at-bat for the second time Friday.
Kayla Vaughan kept UT-Tyler off balance early, pitching two hitless innings and three scoreless frames overall. Saint Martin’s added to its lead with a two-RBI triple from Orgeles in the third, then RBI singles from Alyssa Umemoto and Agena in the fourth to go ahead 5-0.
UT-Tyler chipped away with solo home runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Saints answered each time. Layla Royle drove in a run in the fifth, and Elissa Dewees followed an Umemoto single with an RBI triple in the sixth.
After the Patriots cut the lead to 7-4, Saint Martin’s delivered the decisive blow in the seventh. With two outs and the bases loaded, Kendalyn Cordeiro-Felise lined a two-run double to extend the lead to 9-4.
Amanda Peterson closed the game in the circle, working through a late solo home run before inducing a lineout to shortstop for the final out.
Agena finished 3 for 5 with two RBIs, Umemoto went 3 for 4 with a run and RBI, and Orgeles and Cordeiro-Felise each drove in two runs. Vaughan earned the win, and Peterson logged 3 1/3 innings of relief.
Saturday split moves Saints to 3-1
Saint Martin’s followed the upset with a split Saturday, falling 7-5 to Angelo State before rebounding with a 6-2 win over Texas A&M International.
Against Angelo State, the Saints scored four runs in the first inning behind a two-RBI double from Orgeles and two defensive miscues. Angelo State answered with five runs in the bottom half and never relinquished the lead, despite an RBI single from Walker in the second.
Agena, Walker and Orgeles each recorded two hits in the loss.
In Saturday’s finale, Saint Martin’s leaned on strong pitching and timely offense. Lawson and Peterson drove in first-inning runs, and Walker added an RBI double in the fourth.
Vaughan was dominant in the circle, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out seven. Umemoto added a solo home run in the sixth, and the Saints tacked on two more runs in the seventh to secure the win.
Lawson went 2 for 3 with an RBI, while Umemoto scored and drove in a run.
