UT Permian Basin opened the Alpine Fresh 4-Him Classic with a pair of wins, winning a pitcher's duel in the first game against East Central and then coming back from a six-run deficit to defeat Oklahoma Panhandle.

Ivan Thomas was given the ball in the first game of the weekend and allowed a run in the first inning.  He would settle in for the rest of the afternoon.  Thomas would go eight innings allowing just one hit after the first inning while striking out six.  The Tigers matched zeroes with the Falcons for the afternoon except for the fourth inning.  After having one base runner for the first three innings, the Falcons opened the inning with three straight runners.  Tylor Frailey worked a leadoff walk and would move to second on the single by Peyton Koopman.  Clean-up hitter Alex Wixson would tie the ballgame on an RBI-single moving Koopman to third.  Skyler Palermo would drive Koopman in on a sacrifice fly to right giving the Falcons the lead.  Thomas continued to mow down the Tiger line-up allowing just one man to reach scoring position before giving way to reliever Paul McRae.  McRae would pitch a clean ninth striking out two while earning his first save of the season in the 2-1 victory.

The Falcons (3-2) had to come from behind against Oklahoma Panhandle after the Aggies scored six runs in the first two innings.  The Aggies did their damage with two outs in the first inning scoring five times before adding another run in the second inning.  The Falcon offense would climb back in it in the bottom of the third inning.  Dalton Castillo started off the inning with a double, then moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a balk.  After Andrew Donovan was hit by a pitch and moved over on a wild pitch he would score on a ground out from Frailey.  Two batters later, William Bierlein would hit a two-run home run to right to make it 6-4.  Another run would be added in the fourth when an error allowed Andres Romero to scamper home.  Both teams would strand a runner in scoring position in the sixth before the Falcon offense would explode.

It was unorthodox but the Falcons loaded the bases with one out after three hit batters.  A wild pitch would bring in a run before Romero would triple in the other two and give the Falcons the 8-6 lead.  Romero himself would come into score on a wild pitch.  Donovan would single then Pemron Burrows and Frailey would follow with back to back RBI-doubles to cap off the six-run inning and make the game 11-6.  The Aggies would add a run in the ninth but it was too late as the Falcons would win 11-7.  Jake Rohde and Cale Thonton combined for a dominant bullpen, throwing seven innings allowing the one run and five hits.  Rohde went four shutout innings allowing two hits and struck out a pair.  

Thomas and Thornton earned the wins for the Falcons, both their firsts of the year, while McRae earned his first save of the season.  Frailey finished the day with a pair of hits, two RBI and run scored.  Castillo added a pair of doubles in the second game and Bierlein finished with two RBI on the home run.

The Falcons continue the Alpine Fresh 4-Him Classic tomorrow when they face host school Colorado Christian at 10 a.m.  With a win the Falcons will finish their side of the bracket 3-0 and clinch a spot in the championship game.