SAN ANGLEO – They played nine innings in San Angelo Friday afternoon, but UT Permian Basin would only need the last two as the Falcons score 14 runs to come-from-behind and double up #3 Angelo State.
The win is the first over ASU in program history.
The Rams struck first with one run in the second, four in the third and one more in both the fifth and sixth innings to go on top 7-0 late in game one of the four game series.
UTPB started off the top of the eighth inning with a couple of base hits by Carson Johnson and Austin Hall. Johnson went on to score off a ground out to third base to get the Falcons on the board for the first time in the game. Later in the inning the Falcons were behind 7-2 before two wild pitches and four walks bought in three runs for UTPB to close the gap on the ASU advantage to 7-5. An infield single from Hall brought in two more runs to tie it up 7-7 with two outs. Two more walks and two more wild pitches brought in two more runs putting the Falcons ahead 9-7.
After a strikeout, hit, and two fly balls from ASU the Falcons were back up at the plate for the top of the ninth.
A walk, base hit, and an infield error loaded the bases for UTPB with no outs. Jack Haggerty beat out the double play ball to score a run and extend the led to 10-7 with two outs and runners on first and third. The Falcons went to bunt Haggerty over to second, but Johnson was able to reach first safely on an error and the Falcons load the bases again with one out. Hall's deep fly ball was long enough to score Mason Hamlin from third base, giving the Falcons another run 11-7 with two outs. Cooper Ciesielski emptied the bases with one swing, sending a bomb over the left field fence for a three run homer, extending the lead to 14-7.
Angelo State went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth, securing the upset for the Falcons 14-7.
Offensively, Hall led the Falcons with two runs, two hits, with three RBIs. Just behind him was Hamlin with two run to go with one hit. DeSoto had a run and an RBI off of two hits, while Ciesielski had one big hit for a HR and three RBIs.
On the mound UTPB went through six pitchers, each throwing one to two innings. Ryan Robinson earned his first win of the season while Andrew Troppmann held the Rams to only one hit in the last two innings.
Next up for the Falcons will be games two and three of the series at #3 ASU on Saturday. Game one of the day is scheduled to start at 1pm
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