KINGSVILLE, Texas (February 14, 2025) – The University of Texas Permian Basin baseball team scored in the top of the first inning and held the lead at three different points in the game, but each time the Javelinas had an answer as in the end, it was Texas A&M University-Kingsville that doubled up the Falcons by a score of 8-4.

UTPB (2-7 overall, 2-7 Lone Star Conference) got off to a good start as Kaleb Scull led off the game with a single to left field, advanced to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on groundout to second base by Jack Haggerty, and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Carson Johnson.

Starting pitcher Damian Robles would pitch a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, but hit a batter and allowed four straight singles in the middle of the second inning as Kingsville (6-4, 5-4) took a 2-1 lead.

UTPB would take back a 3-2 lead in the top of the third inning after a pair of errors to start the inning led to two unearned runs for the Falcons on the third error of the inning by the Javelinas.

A leadoff double, a walk and a balk allowed Kingsville to tie it (3-3) in the bottom of the third before the UTPB defense turned back-to-back 4-6-3 double plays to end both the third and fourth innings.

UTPB had a runner thrown out at home plate and left two runners in scoring position in the top of the fourth, and then grounded into an inning-ending double play of its own in the top of the fifth.

Robles left in a tie ballgame and finished with 5.1 innings pitched allowing six hits, three runs, one walk and three strikeouts.

The Falcons took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning as Tanner Hedrick led off with a four-pitch walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Scull, took third base on a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt by the pitcher, and then scored on a two-out single to right center field by Johnson. Johnson finished with three runs batted in on the game for UTPB.

Kingsville, however, would not be denied and took its second lead of the game (5-4) with a leadoff infield single, a sacrifice fly and a two-out RBI-single of its own in the bottom half of the seventh.

A two-out, two-run single would break the game open for Kingsville in the bottom of the eighth while the Falcons went down 1-2-3 in each of the final two innings.

In the end, the Javelinas scored five runs in their final two innings to down the Falcons in game one of the four-game series. It is also the Javelinas' fourth win in a row and their third-straight game with 10 or more hits.

In addition, the Kingsville bullpen continued its strong start to the season and held UTPB to just one run over 5.1 innings.

Games two and three of the series at Texas A&M-Kingsville will be at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively, on Saturday, February 15, from Nolan Ryan Field.