KINGSVILLE, Texas (February 16, 2025) – Looking for its first road win of the season, UT Permian Basin baseball had a chance after putting up a six-run top of the first inning, but instead the game was pushed to extra innings and the Falcons fell by a final score of 8-7 in 10 innings on Sunday at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
UTPB scored six runs on six hits and two errors in the first inning. Each of the first six batters of the game reached base for UTPB, starting with a leadoff single by
Kaleb Scull, an RBI-double to right field by
Jack Haggerty and an RBI-single to center field by
Carson Johnson. The inning would later feature an RBI-double to left center field by
Taylor McDaniel and an RBI-triple to left field by
Wiki DeLeon.
Unfortunately, UTPB would be held to just one run, five hits and nine baserunners over the next nine innings.
Starting pitcher
Nolan LaChappa struck out the side in a 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first inning, but gave up three runs in the third inning as TAMUK cut its deficit in half (6-3). The third inning for the Javelinas started with five straight singles, including back-to-back bunt singles for the final two hits.
Both teams scored a run in the fourth inning. For UTPB, after a leadoff walk by
Dayton Osborn, a two-out double down the right field line by Johnson was followed by a wild pitch to score Osborn from third base and make it 7-3 Falcons. For TAMUK, back-to-back one-out doubles down the left field and right field lines, respectively, scored a run before LaChappa was able to strand two runners in scoring position.
LaChappa pitched another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, ending his day with a 7-4 lead after five innings pitched allowing nine hits, four runs, zero walks and eight strikeouts.
Samuel Skipper started the bottom of the sixth inning and was pulled after walking a batter and allowing back-to-back singles, all with one out, to score a run.
Taven Hathaway was able to get the final two outs of the sixth inning and again stranded two Javelinas in scoring position, but in the seventh he ran into some trouble with a leadoff hit by pitch and a one-out double to yet again put two runners into scoring position. This time, TAMUK was able to tie the game thanks to runner's interference from the Falcons followed by a sacrifice fly to right field.
Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the ninth inning, and in the top of the 10th UTPB got a runner in scoring position with two outs as DeLeon walked and stole second base, but a called strike three ended the inning.
The bottom of the 10th inning was a quick one as Sergio Galvan Jr. came up with a leadoff double down the left field line and subsequently scored as an ensuing bunt single to third base by redshirt-freshman Fisher Davis drew an overthrow that allowed Galvan Jr. to score and end the game.
After entering to pitch for Hathaway back in the seventh inning,
Bryan Adams (0-1) finished with 2.2 innings pitched allowing just two hits and one unearned run.
Offensively for UTPB, Scull, Johnson,
Makai DeSoto and McDaniel all finished with two hits.
Scull would lead the Falcons in the series against TAMUK, hitting .375 (6-for-16) while leading the team in hits, runs scored (4) and doubles (2). Johnson would finish the series with six runs batted in across the four games.
UTPB is now 2-10 both overall and in the Lone Star Conference while TAMUK improves to 9-4 overall and 8-4 in the LSC after earning the series sweep and improving its winning streak to seven straight games.
UT Permian Basin returns home next weekend to host St. Edward's University. Game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday, February 21, from Roden Field.
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