SAN ANTONIO, Texas (April 18, 2025) – After playing one of its best games from beginning to end in a 6-3 defeat on Thursday night, The University of Texas Permian Basin baseball team won the first game on Friday at St. Mary's University 9-5 and looked poised to pull off its third doubleheader sweep of the season, but instead fell 9-8 in eight innings in game two after a game-tying three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning by the Rattlers.

In the instant classic that was game two, UTPB led 7-3 midway through the fifth inning but saw the Rattlers score one run in the bottom of the fifth and three in the seventh to force extra innings. As they have done the whole series, the Falcons responded, scoring one in the top half of the eighth for an 8-7 lead, but could not hold on in the end despite getting the Rattlers down to their last strike.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 9, StMU 5):

• Nolan LaChappa (5-3) had four popouts and two strikeouts through a scoreless first two innings, and then left a runner in scoring position for the third inning in a row, this time at third base, with a flyout to center field in the bottom of the third.
• Both teams had just one hit through three and a half innings, but a leadoff single up the middle and a two-out RBI-double to left field score the first run of the game for StMU in the bottom of the fourth.
• UTPB promptly tied it back up in the top of the fifth as after a leadoff double by Makai DeSoto was just out of reach of the left fielder down the left field line, the Rattler's infield moved in to try and prevent the run, but Andrew Prado sent a one-out RBI-single up the middle to bring in DeSoto from third base.
• An error by the Rattlers' third baseman throwing to second base on a fielder's choice allowed the go-ahead run, Prado, to reach third, and then with two outs, Jack Haggerty singled up the middle and just beat the throw by the second baseman to first base to allow Prado to score and make it 2-1 Falcons.
• The fifth inning continued and turned into a big inning as Brent Rigtrup fouled off several tough two-strike pitches and then somehow overcame the hard wind blowing in to punch out a three-run home run just over the left field fence and make it 5-1 Falcons.
• In all, it was a five-run, six-hit fifth inning for UTPB, which batted around and sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning.
• UTPB was .500 (3-for-6) with runners in scoring position through five innings.
• Unfortunately, with a four-run lead, N. LaChappa was unable to record an out through four batters in the bottom of the fifth and surrendered a run before leaving the bases loaded for Bryan Adams.
• Adams allowed a run on a single through the right side and another on a walk, but clinging to a one-run lead (5-4) still with the bases loaded and nobody out, got three straight swinging strikeouts to maintain the narrow advantage.
• UTPB had two runners on with nobody out in the sixth inning after a hit by pitch by Jarren Lewis and a walk by Prado, and after an error on a pickoff attempt at second base put two runners in scoring position with one out, the Rattlers' defense stepped up to the challenge as the infield moved in, managed the high hop on a grounder to second base and threw out the runner at home plate on a fielder's choice.
• Fortunately, with two outs and runners at the corners still in the top of the sixth, a solid base hit to center field by Carson Johnson scored Prado and gave the Falcons a late-inning insurance run, and then after a wild pitch to move up both runners and put two into scoring position for Rigtrup, Rigtrup delivered a single that just got down in front of the diving right fielder to score two more runs.
• A no-doubt home run to left center field by DeSoto in the top of the seventh added another insurance run.
• DeSoto finished 3-for-4 with a double and a home run, and Rigtrup was 2-for-4 with five RBI's and a three-run home run.
• Haggerty, Johnson (2-for-4), DeSoto and Prado (1-for-2, 2 walks) each scored two runs for UTPB.
• Taylor McDaniel was hit by a pitch twice.
• Adams put a zero on the board in the bottom of the sixth and was able to finish it off in the seventh.
• N. LaChappa earned his third win in as many starts and pitched the first four innings allowing six hits, four runs, four walks and two strikeouts. Adams earned the second save of his senior season and pitched the final three innings allowing two hits, one unearned run, two walks and three strikeouts.
• For StMU, starting pitcher Kaleb Gauna (5-4) took a hard-luck loss as he only allowed one earned run, but five total, in 4.2 innings of work on seven hits.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 8, StMU 9):

• Seven of UTPB's nine runs in game one were unearned, and then after a two-out walk by Johnson and a single to right field by Rigtrup to extend the first inning of game two, a fielding error at third base allowed Johnson to score the first run of the contest.
• 10 pitches and two batters into the bottom of the first inning, StMU tied the game after a leadoff single that saw the runner advance all the way to third base on an error by the right fielder was followed by an RBI-single to left field. After a wild pitch and a groundout to move that runner to third base, a sacrifice fly to left field brought in the second run of the first inning for the Rattlers.
• After a leadoff walk by DeSoto, the Falcons stranded the tying run at third base in the second inning.
• StMU made it 3-1 in the third inning after a leadoff double to left center field and an RBI-groundout to second base two batters later.
• After a first-pitch single to left field by Dayton Osborn to lead off the top of the fourth inning, a sacrifice bunt by McDaniel moved him to second and an RBI-single through the left side on a 3-2 count by DeSoto brought him in to make the score 3-2.
• In the bottom of the fourth inning with a runner on first base, a 1-0 pitch in the dirt bounced away from the plate, but Rigtrup stayed with it and was able to throw out the runner trying to steal, but the play would not have been without an incredible tag by Johnson at second base.
• Then after a leadoff double down the right field line by Haggerty in the top of the fifth, Johnson showed off his skills at the plate by taking advantage of the 2-0 pitch and launching an RBI-double into the gap in right center field to score Haggerty and tie the game at 3-3.
• The Falcons took back the lead as Rigtrup drew a 3-2 walk to put two runners on base, and then Osborn's well-placed sacrifice bunt attempt down the third base line drew an errant throw from the pitcher to first base, allowing Johnson to score the go-ahead run and moving both Rigtrup and Osborn into scoring position still with nobody out in the top of the fifth inning.
• A sacrifice fly to center field by McDaniel scored Rigtrup, and then the second error of the inning on StMU came via a throwing error at second base on a stolen base attempt by the Falcons, allowing Osborn to score and make it 6-3.
• With two outs and the bases loaded, a wild pitch scored DeSoto to make it 7-3.
• It was the second time during the doubleheader that the Falcons batted around in an inning, finishing with five total runs and three unearned runs on three hits, three walks and two errors.
• Johnson continued to show off his range as a defender as he made the stop and throw from the hole between first and second for the third out in the bottom of the fifth inning.
• UTPB was unable to do anything with a one-out double down the left field line by DeSoto in the top of the seventh, and that wasted potential insurance run would make a big difference in the next half inning.
• The lone 1-2-3 inning of the game for Timmy LaChappa game in the bottom of the sixth. He threw 103 pitches and finished with six innings pitched allowing five hits, four total runs and two earned runs.
• However, the decision to take T. LaChappa out after six innings did not work out for the Falcons as the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh both walked on four pitches, and then Jacob Elizondo hit a three-run home run to left field to tie the game and send it into extra innings.
• UTPB started the eighth inning with the top of the order as Kaleb Scull led off with a single to right field for his first hit of the day and Haggerty followed with a sacrifice bunt to third base to move Scull into scoring position. Replay review aided the Falcons this time around as a diving catch and throw to second base by the shortstop for what looked to be an inning-ending double play was reversed to just a lineout, keeping Scull on second base just long enough for a frozen-rope single up the middle by Rigtrup to give the Falcons their third lead of the ballgame.
• After rebounding after the three-run home run to record all three outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Conner Clark (0-3) returned to the hill in the bottom of the eighth and on a 3-2 count to the first batter, got a groundout to DeSoto at third base for out number one.
• However, facing another full count on the second at bat of the inning, a one-out walk put the tying run on base for the Rattlers. Clark battled back from down 2-0 to get back-to-back swing and misses and then got a called strike three to record out number two. A wild pitch on the first pitch to pinch hitter Hogan Heller moved the tying run to second base with two outs, but after back-to-back swing and misses to pull the Falcons to within one strike of winning the game, Heller sent Clark's 1-2 pitch into right center field for a game-tying double.
• With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Clark went 3-1 against Garrett Brooks, and missed outside to end the game on an RBI-walk.
• UTPB outhit StMU 10-7 in game two, but left nine runners on base and issued nine walks, equaling its number of walks given up in the first two games of the series combined.
• For the UTPB offense, DeSoto was 3-for-3 with a double, a walk and two stolen bases while Rigtrup was 2-for-3 with two walks.
• Elizondo was a perfect 3-for-3 out of the leadoff spot for StMU, scoring four runs, as he also walked twice, and needed only a triple for the cycle. Elizondo hit his eighth home run of the year to score all three runs in the seventh. Brooks was also 2-for-3 with two walks.

 
Team Records:

• UTPB's record moves to 16-28 overall and 16-27 in the Lone Star Conference while StMU's moves to 28-17 and 26-17. The Rattlers have only lost one series all season, a streak that was put in jeopardy until the final inning of game two on Friday.

Next Up: The fourth and final game of the series between UTPB at St. Mary's start at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, from San Antonio, Texas.