ODESSA, Texas (February 15, 2026) – The first doubleheader of the 2026 season for The University of Texas Permian Basin baseball team saw the Falcons win game two of Sunday's doubleheader against Texas A&M University-Kingsville by a score of 8-7 behind another great starting pitching performance from Damian Robles combined with a clutch one-pitch save by Alex Thrasher. In game one of Sunday's doubleheader, the Falcons were defeated by a score of 8-2.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 2, TAMUK 8):

• For the fifth time in seven games, UTPB allowed its opponent to score in the first inning as a leadoff single up the middle by the Javelinas led to a double steal attempt with two outs where runner at third base stole home to score the first run of the game.
• UTPB tied it in the bottom of the second inning after a one-out single down the left field by Alden Quintanilla and a two-out RBI-double also down the left field line by Gael Bernal.
• It was a pitcher's duel between UTPB's Timmy LaChappa (0-3) and TAMUK's Tyler Schumann (2-0).
• In the top of the fourth inning, a strike-him-out, throw-him out by catcher Jarren Lewis ended the inning, but the Javelinas responded in kind with a called strike three and a caught stealing to again end the inning in the bottom half.
• After TAMUK's leadoff single in the first inning, LaChappa faced the minimum in each of the next three innings and did not allow another hit until a leadoff single through the left side of the infield in the fifth inning. Unfortunately, after a nice defensive play by LaChappa to record an out at the plate on a bunt attempt by the Javelinas, TAMUK was able to score the go-ahead run from second base with a two-out single through the right side.
• After a leadoff single to shortstop by Braeden Dyck and a sacrifice bunt by Bernal to move him to second, a baserunning error cost the Falcons the potential tying-run in the bottom of the fifth. With a runner on second and one out, the Javelinas used the momentum from the mental mistake by the Falcons and got a groundout to third base followed by a swinging strikeout to strand the tying-run. It would be a critical mistake by the Falcons.
• A nice grab by the UTPB first baseman (Dyck), catching the ricochet off of the catcher (Lewis) in foul territory resulted in third out in the top of the sixth inning, stranding two Javelinas in scoring position.
• Needing a run in the bottom of the sixth, Kaegan Costa pinch hit and led off with a walk, the first walk of the game drawn by the Falcons. He was then replaced on the base paths by Joshua Estrada, but it did not matter as a 4-6-3 groundball double play cleared the bases. The two outs were especially painful after the next hitter, Carlos Chavez, laced a two-out single to left field, but still the Falcons went into the final inning trailing by just one run (2-1).
• With the momentum on its side, TAMUK came out swinging with a leadoff double off the wall in center field in the top of the seventh, leading to a big inning with a two-run single to left field and an RBI-single just past the diving shortstop.
• LaChappa exited the game with one out in the top of the seventh. He threw 102 pitches and allowed seven runs, eight hits, four walks and six strikeouts in 6.1 innings.
• TAMUK kept the top of the seventh going with a second straight RBI-single to left field, followed by a sacrifice fly to left and an RBI-single to right field to make it a six-run, six-hit inning in which the Javelinas sent 10 batters to the plate.
• With the big lead, TAMUK turned to the bullpen to finish off the final inning.
• Schumann threw 85 pitches and allowed one run, five hits, two walks and eight strikeouts to earn the win for the Javelinas. Schumann was the 2025 Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year, was the LSC Pitcher of the Week during week one of the season this year, and was a member of this year's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-South Central Region team.
• In three plate appearances, Bernal would finish 2-for-2 with two doubles and a walk to lead the UTPB offense. After an RBI-double down the left field line in the second inning, Bernal led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to left center and scored on a two-out RBI-single up the middle by Carter Chaney.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 8, TAMUK 7):

• Robles (2-0) stranded a two-out, standup triple with a swinging strikeout to end the top of the first inning, and then UTPB led off the bottom of the first with a triple to right center field by Bernal, who continued his stellar afternoon with his third extra-base hit in three at bats. Two batters later, Chavez whacked an RBI-double off the bottom of the wall in left center field to score Bernal and make it 1-0 Falcons.
• TAMUK got on the board with a two-out RBI double on a blooper to shallow left center field in the top of the second, but Dyck had the answer with a leadoff homer to left field in the bottom half, making it 2-1 Falcons.
• The UTPB offense already had a triple, a double and a home run to its credit with no outs in the bottom of the second inning, and threatened to put together a big scoring frame after loading the bases with one out. Andrew Prado drew the full-count walk to score a run, and then two batters later, Demetrius Deramus came through with a two-run single through the left side to make it a 5-1 lead.
• After a two-out single to right field by Chavez to extend the inning, Deramus added a two-out RBI-double to right center field to make it 6-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, his second two-out RBI-hit in a row.
• Robles got a swinging strikeout to strand two runners in scoring position in the top of the third, and then got another swinging strikeout, his fifth strikeout within the first four innings of the game, leaving the bases loaded in the top of the fourth.
• Robles threw 89 pitches and finished with 4.2 innings pitched allowing just one run, six hits, three walks and six strikeouts. In two starts at home this season against No. 12 Angelo State University and Texas A&M-Kingsville, Robles is now 2-0 with just one run allowed across 10.1 innings.
• Robles' replacement, Zeke Alexander, ran into some trouble trying to record the final out of the fifth inning, hitting the first two batters he faced before giving up a walk to load the bases. That was followed by a two-out, two-run single to right field and an RBI-single through the left side to cut UTPB's lead to just two runs (6-4). With the bases loaded, Christian Rodriguez was able to get a grounder to second base to help the Falcons escape the inning with the lead.
• UTPB scored two runs on a pair of wild pitches by the third Javelina pitcher in the inning in the bottom of the fifth, and those runs would be crucial as TAMUK scored three runs on three Falcon errors in the top of the sixth to cut its deficit to only one run (8-7) heading into the final inning.
• With one on and one out in the top of the seventh, Thrasher came in to pitch, and it took only one pitch as he got the 4-6-3 double play started by Cruz Garcia at second base to preserve the win.
• The one-pitch save by Thrasher somehow bested his two-pitch save earlier in the season against Angelo State.
• UTPB was led at the plate by the No. 3 (Chavez) and No. 4 (Deramus) hitters in the lineup, who combined for four hits (two each) and four RBI's (3 by Deramus).
• As a team, the Falcons finished with a season-high 10 hits.

 
Team Records:

• Game two of the doubleheader marked the first win for UTPB (3-6 overall, 3-6 LSC) against TAMUK (6-3, 6-3) since their 2024 series opener, breaking a span of nine straight losses in the series.
• It was also the first win for Head Coach Justin Phillips against the Javelinas.

 
Coach's Quote:

• UTPB Head Coach Justin Phillips said, "Both of our starting pitchers put together a quality start and gave us a chance to win. Our offense stayed true to the plan, giving themselves a chance. We have to continue to trust the process. We have a chance to split the series tomorrow, and we have to find a way to get that done."

 
Next Up: The fourth and final game of the series between UTPB and TAMUK will start at 11 a.m. on Sunday, February 15, from Odessa, Texas.