ODESSA, Texas (March 13, 2026) – Looking to win its series opener for the first time this season, The University of Texas Permian Basin baseball team did it with a 17-5 offensive showing in game one against Cameron University. However, the UTPB pitching could not replicate its success in game two as the Falcons fell 14-10 vs. the Aggies.
 
Game 1 (UTPB 17, CU 5):

• In the bottom of the first, a four-pitch walk to Daylon Jefcoats was followed by a first pitch single through the left side by Carlos Chavez, and the Aggies' left fielder let the ball get by him, allowing Jefcoats to score all the way from first base for the first run of the game.
• Alden Quintanilla followed with an RBI-single through the right side to score Chavez from second base, and then an errant throw from the shortstop on what would have been the third out of the inning allowed another run to score (unearned) to make it a three-run first inning to start the day for the Falcons.
• Back-to-back singles by Andrew Prado and Jefcoats followed by a full-count walk by Chavez allowed UTPB to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the second, and a single to second base by Gael Bernal was knocked down, but no play could be made as Prado scored. Quintanilla then clanged a bases-clearing three-run double off the wall in left field, his second RBI-hit (4 RBI's) in as many innings to start the game, making it a 7-0 Falcons' lead.
• Still with just one out in the bottom of the second, the bases were loaded again for Marcos Castro, who sent a sacrifice fly to center field to score Quintanilla and make it 8-0.
• It was a five-run, six-hit second inning for the Falcons to break the game open.
• After a four-run top of the third inning for Cameron on just two hits, UTPB answered back in the bottom half as Jefcoats led off with a single up the middle and was followed by a majestic home run on a full count to left field by Chavez to make it 10-4.
• UTPB's second through fifth hitters in the lineup, Jefcoats, Chavez, Bernal and Quintanilla, were all 2-for-2 with either a walk or a hit by pitch in their first three plate appearances.
• After doing so four times in the second inning, UTPB loaded the bases for the fifth time in the bottom of the third and added three more runs (2 unearned) after the home run to score five runs for the second inning in a row and go up 13-4.
• Chavez (2 walks), Bernal (2 hit by pitches) and Quintanilla (2 walks) each kept their perfect starts to the game going in the bottom of the fourth and loaded the bases for the sixth time in the last three innings, but this time UTPB could not add to its lead.
• Chavez reached base for the fifth time in five plate appearances with a two-out hit by pitch in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases for the seventh time in four innings for UTPB. Bernal then came through with a three-run double to left center field, making him 3-for-3 with two hit by pitches in his first five plate appearances.
• It was a season-high in runs and was the fifth game in a row with double-digit hits for the UTPB offense.
• Jefcoats, Chavez, Bernal and Quintanilla were a combined 10-for-12 with 13 runs scored and 10 RBI's from the No. 2 through No. 5 spots in the Falcons' lineup.
• Jefcoats was 3-for-4 with four runs scored, two stolen bases and a walk.
• Chavez was 2-for-2 with four runs scored, two RBI's, two walks, a hit by pitch, an RBI-single in the first inning and a two-run home run in the third inning.
• Bernal was 3-for-3 with four RBI's, three runs scored, two hit by pitches, an RBI-single in the second inning and a three-run double in the fifth inning.
• Quintanilla was 2-for-3 with four RBI's, two runs scored, two walks, an RBI-single in the first inning and a three-run double in the second inning.
• Lastly, Demetrius Deramus was 3-for-4 with a hit by pitch and an RBI-double in the third inning.
• Timmy LaChappa (1-4) threw 101 pitches and allowed six hits, five runs, three walks and four strikeouts in six innings.

 
Game 2 (UTPB 10, CU 14):

• An interference call resulted in two outs on one play for Cameron in the top of the first inning, the first two outs of the game, and then each of the first three Aggies in the top of the second took Santana Hernandez to a full count, but Hernandez was able to pitch two scoreless innings to start.
• A perfectly-executed hit-and-run by Cameron in the top of the third inning saw a runner in motion draw the attention of the Falcons' second baseman, and a hit right where he was originally standing put runners at the corners with one out. Unfortunately, a 4-6-3 double play that would have ended the inning was overturned on a challenge, allowing Cameron to score the first run of the game on what instead became a fielder's choice. Then an RBI-double down the left field line scored the runner from first base and made it 2-0 Aggies. With two on and two outs, Santana picked off a runner at second base to end the inning and limit the damage.
• Then making only his second start since the second weekend of the season, James Nolan hammered the first pitch he saw over the wall in left field for a one-out home run (exit velocity of 103 mph), cutting UTPB's deficit in half (2-1). With two outs and Jefcoats at second base, a clutch single just between the infielders on the left side by Chavez tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third.
• Nolan then added to his good start to the game with a hard-hit sacrifice fly to the deepest part of the park in center field, scoring Braeden Dyck to give UTPB a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
• The lead was short-lived, however, after Cameron tied it with a leadoff single followed by a one-out RBI-single in the fifth inning, and then the Aggies took the lead in the sixth inning when another leadoff single was followed just one batter later by another RBI-single.
• Hernandez pitched the first five innings allowing six hits, three total runs, two earned runs, six walks and four strikeouts for UTPB.
• After using singles to tie the game and take the lead in the previous two innings, Cameron added to its lead with back-to-back doubles to lead off the top of the seventh, and then a two-out RBI-single up the middle just past the diving Bernal at second base made it a 6-3 advantage.
• Chavez kept his great day going with a two-out double to left center field in the bottom of the seventh, making him 4-for-4 to start the game and a perfect 6-for-6 on the day at that point. That would be the start of a Falcons' rally to tie the game as Bernal brought Chavez home with a single through the left side, and that was followed by an RBI-double to left center by Quintanilla, getting his first hit of the game to make it just a one-run deficit (6-5). Dyck then hit a 2-2 pitch into right field, UTPB's fourth straight hit, and Quintanilla just slid in safely under the tag at home plate to tie the game at 6-6.
• Unfortunately, Cameron started off its half of the eighth inning with a hit by pitch and a walk to put two runners on with nobody out, and an RBI-single through the right side promptly gave the Aggies back the lead (7-6). That was just the start of a big inning for Cameron, which after loading the bases with nobody out, put together three straight RBI-singles to go up 11-6. In all, the Aggies would score seven runs on five hits in the inning, the biggest offensive inning of the day for either team and enough to give the visiting team a seven-run lead (13-6).
• With UTPB on the comeback trail and down 13-8 with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Quintanilla came through with an RBI double for the second inning in a row, this time a two-run double down the left field line to make the score 13-10. It was a four-run bottom of the eighth inning for UTPB, but the Falcons left two runners in scoring position with one out, coming up short on an opportunity to cut into the lead even more and potentially make it a one-run game again.
• Down 14-10 in the bottom of the ninth, UTPB went down on a foul out on one pitch for out number one, went down on a called strike three on a 3-2 pitch for out number two, and flied out to left field to end the 1-2-3 inning.
• Despite the loss, UTPB finished with 17 hits, its second most this season, and had double-digit hits for the sixth game in a row.
• Chavez was 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI-single, making him a combined 6-for-7 on the day.
• Jefcoats was 2-for-4 with a team-high two runs scored, giving him six runs scored on the day.
• In addition, Quintanilla was 2-for-5 with three total RBI's on a pair of RBI-doubles, Prado was 2-for-6 with a two-run double, Bernal was 3-for-5 with an RBI-single, and Castro was 2-for-4.
• Cameron had at least one run scored in each of the final five innings and scored its 14 runs on 18 hits and 10 walks allowed by the UTPB pitching staff.
• In the end, it was two missed opportunities defensively that hurt the Falcons. An overturned double play that would have prevented both runs from scoring in the third inning, and failing to get an out on a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt attempt in which the Falcons tried to throw out the lead runner at third base instead of taking the easier out at first base, helping set up Cameron's big inning in the top of the eighth.

 
Team Records:

• With its third win at home so far this season, UTPB moves to 7-17 both overall and in the Lone Star Conference.
• With its second road win of the season and first in over a month (Feb. 7 at Texas A&M University-Kingsville), Cameron moves to 8-15.

 
Coach's Quote:

• Head Coach Justin Phillips said, "Great teams do not get tired and loose focus. We played really well for 15 of the 16 innings today. Jefcoats and Chavez led the way offensively. Two quality starts gave us a chance to win both games, but we did not execute on two defensive plays, and that cost us."

 
Next Up: Games three and four of the series vs. Cameron will be at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, on Saturday, March 14, from Roden Field.