LUBBOCK, Texas (April 24, 2026) – The first game of the final series this season for The University of Texas Permian Basin baseball team saw the Falcons set the tone in the first inning and then punch back late en route to an 8-6 game-one win at Lubbock Christian University.

UTPB scored three runs on four hits in the first inning, but was held to zero runs and one hit over the next five innings.

The first inning for UTPB was highlighted by an RBI-double to left center field by Alden Quintanilla and a two-run home run also to left center by Carlos Chavez.

LCU's starting pitcher, Karson Dunn, responded with three straight 1-2-3 innings (2nd-4th).

Then after a fourth 1-2-3 inning for Dunn in the sixth, UTPB got to Dunn again in the top of the seventh as Chavez led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cruz Garcia, and then scored on an RBI-single through the left side by Joshua Estrada, who hit it just past the diving shortstop.

That made it just a two-run game (6-4), and after Estrada stole second base, Braeden Dyck sent his 2-2 pitch in front of the center fielder for an RBI-single to score Estrada and made it 6-5 and bring an end to the day for Dunn.

With two outs and two runners on base after a first-pitch hit by pitch drawn by Gael Bernal against the new Chapparals' pitcher, Isaiah Gonzalez (3-2), Daylon Jefcoats delivered the biggest hit of the game with a two-run double down the left field line. Dyck scored from second base and Bernal scored all the way from first to put the Falcons in front 7-6.

Quintanilla followed with his second RBI-double of the game, hitting one down the left field line to easily score Jefcoats for an insurance run (up 8-6). It was a five-run rally in the top of the seventh inning coming on four hits for the Falcons.

For UTPB, Sebastian Cabral faced two two-out, bases-loaded jams in the first inning, giving up a two-run single through the left side the first time before getting a lineout to center field to get out the inning with a 3-2 lead. The Chaps sent eight men to the plate in the first inning, but stranded the bases loaded and still trailed by a run.

Cabral then faced the minimum in both the second and third innings as both starting pitchers began to settle in after an eventful first inning, but ran into some more trouble in the fourth when a two-run home run to left field put the Chaps in front 4-3.

Then against Damian Robles (6-3) in the fifth inning, LCU doubled up the score (6-3) with a two-run single up the middle, but a 6-4-3 double play on the next at bat limited the damage and kept the Falcons' deficit manageable.

With an 8-6 lead after UTPB's five-run top of the seventh, Robles went 1-2-3 in the bottom half. The Chaps then got a runner to third in the eighth and put two on in the ninth with two outs, but were unable to close the gap. Robles stranded a two-out triple to right center field in the bottom of the eighth, and worked around a one-out walk and a wild pitch on strike three with two outs in the ninth.

Cabral allowed four hits, four runs and four walks in the first four innings. Robles allowed three hits, two runs, two walks and five strikeouts in the final five innings to pick up the victory.

For the UTPB offense, Jefcoats (two runs scored, go-ahead two-RBI double), Quintanilla (two RBI-doubles), and Dyck were all 2-for-4.

UTPB improves to 14-33 both overall and in the Lone Star Conference, and wins its series opener for just the third time this season. It was also UTPB's first road win since March 8. In addition, it was just the fourth win in program history for UTPB (26-4) against LCU at Hays Field. The first three wins came in the opening series of the 2024 season, but the Chaps bounced back and won four games in the postseason against the Falcons that year. Last year, the two teams split the four-game series played in Odessa, Texas, with UTPB winning the last two and now having another three-game winning streak in the series.

LCU, meanwhile, falls to 28-19 and see its seven-game winning streak come to an end. The Chaps had previously doubled up Cameron University in runs (36-18) in their four-game sweep last weekend. LCU is currently ranked ninth in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) South Central Region Poll. In 2025, the Chaps finished the season 34-23 overall, placed fourth in the LSC standings with a 30-18 record, and reached the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season.

LCU is now 12-13 this season when the opposing team scores first and is 7-10 when the Chaps allow a run in the first inning. LCU hit just .200 (3-for-15) with runners on base in the game, compared to a .545 average (6-for-11) for the Falcons. LCU left eight runners on base; UTPB left just two.

"We played Falcon baseball today," spoke Head Coach Justin Phillips. "Cabral and Robles both really pitched well. We have to put consecutive days together and trust that we can do it again."

UTPB's final doubleheader of the season will be at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively, on Saturday, April 25, at Hays Field.