Oklahoma Panhandle State University

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 Goodwell, Okla.—The Aggies suffered a three-game Heartland Conference sweep by the University of Texas-Permian Basin Friday and Saturday; it marked the fourth conference sweep of the season for the third-ranked Falcons.

UTPB entered the series with a 25-12 overall record and 14 wins in the Heartland Conference; after taking three wins from OPSU they remain in the third spot in conference ranks behind number two St. Mary's and top-ranked St. Edward's.

Senior Walker Rainwater took the mound in game one and pitched five full innings for the Aggies. All of the scoring took place in the second inning when UTPB came through with six runs on four hits and two errors by the Aggie defense. OPSU brought through one run in the bottom of the inning on a single by senior Nick Crosswhite which scored fellow senior Lucas Ogaz; Ogaz reached on a single, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch before crossing home.

Both teams were held scoreless the remainder of the game with Brett Nasello coming in at relief in the top of the sixth. The final score was 6-1 in favor of the visiting team. Rainwater took the loss with six runs (three earned) on eight hits; Lance Fairchild earned his sixth win of the season for the Falcons.

Strong pitching from Samuel Beattie in game two kept the Falcons in the dugout with zero runs being scored through five innings. Beattie ended up with the 0-3 loss, but finished 7.2 innings with a 0.00 ERA giving up five hits for one unearned run. He controlled the plate throwing ten strikeouts, five fly-outs and seven ground-outs for the game.

The Aggies managed seven hits in game two but were unable to bring any runners home. Jordan Sprouse hit the only double of the game for either team in the seventh inning; catcher Collin Smith went two of four at the plate and totaled 11 putouts from behind the dish.

Unlike the first two games, game three opened with two runs scored for the Falcons in the first inning. UTPB kept things going in the second bringing in two more runs for an early 4-0 lead. They added four runs in the fourth and one in the sixth and held a 9-0 lead through seven and a half innings.

OPSU got on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning as Ogaz reached base on balls, stole second and was sent home by Sam Moreno with a single to left field. Later in the inning Bo Ybarra, also a senior, hit a single to center which brought Moreno in for the Aggies' second run of the game.

The Aggies worked for a rally in the bottom of the ninth but came up short with three runs being scored. Christopher McClendon was walked to first with two outs and bases loaded scoring one run for the Aggies. Ybarra then stepped up with a single up the middle good for two RBI, but McClendon got caught stealing on the next play for the third out and the Aggies took a 5-9 loss.

Senior Walker Rainwater had the start for OPSU and took the loss in 3.2 innings on 11 hits for eight runs (seven earned). Adrian Lopez entered for Tingen in the fourth and controlled the remainder of the game with four hits for one earned run. The two pitchers combined for nine strikeouts. Chris Cano got his eighth win of the season for UTPB and a save was awarded to Anthony Garcia who left the tying runners on base.

Ogaz led the Aggies in hitting averaging .333 with three hits on nine at-bats; he had one double and scored two runs. Ybarra led in RBI with three and Crosswhite totaled 27 putouts with one assist and one error at first base.

With a season record of 3-43 and two wins in the Heartland Conference, the Aggies look to close out the season on a high-note as they play their final three games at home this weekend against Rogers State. The three-game conference series kicks off with a double-header on Friday starting at 1 p.m. Seven senior baseball players will be honored prior to Saturday's game three which is set for Noon.