Special to the Odessa American
The UTPB baseball team is ready to play its first home game under new head coach Gabe Grinder.
The Falcons (1-3) host Lubbock Christian University in a four-game Lone Star Conference series beginning at 2 p.m. Friday at Roden Field.
The Chaps roll into the Permian Basin with a 3-1 record after a weekend at Cameron University.
Saturday will be a doubleheader with the first pitch scheduled for noon.
The finally of the series will be Sunday starting at 2 p.m.
Grinder, who turned Ottawa University around in just four seasons, has a plan to bring that same culture to ‘The Basin’ and it starts with establishing a real home, on campus, at Roden Field.
“I think it gives the guys ownership over something. Home field advantage is important,” Grinder said. “It going to be good to play in our own friendly confines.
“I think we have a tough place to play and we are anxious to get out there and play against a good team and see what we can do against them at home.”
Grinder says when fans come out to see the Falcons this year they will see a well-organized, disciplined, hard-nosed baseball team.
“We want guys to play focused and detailed baseball,” he said. “We do a great job of scouting our opponent and then we tell our guys, ‘hey, it’s up to you to play the game we’ve asked you to play’.
“If we do that, it doesn’t always mean we are always going to win, but for us it’s about staying in the fight.”
That is exactly what the Falcons did against Lone Star Conference foe St. Mary’s last week in San Antonio.
The opener was pushed back to Saturday because of inclement weather and the host Rattlers earned a close victory before sweeping a Sunday doubleheader.
The Falcons finally put things together Monday for an 8-4 victory on getaway day.
Grinder said it was a good teaching moment for the team about what he is trying to do and how he is giving them a plan to win.
“Saturday we played pretty good baseball,” said Grinder. “Sunday was terrible, we had a lot of guys just doing their own thing.”
Grinder pulled the players together and reminded them of the game plan and the importance of working together.
“I told them, ‘You can chose to play the way we ask you to play and put yourself in a good spot. Or you can play your own way and stay a step behind’,” he said. “Our guys took that to heart. They went back to the hotel, some guys pulled everyone together, and they talked as a team.
“Then Monday we dominated the game from start to finish. St. Mary’s is a good team and they made us work for stuff, but I feel like we were in the driver’s seat the whole game.”
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Tickets
(Tickets will be sold at the gate for the game. The payment method will be card only – no cash.)
Single Day ages 13 & Up – $5
Baseball Weekend Series Pass – $12
Softball Series Pass – $8
UTPB Students with ID – Free
Ages 12 & Under – Free
