Chris Cano threw six shutout innings in a 5-0 victory, and
Daniel Andrade hit a pinch hit single with the bases loaded in a 6-5 win as the Falcons took the first two of four games in their season opening series Friday afternoon against Southern Nazarene at Roden Field.
Cano was dealing for UT-Permian Basin in game one, allowing just two hits and a single walk with three strikeouts through six frames.
Alex Fernandez drove in
Kevin Barnes in the fourth inning on a double to deep left center to the first run of the afternoon.
Randal Toribio followed up with a two-run single that drove home Fernandez and
Oakland Scanlan.
UTPB added a single run in each the fifth and sixth innings when Barnes drove home
Jordan Zazulak on a comebacker up the midle. Zazulak returned the favor in the sixth, scoring Toribio on a base hit into left.
The Falcons scoring in game two came mainly in one inning. Trailing 2-0, UTPB got five runs in the bottom of the second
Toribio cut the Crimson Storm's lead in half with a single to left that was misplayed as
Mike Fernandez scored, and he later came in on a single to center by Jackson Prichard.
Later in the inning,
Ryan Souza singled into center with the bases loaded, tallying a pair of RBI when richard and
Morgan Munguia scored. When Southern Nazarene tried to throw out Souza at second, and errant throw let
Doug Clapperton walk in from third for the 5-2 lead.
After Southern Nazarene tied the game with lone runs in each the third, fourth and sixth innings, UTPB missed a chance to go ahead in the bottom of the sixth when
Latrell Harris reached third with no one out.
But the Falcons made it count in the seventh. After three players were walked in the inning, Andrade hit a soft flare over the third baseman's head into left field to drive in Munguia for the walk-off victory.
Toribio had a big day at the plate, ending with a pair of hits in each game, three RBI and two runs scored out of the bottom of the lineup.
Nolan Schattel picked up the win in game two, throwing the final five outs after entering in the sixth while giving up a lone hit while racking up a strikeout.
The Falcons and Storm conclude the series with two more games Saturday afternoon. First pitch in the 7-innning doubleheader is set for noon.
