PORTALES, New Mexico - Jack Haggerty and Ethan Flodstrom each recorded three hits while Gibrian Pena hit his third home run of the year as the University of Texas Permian Basin baseball team opened a weekend series with Eastern New Mexico. Despite their offensive performance, the Falcons fell 6-5 in Portales.
 
UTPB got off to a fast start, plating five before the defense saw the field. Haggerty opened things with a single after a 10-pitch at bat. Later in the inning, Flodstrom brought in a run with a to left for the early lead. He came around to score on a single by Austin Hall for the 2-0 lead. On the very next pitch, Pena hit a three-run home run to left for the 5-0 lead.
 
In their half of the inning, the Greyhounds plated a run to make it 5-1 in favor of the Falcons. Both pitching staffs settled in until the fourth. The home offense broke out for five runs to jump ahead 6-5. In the ninth, Flodstrom doubled to put the tying run in scoring position with two outs. Brent Rigtrup couldn't bring him home for the final out and the 6-5 final.
 
Pena and Hall each had a pair of hits as the Falcons had 11 on the day. Trevor Barth was solid on the mound, allowing just four earned runs over 7.0 innings of work, and didn't walk a batter. 
 
These two sides meet again tomorrow for a doubleheader with the first game scheduled for 3 p.m.