ODESSA, Texas (February 27, 2026) – The UT Permian Basin baseball team trailed 16-5 going into the bottom of the eighth inning and nearly pulled off a wild comeback before falling 16-13 in its series opener against West Texas A&M University on Friday at Roden Field.

UTPB (4-11 overall, 4-11 Lone Star Conference) allowed eight runs on six hits and four walks in the top of the first inning and trailed 11-5 going into the seventh inning.

A three-run top of the seventh inning featuring a two-run triple and a sacrifice fly and a two-run eighth inning featuring a run on a wild pitch and another run on a sacrifice fly for WT (9-6, 9-6) would prove to be crucial in the end.

UTPB scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI-groundout by Tanner Hedrick, an RBI-single by Carlos Chavez, and then with two outs, an RBI-single by Daylon Jefcoats, cutting its deficit to 16-8.

Then in the final inning, the bases were loaded with two outs, but Demetrius Deramus started the rally with a bases-clearing double to left center field. That made it 16-11.

After a hit by pitch by Cruz Garcia, the inning would continue with back-to-back RBI-singles by Jefcoats and Braeden Dyck to make it 16-13 and bring the tying run to the plate. However, a groundout to shortstop stopped the rally in its tracks.

UTPB had nine hits through seven innings before exploding for 10 hits in the final two innings (5 hits in each inning). The Falcons did not draw a walk in the eighth or ninth innings, but did draw two hit by pitches in the ninth.

In the end, UTPB outhit WT 19-16, its fourth time this season outhitting its opponent and the third time in the last four games.

As you would expect, UTPB had some big days at the plate. Jefcoats was 4-for-6 with four RBI-singles. Leadoff hitter Gael Bernal was 3-for-6 with three runs scored and Dyck was 3-for-6 as well.

Eight of UTPB's nine starters in the batting order all recorded at least two hits, and each of UTPB's first five hitters in the lineup all scored at least two runs.

Making his first-career start, left fielder Joshua Estrada was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base.

Coming in relief in the first inning, Santana Hernandez was the most effective Falcon pitcher, taking 4.2 innings off the board while allowing just three runs.

Hernandez's effort combined with the efforts of Solomon James, Aidan Becker Cameron McClinton and Kaden Johnson, who all pitched one inning each, helped UTPB avoid the run-rule and have time to try and pull off the comeback win at the end.

Riding a seven-game winning streak and coming off a four-game sweep of Cameron University last time out, this week saw WT move into the top-10 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) South Central Region Poll. This season the Buffaloes were selected fifth in the 2026 Lone Star Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Coming into the weekend, West Texas A&M led the LSC in hitting (.320) and fielding percentage (.974), but UTPB showed its offense could hang with WT while the Buffs' defensive numbers took a hit with five errors on Friday.

Games two and three of the series vs. West Texas A&M will be at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, on Saturday, February 28, from Roden Field.