PORTALES, N.M. (March 8, 2026) – After recording double-digit hits in each of the first three games of the series, The University of Texas Permian Basin baseball team continued to swing the bats well, totaling 13 hits this time around en route to a close 7-5 win over Eastern New Mexico University in their series finale on Sunday at the Greyhound Baseball Field.

It was the first game-four win of the season for UTPB (6-16 overall, 6-16 Lone Star Conference) and marked the Falcons' first four-game split of the 2026 season.

After combining to hit 3-for-6 with six runs scored, four walks and a home run between both games on Saturday, Andrew Prado led off the game on Sunday with a single through the right side, his third straight game reaching base to lead off the contest.

A single again through the right side, this time by Carlos Chavez, moved Prado to third base, and then an RBI-single by Gael Bernal brought him in for the first run of the game. It was also the third game in a row that Prado scored the first run of the ballgame in the first inning.

With the bases loaded and two outs still in the top of the first, Demetrius Deramus walked to score Bernal and make it a 2-0 Falcons' lead after the first inning.

UTPB's starting pitcher, Zeke Alexander (1-1), then set down the first six batters he faced and notched five strikeouts while allowing just one hit within three scoreless innings to start the game.

With two outs and nobody on in the top of the fourth, UTPB rallied to put together its big inning. Marcos Castro drew the two-out walk on four straight balls, and then Prado promptly brought him home with an RBI-triple to right center field. Then after an RBI-single up the middle by Daylon Jefcoats, Chavez sent a two-run home run to left field to make it a 6-0 lead.

UTPB would play small ball to add a crucial run in the top of the fifth as Cruz Garcia led off with a walk, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Braeden Dyck, and then came around to score from second base on an RBI-single up the middle by Deramus, his second RBI of the game.

The extra run was important as after a leadoff single and then a one-out walk followed by a hit by pitch led to the first run of the game against Alexander on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth, ENMU would match UTPB's big inning with a four-run inning of its own in the bottom of the fifth. The fifth inning for the Greyhounds started with a leadoff double down the left field line and was capped by a home run to left field to make the score 7-5.

It was a good starting-pitcher performance from Alexander, a freshman from Frisco, Texas, who pitched the first five innings and allowed six hits, five runs and just one walk to go along with six strikeouts to earn his first collegiate win. Alexander also became the first UTPB pitcher not named Damian Robles to see his team earn the win during his start.

As good as Alexander was, another freshman, Kade Adams, was just as effective, if not better, in relief. Adams pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, faced the minimum in the bottom of the seventh after a 2-4 caught stealing to end the inning, and survived a two-out fielding error in the outfield to put up his third shutout inning in a row in the eighth.

Adams allowed three hits with zero walks and three strikeouts in his three shoutout innings of work.

After a leadoff single to third base in the bottom of the ninth, Head Baseball Coach Justin Phillips made the decision to bring in Sebastian Lozoya to replace Adams. Lozoya promptly induced a 6-4-3 double play to, and followed that with a groundball to second base to pick up the save and preserve the win.

Coach Phillips spoke after the game, "Quality start from Zeke and a great outing from Kade Adams. We got timely hits and played great defense. It was an all-around team win."

10 of UTPB's 13 hits came from the top-four spots in the lineup. Those spots accounted for five runs scored and five RBI's as well, highlighted by Chavez's two-run home run that essentially made up the difference in the game. Prado was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI-triple from the leadoff spot, and Jefcoats was also 3-for-5 from the No. 2 spot. Chavez and Bernal were both 2-for-5 from the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, respectively.
 
Series Combined Statistical Leaders:

• Gael Bernal hit .556 (10-18), led the team in both hits and RBI's (7), and also scored five runs.
• Daylon Jefcoats hit .563 (9-16) with six runs scored and three doubles.
• Over the final three games of the series, Andrew Prado hit .545 (6-11), led the team with eight runs scored and four walks, and also had both a triple and a home run. He also led the team with a .667 on-base percentage and a 1.000 slugging percentage.
• Carlos Chavez hit .375 (6-15) with five runs scored, five RBI's, two doubles and a home run.
• Braeden Dyck hit .333 (5-15) with five RBI's and two doubles.
• Cruz Garcia hit .357 (5-14) with four RBI's, three runs scored, three walks and two doubles.
• Damian Robles and Zeke Alexander both earned wins as the starting pitcher.

 
Next up, the Falcons will begin their fourth Lone Star Conference series at home this season. The Falcons will battle Cameron University starting at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 13, from Roden Field in Odessa, Texas.