TYLER, TEXAS – The University of Texas at Tyler baseball program will welcome past alumni to Irwin Field at the UT Tyler Ballpark this weekend for the annual Alumni Weekend event and they will host UT Permian Basin in a four-game series beginning Friday at 7 p.m.
 
All baseball alumni are encouraged to attend this weekend's series. On Saturday before game one, UT Tyler baseball will present the Issac Tijerina Award. The award is named after Issac Tijerina who was an all-ASC performer in 2012 and 2013 and an all-region performer in 2013, who passed away due to cancer on May 26, 2016. The award is presented to one member of UT Tyler baseball each year who represents all of the qualities that Tijerina displayed during his career and his courageous fight with cancer.
 
In between the doubleheader contests on Saturday, all alumni in attendance will be recognized on Irwin Field in a ceremony honoring their time with UT Tyler baseball. During Saturday's contest, there will be a tent set up for all alumni and their families to enjoy drinks and snacks located behind the first base bleachers.
 
RIDING HIGH
 
The Patriots are in the midst of a five game winning streak. During the run, the Patriots have scored 60 runs on 64 hits and 17 of those hits have gone for extra bases. They are outscoring their opponents by 38 runs and an average of 7.6 runs per game. Additionally, opponents are being held to just 4.4 runs per game.
 
This is now the longest winning streak from UT Tyler since a run from Feb 12-March 5, 2021 in which they won seven straight games, including two three-game series sweeps.
 
SERIES HISTORY
 
Game one of the series on Friday night will be the fourth meeting between the Falcons and Patriots all time. The first three meetings came in a three-game set on March 26-28 last season that saw the Patriots come away with a 2-1 series win. Last year's series proved to be a wild one as the final scores were 15-5, 15-5, and 16-11.
 
THE SCOUTING REPORT
 
In the most current edition of the LSC statistics, UT Permian Basin sits at 12^th in team batting average at .262, and ranks 13^th in team ERA at 9.41. The Falcons are second in the LSC in home runs and home runs per game, and rank sixth in slugging percentage. Additionally, UT Permian Basin is third in sacrifice bunts and sixth in sacrifice flies on the year.
 
Devin Ferrari leads the way in batting average for the Falcons, sitting at .377 for the year. Ferrari has 20 hits on 53 at-bats this season and half of those hits have gone for extra bases. In the pitching staff, Andre Leyva holds the top spot with a 4.22 ERA over six appearances so far this season, all in relief. Leyva has pitched 10.2 innings while giving up five earned runs and eight hits.
 
Coaching UT Permian Basin is Brian Reinke. Reinke holds a career record of 234-352 and has been the only head coach in the history of the Falcons baseball program that dates back to 2006. Most recently, Reinke was instrumental in leading the Falcons to the LSC tournament in back to back seasons in 2018-2019
 
THE LONE STAR CONFERENCE
 
West Texas A&M currently maintains their conference lead at a record of 20-4. They hold a one game advantage over Angelo State, and a two game advantage over Lubbock Christian. St. Edward's and Texas A&M-Kingsville are currently fourth and fifth, and the Patriots sit just behind in sixth place.
 
This week's conference slate will be big in the standings as St. Edward's and Lubbock Christian will face off, and Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State will also face off, each in four-game series.
 
ON THE HORIZON
 
Following the four-game set against UT Permian Basin, the Patriots will get their first weekend off of the year before buckling up for the home stretch. After the short break, UT Tyler will pack up and head to Fort Smith, Arkansas for a four-game set against UAFS beginning on April 8. The series will follow the 1-2-1 format with game one beginning at 3 p.m., Saturday's doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., and Sunday's rubber match starting at 1 p.m.