Rams Open Baseball Season With Three Wins in Five Games

Portales High School baseball team finishes opening week 3-2 at Southwest Classic tournament

Mar. 18, 2026 at 12:00am

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Portales High School's baseball team opened their season with a 3-2 record at the Southwest Classic tournament hosted by Roswell Goddard. The Rams earned wins over New Mexico Military and Silver, but fell to Roswell High and Sandia in the tournament.

Why it matters

The Rams' strong start to the season demonstrates their competitiveness in the local high school baseball landscape. As a perennial contender, Portales High's performance will be closely watched by fans and rival schools throughout the year.

The details

In the tournament, the Rams absorbed a 9-1 loss to Roswell High, with Coyotes junior Diego Villa pitching six strong innings. Portales senior Carson Pfaffenberger hit a solo home run in the loss. The Rams also fell 14-2 to Sandia in the quarterfinals. However, Portales bounced back with a 12-4 win over New Mexico Military, led by Pfaffenberger's 3-for-4 performance and four RBIs. To open the season, the Rams swept a doubleheader against Silver, winning 18-15 and 14-4.

  • The Southwest Classic tournament was held over the weekend of March 14-16, 2026.
  • Portales faced Clovis in a single game on Tuesday, March 18, 2026.
  • The Rams' next game is a 5 p.m. single tilt at Roswell High on Tuesday, March 25, 2026.

The players

Carson Pfaffenberger

A senior at Portales High School who had a strong opening week, going 2-for-4 with a home run against Roswell High and 3-for-4 with four RBIs against New Mexico Military.

Diego Villa

A junior right-hander at Roswell High School who pitched six strong innings, allowing four hits and striking out nine, in the Coyotes' 9-1 win over Portales.

Tommy Salgado

A junior at Portales High School who went 3-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and three runs scored in the Rams' 14-4 win over Silver.

Adam Duran

A junior at Portales High School who went 2-for-4 with a pair of triples in the Rams' doubleheader sweep of Silver.

Angel Gutierrez

A junior at Portales High School who hit a two-run triple in the Rams' 14-4 win over Silver.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

Portales High's baseball team has shown its competitiveness early in the season, winning three of its first five games against tough opponents. The Rams' balanced offensive attack and strong pitching performances bode well for their chances of contending for a championship this year.