Air Force Academy
New Mexico St
Falcons split doubleheader with New Mexico State
1/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 26, 2002
Air Force opened the 2002 baseball season by splitting a doubleheader against a strong New Mexico State team, Jan. 26, in Las Cruces, N.M.
New Mexico State, 2-2 this season, scored three runs in the first inning and four in the fifth for a 7-2 win in the first game. The Falcons scored both runs in the top of the third on RBI doubles by Price Paramore and Adam Howes. Howes, who started at first base, had three of the Falcons' six hits in the game. Aggie reliever Scott Marcangeli came on in the fifth and pitched in the final five innings, holding the Falcons to just one hit and no runs. Falcon starter Matt Kaercher took the loss. He pitched 4.1 innings and gave up seven earned runs on five hits and seven walks.
Air Force, 1-1 this season, scored four runs in the first inning of the second game and held on for a 12-7 victory. Falcon junior rightfielder Josh Phifer went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI. Junior catcher Dan Petro hit a solo home run, the Falcons first long ball of the season. The Falcons out-hit the Aggies, 8-7, and benefited from six Aggie errors. Junior right-hander Johnny Koegel earned the win as he went five innings and gave up five runs, three earned, on six hits with five strikeouts. NMSU rallied in the bottom of the ninth for two runs, but AFA senior right-hander Matt Werner came on in relief and closed the door. He got the final two outs and allowed just one hit with one strikeout.
The two teams also met last season in Las Cruces and Air Force split a two-game series with the then-29th-ranked Aggies.
Air Force and New Mexico State conclude the three-game non-conference series Sunday, Jan. 27, in Las Cruces.
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