Air Force Academy
Lewis-Clark State (ID)
Falcons fall to Lewis-Clark State, 3-2
3/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 25, 2003
Despite an outstanding pitching performance from sophomore left-hander Ken Hodgson, the Air Force baseball team gave up two runs in the bottom of the ninth for and lost 3-2 Tuesday to Lewis-Clark State College in the first game of the Hawaii Rainbow Easter Tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Hodgson, making his fifth career start, allowed just three hits in eight innings to the defending NAIA national champions, striking out four and walking five. He entered the bottom of the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead, but was pulled after allowing a leadoff walk to Warrior Nick Browne. Senior Jason Pruitt came in and walked Justin Fuller. Pinch-hitter Allen Balmer then singled to load the bases and Paul Gallegos roped a single to left field with the infield playing in to knock in the tying and winning runs. Pruitt dropped to 0-3 this season.
The Falcons (8-16) took the lead in the top of the first when, with one out, Mike Rose knocked a single to right field, then advanced to second when Warrior pitcher Nic Puckett threw the ball away trying to pick Rose off first base. A single by Daniel Petro advanced Rose to third. Josh Phifer's sacrifice fly plated Rose and put the Falcons up 1-0.
After allowing a single to Lewis-Clark's Brendan Ryan in the top of the first, Hodgson retired nine straight batters before hitting Emerson Frostad with two outs in the fourth. Hodgson enduced Browne into a fly ball to center field to end the inning. Hodgson allowed his second hit of the day in the fifth, a double by Gallegos, but left him stranded at second.
Hodgson, whose previous longest outing was six innings against Southern Utah earlier this season, survived a pair of walks in the seventh inning, but gave up the tying run in the eighth. Gallegos singled to leadoff the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Micah Furtado. Hodgson was then called for a balk, advancing Gallegos to third, and he scored on a wild pitch.
Zach McAngus, a freshman from Honolulu, knocked in the go-ahead run for Air Force in the top of the ninth with a scorching double to the gap in right center field, scoring Phifer. McAngus had two hits for the Falcons, as did senior third-baseman Bowie Frost.
Gallegos had two of the five hits for Lewis-Clark (21-4). Scott Fairbanks picked up the win for the Warriors and is now 3-2 this season.
The tournament continues on Wednesday, March 26 as Air Force takes on Western Illinois.
