Air Force Baseball Hosts New Mexico In MWC Series
4/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 14, 2004
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
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Game One: (Fri.)Apr. 16 - New Mexico vs. Air Force - 2 p.m. (MST)
Game Two: (Sat.)Apr. 17 - New Mexico vs. Air Force - 1 p.m.
Game Three: (Sun.)Apr. 18 - New Mexico vs. Air Force - Noon
Probable Starters
Game One:
UNM-Jason Fernandez-So. RHP (4-3,4.22) vs. AFA-Paul Vignola-So. RHP (1-7,12.06)
Game Two:
UNM-Danny Ray Herrera-Fr. LHP (2-4,4.34) vs. AFA-Kyle DePierre-So. RHP (0-1,8.10)
Game Three:
UNM-Cooper Eddy-Jr. RHP (2-3,5.59) vs. AFA-Clayton Couch-So. RHP (2-2,4.81)
Games Site: Falcon Field
Team Records: UNM-12-19-1, 8-4 MWC (3rd); AFA- 5-27, 0-8 MWC (6th)
Radio/Livestats: KBZC 1300 AM for Sat. & Sun. games in Colorado Springs area (online through College sports pass and free through phone--instructions in release). Livestats will be available for all three games by clicking on gametracker link on right side of Air Force baseball page.
Air Force Baseball Hosts New Mexico In MWC Series
The Air Force baseball team (5-27, 0-8 MWC) plays host to New Mexico (12-19-1, 8-4 MWC) in a three game game set at Falcon Field. The Falcons are looking for their first conference wins of the season against the Lobos. Earlier this week, AFA lost at #18 Oklahoma, 16-2, at L. Dale Mitchell Field in Norman, Okla.
Hutcheon At The Helm
Mike Hutcheon begins his first year as the head coach of the Falcons. Hutcheon spent the last four years at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Ind. and compiled a record of 130-78 during his tenure there. In 2002, Hutcheon was named National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Coach of the year after leading Bethel to the 2002 NCCAA national title. Prior to his stay at Bethel, Hutcheon coached at Belhaven College in Jackson, Miss., for five seasons where he went 109-62. In his tenth season as a head coach, Hutcheon has compiled a 244-166 record.
Scouting Air Force
The Air Force baseball team lost 13-1 to San Diego State on Friday and had the other two games vs. SDSU wiped out due to rain and snow. The Falcons have now had four games cancelled due to inclement weather in the past two weekends. AFA is currently batting .292 as a team, led by junior shortstop Nathan DeRohan, who is batting .304 with a team-leading three home runs, 10 doubles and 25 runs scored. The team pitching staff has an earned run average of 10.78, led by sophomore right-hander Clayton Couch, who leads the team with a 2-2 record and is second in the Mountain West Conference with a 3.69 ERA.
Scouting New Mexico
New Mexico (12-19-1, 8-4 MWC) is led by Rich Alday, in his 15th year at the helm for the Lobos. UNM took two of three from Utah last weekend. The Lobos are batting .295 as a team, led by junior shortstop Josh Mader, who leads the team with a .375 average and 29 RBI. New Mexico has a 6.29 team earned run average, led by junior-right hander Jason Fernandez, who is 4-3 with a 4.22 ERA.
AFA-New Mexico Series History
Air Force and New Mexico have played each other 116 times with the Lobos having won 78 of those... Last year, AFA went 0-6 against New Mexico in six meetings... The two teams first played each other 25 years ago on March 2, 1957, as the Falcons beat the Lobos, 8-7, at the Academy... Air Force is 4-21 against New Mexico since Mountain West Conference play began in 2000 and 4-7 at Falcon Field.
Falcon-Lobo Connections
There are no Falcons from the state of New Mexico... UNM sophomore right-hander Darren Coltrinari is a native of Grand Junction, Colo... Air Force assistant coach Captain (Select) Chris Humphrey is a native of Albuquerque, N.M.
The Series At-A-Glance
Overall: New Mexico leads, 78-38Current Streak: New Mexico, 6 gamesFirst Meeting: March 2, 1957 (Air Force, 8-7)Last Meeting: May 4, 2003 (Utah,19-6)Most Air Force runs: 15 on March 9, 1996 (15-8)Most New Mexico runs: 25 on May 2, 2003 (25-2)Biggest win by Air Force: 12 on April 14, 1990 (14-2)Biggest win by New Mexico: 23 on May 2, 2003 (25-2)
Air Force-New Mexico: The Last Meeting
New Mexico broke open a close game with 15 runs in the final five innings for a 19-6 win over Air Force in a Mountain West Conference baseball game Sunday at Falcon Field. AFA starter Clayton Couch gave up seven runs in 4.1 innings pitched. UNM swept the weekend series and also the season series, taking all six games from Air Force in 2003.
Last Time Out
Eighteenth-ranked Oklahoma banged out a season-high five home runs to go with 21 hits in a 16-2 win over Air Force, Tuesday, April 13, at L. Dale Mitchell Field in Norman, Okla. The Falcons were held to four base hits in the game. Jason Brown hit his third home run of the season for AFA's first run of the game in the eighth inning. Starter Paul Vignola (1-7) was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs in two innings pitched.
Falcons Fall 7-3 To Colorado Springs Sky Sox In Exhibition Game
A six-run second inning propelled the Colorado Sky Sox to a 7-3 win over Air Force, in a five-inning exhibition baseball game at Sky Sox Stadium on Tuesday, April 6. Jeff Tetrault was tagged with the loss pitching the second inning. The Falcons got to work immediately in the first, scoring a run of Sky Sox starter Brian Tollberg to take a 1-0 lead. Colton Walter singled and then stole second base and came around to score on a throwing error by second baseman Erick Almonte. Air Force starter Paul Vignola threw a 1-2-3 inning in the first. The Sky Sox then exploded for six runs in the second as Clint Barmes hit a three-run homer and Matt Holliday hit a two-run homer. The Sky Sox tacked on one more run in the third as Garret Atkins homered off Kyle DePierre to make it a 7-1 game. The Falcons added runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Travis Fugler scored of Reid Lamson's sacrifice fly in the fourth and Matt Musser scored on a throwing error after stealing third base. Air Force had three hits on the day, led by Fugler, who went 2-for-3.
Nothing But Home Conference Games In April
After playing 16 of 20 games in the month of March on the road, Air Force will play 12 of its 13 games at home (not counting exhibition game at Colorado Springs Sky Sox) in April. The Falcons will play host to all five Mountain West Conference opponents beginning with Utah (April 2), San Diego State (8-10), New Mexico (16-18), BYU (22-24) and UNLV (April 30).
Couch Among Top Pitchers In The MWC
Entering the week Sophomore right-hander Clayton Couch was amongst the leaders in the MWC in several pitching categories. The Inola, Okla., native is third in the conference with a 3.69 earned run average and second with a .244 opponents batting average. Couch has been the Falcons most consistent starting pitcher, having pitched six or more innings a team-leading three times (five times total by team).
Hitting Notes:
Jason Brown hit his third home run of the season vs. Oklahoma... Jon Polston extended his hitting streak to four games vs. Oklahoma... Travis Fugler went 2-for-3 with a run scored against the Sky Sox... Matt Musser stole two bases and scored a run vs. the Sky Sox... Colton Walter had a base hit and scored a run vs. the Sky Sox.
Pitching Notes:
The Falcons have gone to pitching-by-committee in the past two game, using six pitchers each in those games... Jeff Tetrault and Mitch Brown pitched scoreless innings of relief against Oklahoma... Paul Vignola, M. Brown and Blake Nixon all pitched scoreless innnings vs. the Sky Sox... The Falcons used six pitchers in five innings vs. San Diego State... Paul Vignola has started the last three games--including the Sky Sox game--for the Falcons.
Freshmen Seeing Significant Time In The Infield
The youth movement is in full swing for the Air Force infield as three freshman have seen significant playing time among the five infield positions. Karl Bolt, who leads the team in hitting with a .318 average has started 26 games at either first or third base. Geno Salazar has started in 19 games at either shortstop or second base and Jon Polston leads the team with 18 starts as catcher.
Falcons Are Young In The Pitching Department As Well
Of the 15 players who have pitched for the Falcons in 2004, 12 of them are freshmen or sophomores. Five sophomores lead the team with 18 starts and 110.1 innings pitched logged amongst them, while seven freshmen have accounted for a team-leading 54 appearances with Mitch Brown leading the team with two saves and Blake Nixon leading the team with 27 strikeouts in 25 innings.
Sophomores Swingin' It
Three sophomores are also seeing significant starting time and putting up productive offensive numbers. Josh Wolfram has started 29 games in center field and has batted lead-off for the Falcons in 16 contests and leads the team with 12 stolen bases. Since being converted from pitcher to first baseman/outfielder, Jason Brown has become a potent source of power as he is tied for the team-lead with three home runs to go with 16 RBI. Matt Musser has started in all three games he has played in since making the move up from the junior varsity squad and already has three stolen bases and an .455 on-base percentage.
Don't Forget The Juniors
Three of the top four hitters on the team are juniors, led by shortstop/third baseman Nathan DeRohan. DeRohan is the lone Falcon to start in all 32 games, and leads the team in runs (25), hits (35), doubles (10), homers (3) and RBI (20). Third on the team in hitting is second baseman Colton Walter, who is batting .295 with a team-leading nine multi-hit games. Team captain Travis Fugler, who has started 24 games in the outfield or first base is batting .286 and is tied for third on the team with 15 RBI. Fellow junior Dale Kasel has also swung his way into the Falcon starting lineup batting .319 in 22 starts.
What's Next
Air Force plays host to BYU from Thurs.-Sat. April 22-24 at Falcon Field. The Falcons are 21-113 in 134 all-time games vs. the Cougars. Last season, Air Force went 1-5 vs. BYU winning the final game between the two teams at Falcon Field.
Falcons Broadcast Schedule Finalized
Nine Air Force baseball games will be broadcast on the internet and will be available on the telephone. All nine of those games will be broadcast on KBZC AM 1300 "The Buzz" in Colorado Springs. All of the below games will be available on the internet at www.AirForceSports.com. Just go to the baseball page and click on "Listen to the Falcons" in the Falcons' Next on the right side of the page. Those same games can be heard on the telephone on TeamLine by dialing 1-800-846-4700. The team access code is 0671. This service is free of charge to listeners thanks to the Air Force Academy athletic department. The pregame show begins 20 minutes prior to first pitch. Jay Ritchie, in his sixth season of doing Air Force baseball and his 15th season of broadcasting Air Force athletics, will handle the play-by-play duties. Dave Toller will handle the color commentary.
Remaining 2004 Air Force Baseball Broadcast Schedule
Date Opponent Time4/17 New Mexico 1 p.m.4/18 New Mexico Noon4/24 BYU Noon5/14 at New Mexico 2 p.m.5/15 at New Mexico 1 p.m.5/16 at New Mexico Noon5/26-29 Mountain West Conference Tournament TBA
Miscellaneous Falcon Facts
* Sophomore Jason Brown (varsity wide receiver) and sophomore Jimmy Harold (junior varsity quarterback) also play for the Air Force football team.
* Three current Falcons--Travis Fugler, Dale Kasel and Josh Wolfram--have brothers who also played for the AFA baseball team. Fugler's twin brother, Tommy, played for the team in 2002. Kasel's older brother, Derck, played for the team from 2000-03. Wolfram's older brother, Kris, played for the Falcons from 1999-2001.
* Before going on to become the all-time winningest NCAA Division I men's basketball coach at North Carolina, hoops coaching legend Lt. Dean Smith was an assistant baseball coach for the Falcons in 1958.
