Air Force Academy
Missouri
Air Force Baseball Wins at Missouri, 4-2
3/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Air Force baseball defeated Missouri, 4-2, Wednesday afternoon at Taylor Stadium at Simmons Field. It was the Falcons' second win all-time against an opponent from the SEC.
Junior lefthander Trent Monaghan (3-1) turned in a strong performance for Air Force (9-10) in the start, holding the Tigers (16-5) to one run off six hits. Monaghan struck out six in seven innings for the win. Senior Ben Yokley pitched the eighth inning for the Falcons and sophomore Griffin Jax closed out the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the save.
Third baseman Noah Pierce did much of the damage offensively for AFA. The senior went 3-for-5 with a home run at the plate, scoring two runs and driving in three. Centerfielder Adam Groesbeck added two hits, including two stolen bases and a run scored. Groesbeck notched his conference-leading ninth and 10th swipes of the season in the 19th game of the season.
Missouri reliever Jace James (0-1) took the loss. Starting pitcher Andrew Schwaab pitched two scoreless innings before giving way to James. The Tigers had seven hits on the day. Second baseman Josh Lester had three hits to lead Mizzou.
Air Force took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the third. Pierce drove in shortstop Shaun Mize with a single and later came around to score on an RBI-triple by leftfielder Tyler Jones.
Missouri scored a run in the fourth before Pierce hit a two-run homer in the fifth. Missouri scored a run in the eighth to make it 4-2. Jax then came in and closed out the game.
Air Force returns to action Friday, March 20, starting at three-game Mountain West series at San Diego State.
