Air Force Academy
Nevada
Falcon Baseball Sets Wins Record at Nevada
5/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RENO, Nev. - Air Force baseball split a pair of Mountain West games Saturday at Nevada. The Falcons lost 7-6 in 11 innings, in a continuation game, then won the second game 5-4 at Peccole Park. The Falcons won their 21st Div. I game of the season (22nd overall), setting a new school record.
In game one, which was a continuation of Thursday's weather-suspended game that was tied 6-6 after 10 innings, Nevada (41-13, 22-7 MW) pushed across a run in the 11th. Kyle Hunt's single scored Jay Anderson for the winning run.
Junior Trent Monaghan (5-6) took the loss for the Falcons (22-27, 11-17 MW). Starting pitcher Griffin Jax pitched four innings, his shortest start of the season. Freshmen Michael Rieker and Nick Biancalana and junior Steven Trojan provided 4.2 scoreless innings in relief.
The Falcons had 10 hits in the game. Third baseman Noah Pierce led the way, going 2-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs. His two-run homer in the eighth inning rallied Air Force back from a 6-4 deficit to tie the game and ultimately send the game into extra innings. Rightfielder Spencer Draws and second baseman Tyler Zabojnik added two hits each.
Nevada reliever Christian Stolo (8-1) picked up the win. Starting pitcher Trenton Brooks went six innings, allowing four runs. The Wolf Pack had 17 hits in the game. Leftfielder Kewby Meyer, third baseman Bryce Creager and shortstop Kyle Hunt had three hits each.
In game two, Air Force scored four runs in the eighth inning and held off a late Nevada rally to pull out the 5-4 win. With the game tied 1-1, the Falcons had the big eighth inning to jump head 5-1. Nevada scored three in the bottom-half of the inning to make it a 5-4 game.
In the bottom of the ninth, Nevada loaded the bases with no outs and seemed on the verge of rallying. Monaghan, who had the hard-luck loss in the first game, was able to retire three in a row to close out the game and pick up the save.
Reliever Ben Yokley (2-0) picked up the win. Yokley made his 93rd appearance, setting a new school record for most career pitching appearances. Starting pitcher Jacob DeVries pitched five innings, allowing just one run off two hits, striking out four. Trojan also pitched in game two, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings.
The Falcons 11 hits in the game. Draws led the way, going 4-for-5 two RBIs. Designated hitter Bradley Haslam and Zabojnik added two hits each.
Nevada reliever Jason Dietrich (6-5) took the loss. Starting pitcher Christian Stolo pitched 2.2 scoreless innings. The Wolf Pack had five hits in the game. Ryan Howell homered for Nevada.
The Falcons won their 11th Mountain West game of the season, the second-most in program history.
Air Force returns to action at the 2015 Mountain West Baseball Championship, held May 20-24, in Reno. As the fifth-seed, the Falcons with take on fourth-seed New Mexico on Wednesday, May 20 in the third game of opening day competition. First pitch is slated for 7 pm PT.
