Air Force Academy
UCCS
Air Force Rallies To 9-8 Win Over UCCS
4/26/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Air Force baseball (20-20) rallied to a 9-8 win over UCCS (22-23) Wednesday afternoon at Falcon Field. Freshman Ashton Easley scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch and throwing error from second base with one out in the ninth inning.
It was the first meeting between the two programs, located six miles from each other, as UCCS is in its inaugural season as a baseball program.
Air Force came back from 7-4 and 8-7 deficits after failing to hold an early lead. A pinch key pinch-hit home run by Daniel Jones--one of four on the day by the Falcons--tied the game up at 8-8 in the eighth inning to allow the Falcons a shot at rallying back.
The Falcons led 3-1 after the first inning, highlighted by a solo home run by Bradley Haslam and a two-run shot by Russell Williams.
UCCS took a 4-3 lead with two runs in the top of the third and went up 5-3 with a run in the fourth. Nic Ready hit a solo homer to make it a 5-4 game after four innings.
The Mountain Lions score two runs in the sixth to go up 7-4. Drew Wiss tied the game up with a bases loaded triple to make it 7-7 after six.
UCCS plated a run in the top of the seventh to go up 8-7. Adam Groesbeck and Tyler Zabojnik combined to throw out a base runner at home to prevent further damage in the seventh.
Jones came in to pinch hit to start the eighth and promptly sent a shot over the fence in center field to tie the game up. Jones' brother, Tyler, smacked a one-out double in the ninth. Easley pinch ran for Tyler and advanced to third on a wild pitch. The errant throw by UCCS catcher Bryan Chapin allowed Easley to continue home for the game-winning run.
Junior Ryan Holloway (2-1) picked up the win by striking out the side in the top of the ninth. Starting pitcher Evan Floyd pitched 2.2 innings. Ethan Nichols, Jake Gilbert, Shawn Kelley and Tyler Mortenson also pitched in relief.
Air Force had 10 hits in the game. Wiss went 2-for-3 and eight other Falcons had a hit. Haslam extended his school-record winning streak to 43 games, which is now sixth-best all-time in NCAA history.
UCCS had 12 hits. Zach Hall and Matthew McDermott had three hits each. Reliever Blake Williams (0-1) took the loss. Starting pitcher Daniel Silva pitched two innings, allowing three runs.
Air Force returns to action Friday, April 28, hosting Nevada to start a three-game weekend homestand.
