Ready Breaks Air Force RBI Record in Walk Off Loss at Nevada

RENO, Nev. – The Air Force Academy baseball team suffered a tough loss to Nevada in the series opener, falling on a walk off, 4-3, Friday evening, March 29, at Peccole Park. Senior infielder Nic Ready recorded the 196th RBI of his Air Force career in the game to break the all-time Academy record.

It was another impeccable outing for two of Air Force's (10-12, 2-3 MW) pitching aces. Senior Jake Gilbert went the first six innings in a no decision, allowing only two earned runs while walking no one and striking out two. In relief, freshman Nathan Price took the hard luck loss after pitching 2.2, only allowing the one run with no walks and three strikeouts. It was the first time AF pitchers have allowed no walks in a game since Feb. 18, 2017.

On offense, Air Force tallied six hits as a team, led by Ready who had two of them, including a solo home run which broke the RBI record. It was the third home run of his season, and the 40th of his AF career. He broke the record of 195 RBIs set by Vern Mullis in 1994, and tied by former teammate Tyler Jones in 2017. Not to be out done, junior Ashton Easley also had a homer, a two-run shot, which was also the third of his season.

🎥: ICYMI, Nic Ready went YARD to break the all-time Air Force Academy RBI record with 196 runs driven in. Congrats Nic!!#LetsFly pic.twitter.com/HPjhpxbQ8z
— Air Force Baseball (@AF_Baseball) March 30, 2019

The Wolf Pack struck first with an unearned run in the first following a lead off error. After a scoreless second from Gilbert, Air Force struck back with the two-run shot from Easley in the third, making it a 2-1 game into the middle of the third. Nevada got the run back in the bottom of the third though with a two out hit, knotting the contest at 2-2 into the fourth.

Gilbert then did what he's done best all season, going to work with scoreless fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, to keep the tied game into the seventh. That's when the Wolf Pack rallied with back-to-back doubles to lead off the seventh to take a 3-2 lead into the final two frames.

In the top of the eighth, Ready took the game into this own hands, blasting a two out solo home run to left field to break the all-time AF RBI record, and tie the game at 3-3 into the ninth inning. After Air Force went scoreless in the top of the ninth, the Wolf Pack rallied with a clutch two out single down the left field line to walk off the game in the ninth.

The Falcons and Nevada get back at it tomorrow, March 30, with game two of the series. First pitch from Reno is set for 5 p.m. MT.

Footer

The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the u.s air force of non-u.s. government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the u.s. air force may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for department of defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.