Tuesday, April 2
Greeley, CO
3 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
at
Northern Colorado
Photo by: Josh Armstrong
Falcons to Face Bears for Third Time in 2019
4/1/2019 4:21:00 PM | Baseball
The in-state rivals will square off in Greeley for the first time this season
Air Force (12-12, 4-3 MW) at Northern Colorado (5-18, 2-2 WAC)
Greeley, Colo. | Jackson Field
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 2 - 3 p.m. MT
Falcons Head to Greeley to Take on the Bears
- The Air Force Academy baseball team will play its third game of the season against in-state rival Northern Colorado, and the first contest of the season in Greeley, Tuesday afternoon, April 2. First pitch against the Bears is set for 3 p.m. MT.
Following Along At Home
- The game against the Bears can be followed via live stats on Sidearm, as well as via a live stream on the WAC Digital Network. All games can also be tracked live on Twitter, @AF_Baseball.
Last Time Out
- The Falcons took two out of three in a weekend conference series at Nevada.
- Air Force dropped game one in walk off fashion, 4-3, before rebounding with an 8-2 win, Saturday, and a 4-1 victory, Sunday.
Ready the RBI King
- Senior Nic Ready broke his first of what should be multiple school records, Friday, March 29 at Nevada. With a solo home run to tie the game in the eighth inning, Ready recorded the 196th RBI of his AF career, to surpass the previous record held by Vern Mullis ('94) and Tyler Jones ('17).
You Shall Not (Free) Pass
- The Air Force pitching staff was dominate in the weekend series win at Nevada, but perhaps the most impressive stat was that the six pitchers who saw action combined to allow just one walk over the three games.
- Prior to the two games in three days without a walk, the last time AF pitchers did not allow a free pass in a single game was back on Feb. 8, 2017 against Tulane.
- On the season, the Air Force pitching staff has allowed just 95 walks, which is the second-fewest in the conference. Its 4.06 walks allowed/9inn is 113th in the nation.
Don't Run on Dau
- Senior captain catcher Rob Dau has always had a knack for throwing out would-be base stealers, as he has been top-five in the conference in that category all three seasons, including leading the league as a sophomore in 2017. This season, he has thrown out 12 and picked-off seven to lead the league in both categories.
Nichols Racks up the Ks
- Senior LHP Ethan Nichols had a career-best outing against Nevada, March 31. The lefty was near perfect, going 8.2 innings, only allowing one run on four hits while striking out 10 and walking no one. Before surrendering the run with two outs in the ninth, he had retired 26 of 27 batters faced.
- That makes two outings this season in which Nichols has tallied 10 Ks, after striking out 10 over six innings against Navy, Feb. 24.
- He leads the team with 28 punch outs on the season, which is good for 10th-most in the MW Conference.
Lock Down Rotation
- Air Force's weekend starting pitchers have dominated this season with the senior trio of Jake Gilbert, Matt Hargreaves, and Ethan Nichols.
- Hargreaves (1.26) and Gilbert (1.65) own the top two ERAs in the MW Conference, and are the only two qualifying MW pitchers to have sub-2.00 ERAs.
- In addition, those two ERAs are within the top 60 in the country, with Hargreaves ranking 27th and Gilbert 57th.
- Meanwhile, Nichols owns a 1.84 ERA in his two Mountain West starts, while tallying 28 strikeouts on the season, good for 10th in the conference. Gilbert and Hargreaves are 13th and 14th in Ks in the Conference, respectively.
The Price is Right
- Freshman RHP Nathan Price has burst onto the scene for the Air Force Falcons to start the season, putting up some eye popping numbers
- In a team-high eight relief appearances, Price has three wins, an ERA of 1.52 over 23.2 innings, has allowed just four runs and three walks, while striking out 15 and holding opponents to a .176 batting average.
- Against No. 14 ECU, Price went the final 5.0 innings in relief, only allowing two hits and one run, while striking out a pair.
The Young Pup at Shortstop
- Since entering the lineup as the everyday starting shortstop for the first time in the second leg of a double header against Navy, Feb. 24, freshman Alexander Pup has been a key cog in the Falcon lineup.
- Over the 18 game stretch, the rookie is leading the team with a .324 batting average, including a team-high 23 hits, as well as three doubles, a triple, five RBIs, seven runs scored, and two steals.
Run, Falcons, Run
- The Falcons have been active on the base paths to start the year, having stolen 48 bags so far
- The 48 steals ranks first in the conference and 38th in the country.
- Junior Ashton Easley has 20 swipes to lead the conference, and rank 12th in the nation.
- Against Northern Colorado, March 12, Air Force stole 10 bags, the most in a single game for AF since May 4, 1979.
Gold Glove Worthy Fielding
- After breaking the school record in fielding percentage last season with a .975 mark, the Falcons are once again showing their fielding prowess in 2019.
- Air Force owns a .973 fielding percentage, which ranks second in the conference and 70th in the nation. They have only committed 24 errors, which is tied for the fewest in the MW.
Trio of Goose Eggs
- Air Force has recorded three shutouts this season, already surpassing its total from last season (2).
- The Falcons are one of just 46 teams with three or more shutouts this season, and the only in the MW Conference.
Active Career Leader
- With such a successful career to this point, it shouldn't come as much surprise that senior Nic Ready is among the NCAA active career leaders in multiple categories. The Texas is the active career leader in doubles (68), while ranking second among active players in total bases (469), third in RBIs (197), and sixth in HRs (40).
On the Horizon
- The Falcons will begin a stretch of five home games over five days, starting when they host MW foe UNLV in a three-game weekend series, April 5-7, at Falcon Field.
Greeley, Colo. | Jackson Field
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 2 - 3 p.m. MT
Falcons Head to Greeley to Take on the Bears
- The Air Force Academy baseball team will play its third game of the season against in-state rival Northern Colorado, and the first contest of the season in Greeley, Tuesday afternoon, April 2. First pitch against the Bears is set for 3 p.m. MT.
Following Along At Home
- The game against the Bears can be followed via live stats on Sidearm, as well as via a live stream on the WAC Digital Network. All games can also be tracked live on Twitter, @AF_Baseball.
Last Time Out
- The Falcons took two out of three in a weekend conference series at Nevada.
- Air Force dropped game one in walk off fashion, 4-3, before rebounding with an 8-2 win, Saturday, and a 4-1 victory, Sunday.
Ready the RBI King
- Senior Nic Ready broke his first of what should be multiple school records, Friday, March 29 at Nevada. With a solo home run to tie the game in the eighth inning, Ready recorded the 196th RBI of his AF career, to surpass the previous record held by Vern Mullis ('94) and Tyler Jones ('17).
You Shall Not (Free) Pass
- The Air Force pitching staff was dominate in the weekend series win at Nevada, but perhaps the most impressive stat was that the six pitchers who saw action combined to allow just one walk over the three games.
- Prior to the two games in three days without a walk, the last time AF pitchers did not allow a free pass in a single game was back on Feb. 8, 2017 against Tulane.
- On the season, the Air Force pitching staff has allowed just 95 walks, which is the second-fewest in the conference. Its 4.06 walks allowed/9inn is 113th in the nation.
Don't Run on Dau
- Senior captain catcher Rob Dau has always had a knack for throwing out would-be base stealers, as he has been top-five in the conference in that category all three seasons, including leading the league as a sophomore in 2017. This season, he has thrown out 12 and picked-off seven to lead the league in both categories.
Nichols Racks up the Ks
- Senior LHP Ethan Nichols had a career-best outing against Nevada, March 31. The lefty was near perfect, going 8.2 innings, only allowing one run on four hits while striking out 10 and walking no one. Before surrendering the run with two outs in the ninth, he had retired 26 of 27 batters faced.
- That makes two outings this season in which Nichols has tallied 10 Ks, after striking out 10 over six innings against Navy, Feb. 24.
- He leads the team with 28 punch outs on the season, which is good for 10th-most in the MW Conference.
Lock Down Rotation
- Air Force's weekend starting pitchers have dominated this season with the senior trio of Jake Gilbert, Matt Hargreaves, and Ethan Nichols.
- Hargreaves (1.26) and Gilbert (1.65) own the top two ERAs in the MW Conference, and are the only two qualifying MW pitchers to have sub-2.00 ERAs.
- In addition, those two ERAs are within the top 60 in the country, with Hargreaves ranking 27th and Gilbert 57th.
- Meanwhile, Nichols owns a 1.84 ERA in his two Mountain West starts, while tallying 28 strikeouts on the season, good for 10th in the conference. Gilbert and Hargreaves are 13th and 14th in Ks in the Conference, respectively.
The Price is Right
- Freshman RHP Nathan Price has burst onto the scene for the Air Force Falcons to start the season, putting up some eye popping numbers
- In a team-high eight relief appearances, Price has three wins, an ERA of 1.52 over 23.2 innings, has allowed just four runs and three walks, while striking out 15 and holding opponents to a .176 batting average.
- Against No. 14 ECU, Price went the final 5.0 innings in relief, only allowing two hits and one run, while striking out a pair.
The Young Pup at Shortstop
- Since entering the lineup as the everyday starting shortstop for the first time in the second leg of a double header against Navy, Feb. 24, freshman Alexander Pup has been a key cog in the Falcon lineup.
- Over the 18 game stretch, the rookie is leading the team with a .324 batting average, including a team-high 23 hits, as well as three doubles, a triple, five RBIs, seven runs scored, and two steals.
Run, Falcons, Run
- The Falcons have been active on the base paths to start the year, having stolen 48 bags so far
- The 48 steals ranks first in the conference and 38th in the country.
- Junior Ashton Easley has 20 swipes to lead the conference, and rank 12th in the nation.
- Against Northern Colorado, March 12, Air Force stole 10 bags, the most in a single game for AF since May 4, 1979.
Gold Glove Worthy Fielding
- After breaking the school record in fielding percentage last season with a .975 mark, the Falcons are once again showing their fielding prowess in 2019.
- Air Force owns a .973 fielding percentage, which ranks second in the conference and 70th in the nation. They have only committed 24 errors, which is tied for the fewest in the MW.
Trio of Goose Eggs
- Air Force has recorded three shutouts this season, already surpassing its total from last season (2).
- The Falcons are one of just 46 teams with three or more shutouts this season, and the only in the MW Conference.
Active Career Leader
- With such a successful career to this point, it shouldn't come as much surprise that senior Nic Ready is among the NCAA active career leaders in multiple categories. The Texas is the active career leader in doubles (68), while ranking second among active players in total bases (469), third in RBIs (197), and sixth in HRs (40).
On the Horizon
- The Falcons will begin a stretch of five home games over five days, starting when they host MW foe UNLV in a three-game weekend series, April 5-7, at Falcon Field.
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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RHP
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OF
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LHP
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RHP
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IF
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