Falcons Fall in Series Opening Doubleheader at Fresno State

FRESNO, Calif. – The Air Force Academy baseball team was swept in a doubleheader at Fresno State, 6-0 and 5-2, Friday evening, April 12, at Bob Bennett Stadium. The Falcons were the home team as part of the make up from the postponed series, March 15-17.

Game One: Fresno State 6, Air Force 0 (7 inn.)

The Falcons could not get much going in the seven inning opener, as they fell, 6-0. It was a tough loss for senior Jake Gilbert, as he went the first four innings, only allowing two runs on six hits and no walks, while striking out a career high six batters. On offense, AF only tallied three hits, all singles.

Game Two: Fresno State 5, Air Force 2

The Falcons got the bats going in the night cap, striking for 10 hits, outhitting the Bulldogs by one. Leading the offense was senior Rob Dau, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk. Air Force's runs were knocked in by senior Drew Wiss and junior Tommy Gillman, Wiss' on a solo home run.

On the hill, freshman Zach Argo had a career-best outing in a no decision. The rookie went the first six innings, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out a career-best nine batters.

Air Force wasted no time getting the offense going in the night cap, as they struck for a run in the first. Junior Ashton Easley led off with a double, and Gillman followed with a bloop single to make it 1-0 early on.

On the mound, Argo was red hot to start, striking out eight of his first 12 batters faced to set a new career high, but he yielded a run in the top of the second to keep it tied. The Falcons got another run in the bottom of the third as Wiss launched a solo home run, his third of the season, to get the lead back, 2-1, into the fourth.

After scoreless fourth and fifth innings from Argo, the Bulldogs got the solo home run back in the top of the sixth to knot the game back up at two into the seventh.

In relief, freshman Nathan Price fired two straight scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth to keep it tied into the bottom of the eighth. In the bottom of the frame, AF had the potential leading run cut down at the plate, keeping it 2-2 into the ninth.

Fresno State rallied with a three run top of the ninth to take their first lead of the game into the last of the ninth. AF then went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to seal the three run defeat.

The Falcons and Bulldogs will play another doubleheader tomorrow afternoon, April 13, starting at 4 p.m. The two will play a seven inning game followed by a nine inning contest.

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