Falcons Race Past Rebels in Series Opener, 11-5

USAFA, Colo. – The Air Force Academy baseball team raced past the UNLV Rebels with one of its best offensive outputs of the season, 11-5, Friday afternoon, April 5, at Falcon Field. The Falcons (13-13, 5-3 MW) put up a season-high 19 hits to score its 11 runs, and take the first game of the weekend Mountain West Conference series.

Senior Gabe Martinez led the charge with a career-best game, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs. It was the first two home run game for a Falcon since Nic Ready did so against the Rebels last season, March 14.

Junior Tommy Gillman also had his best game as a Falcon, collecting four hits, including a double and triple, as well as two runs driven in and three runs scored. Not to be outdone, senior Colby Brown also had four hits, including a double, as well as an RBI.

On the mound, senior Jake Gilbert had another excellent start for his third win of the season. The righty went the first 6.0, allowing three runs, just one earned, on six hits while striking out two. He moved his ERA down to 1.63 over 38.2 innings.

In relief, it was another solid outing from freshman Nathan Price, as he went the final 2.2, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out two. His ERA is now 1.59 over 28.1 innings, and he has 19 strikeouts to just five walks.

The Falcons struck first in the bottom of the first on a two-RBI single from senior Rob Dau, making it 2-0 early on. Following a scoreless second, UNLV grabbed a lead in the third when they scored three runs, two of them unearned, to lead it 3-2. The lead was shot lived, as Martinez blasted a solo home run over the scoreboard in left field to knot the game up at 3-3 into the fourth.

Gilbert had a quick top of the fourth, leading to Air Force's biggest inning on the bottom of the fourth. A walk and single put two on with one out, and Gillman got the scoring started with an RBI single, giving AF the lead back. The next batter, senior Nic Ready, then doubled off the wall in center to drive in another. It was the 70th double of his career, making him just the fourth Falcon to reach that milestone.

Following a pitching change, Martinez broke the game open with a three run moon shot home run down the line in left field, making it an 8-3 tally into the fifth inning. Gilbert had another quick top of the fifth, to keep the five run lead into the middle innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, a lead off double from senior Drew Wiss and a single from junior Ashton Easley out two on with no outs. Gillman then delivered again with a double in the gap in right center to put another run on the board, and make it 9-3 Air Force.

All six batters were retired in the sixth, sending it to the seventh, where the Rebels got one back on a solo home run, making it 9-4 into the stretch. Air Force was held scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, but got some insurance in the bottom of the eighth on a Martinez RBI single, for his third hit and fifth, RBI, as well as a Brown RBI single, which was his fourth hit.

The Rebels got another solo home run in the top of the ninth, but Price was otherwise flawless as he wrapped up the game and the 11-5 score.

Air Force and UNLV get back into action tomorrow, April 6, for game two of the series from Falcon Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. MT.

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