Falcons Can't Overcome Early Deficit Versus UNLV

USAFA, Colo. – The Air Force Academy baseball team fell behind early, and could not catch up in a 9-6 defeat to UNLV, Saturday afternoon, April 6, at Falcon Field.

The Rebels (18-15, 6-8 MW) scored seven runs over the first three innings to lead early, and they never looked back. The Falcons (13-14, 5-4 MW) collected eight hits on the afternoon, with three players notching two.

Senior Gabe Martinez led the way for the second straight game, collecting two hits, including a double, to go along with three RBIs. Martinez now has eight runs driven in the first two games of the series. Junior Tommy Gillman also had two hits, along with a double, as well as two runs scored. Finally, senior Nic Ready had the third two hit game, along with an RBI single, the 199th RBI of his AF career.

On the hill, a pair of relievers kept the game within striking distance, as freshman Zach Argo went 3.2 in relief, allowing two runs, both unearned, while striking out one. Behind him, junior Shawn Kelley went the final 1.1 scoreless, allowing just one run and striking out one.

The Rebels struck first in the first with a three run home run to take an early lead. Air Force responded immediately with a pair of RBI doubles, the first a two run double from Martinez, followed by an RBI double from senior Rob Dau, to knot it up, 3-3, after one.

UNLV tagged another three run home run in the top of the second to get back up by three, 6-3. They added another in the top of the third on an RBI ground out to lead it, 7-3. The Falcons got the run back in the bottom half of the third on an RBI ground out from Martinez to keep it a three run game into the fourth.

Both pitchers managed to keep the other team off the scoreboard in the fourth and fifth innings, keeping the tally as is into the sixth. There, UNLV got two more runs, both unearned, to extend their advantage to 9-4 into the seventh.

There was another scoreless inning in the seventh, but Air Force chipped away in the eighth on an RBI single from senior Colby Brown, extending his hitting streak to nine games and making it 9-5 with one to play.

After Kelley retired the Rebels in order in the top of the ninth, AF attempted to mount a rally in the bottom of the ninth. A lead off walk eventually led to an RBI single from Ready, but that was all the Falcons could get, sealing the three run defeat.

The Falcons and Rebels will play for the series win tomorrow morning, April 7, in game three of the series. First pitch from Falcon Field is set for 9:30 a.m.

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