Baseball Falls in Late Innings to South Dakota State

USAFA, Colo. – The Air Force Academy baseball team fell in the late innings, 9-7, to South Dakota State, Saturday, March 7, at Falcon Field. The Falcons had a lead going into the seventh before the Jackrabbits rallied for four runs in the final three frames.

AF had good production on offense, tallying nine hits. Junior Cole Blatchford led the way with a career-high four hits and four RBIs, including his second home run of the weekend, a two-run shot. Senior Ashton Easley added a two-hit day, including a triple and run scored. Fellow senior Tommy Gillman reached base four times, tallying a single and three walks, while also scoring four runs.

The Falcons struck first in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Blatchford, followed by a heads up base running play from Gillman, as he scored from second on an infield ground out, making it 2-0 early on. AF got another single from Blatchford in the bottom of the third, and Gillman once again got it done with his legs as when Blatchford became caught in a run down, Gillman was able to score to make it 3-0.

SDSU got on the board in the top of the fourth on a sac fly, and then got another in the top of the fifth to make it 3-2 at the midway point. In the bottom of the fifth, Blatchford notched his second RBI single, followed by an RBI single from sophomore Braydon Altorfer, putting AF back up by three, 5-2, with four to play.

The Jackrabbits would go on to tie the game in the top of the sixth with three unearned runs to make it 5-5. AF had the immediate response as Blatchford launched an opposite field two-run homer over the tall wall in right to give the Falcons the lead back with three innings remaining.

From there, SDSU got three more runs to take a one run lead in the top of the seventh, and then an insurance run in the top of the eighth, while the Falcons were held scoreless over the final three innings, resulting in the tough two run defeat.

The rubber match from Falcon Field will take place tomorrow, March 8. First pitch from Falcon Field is set for noon MT.

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