Air Force's late surge falls just short in loss at Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla.- The Falcons nearly erased multiple five-run deficits, as the tying run was tagged out at home plate for the final out in today's 8-7 loss to the Sooners.

The top of the Air Force order was a thorn in the side of the Oklahoma staff all afternoon, as Blake Covin and Sam Kulasingam each finished with three hits. Covin was 3-5, all singles, while Kulasingam, making his first start of the year at third base, finished 3-4 with a 9th inning double.

Covin is now 15-34 (.441 BA) to start the 2022 season, whereas Kulasingam has at least one hit in 12 of 15 games this season.

Trayden Tamiya was 1-4, though he clubbed his first home run of 2022, a two-run shot in the 7th. Gabriel Garcia was 1-3, as his RBI triple in the final inning brought the Falcons to within a run of forcing a bottom of the 9th. Making his second-consecutive start, Cayden Zimmerman produced a RBI double in the 4th.

Tasked with his first collegiate start, freshman Sawyer Hawks allowed five runs in 1.2 innings. His final line included six hits, two walks, and a strikeout. The Air Force bullpen held up well following the shortened start, as the combination of Ryan Stohr, CJ Dornak, Zach Argo, and Doyle Gehring allowed just three runs after Stohr entered in the 2nd.

The Sooners opened the scoring in a five-run 2nd inning, as the Sooners collected seven hits in the frame including one of Oklahoma's four home runs on the afternoon.

Air Force would eventually answer in the 4th. Kulasingam led off the inning with a base hit, followed by Zimmerman getting hit by a pitch and Garcia drawing a walk. With the bases loaded, Braydon Altorfer grounded into a double play to get Air Force on the scoreboard. One batter later, Zimmerman came home on a wild pitch to bring the game to 5-2.

Oklahoma countered with a solo home run in their half of the inning, then a 6-2 ballgame. The third of the Sooners four home runs came in the 6th, as a solo blast from the home side increased its lead to 7-2.

In the 7th, Tamiya launched his first dinger of the season, a two-run home run to bring the score to 7-4. Covin and Kulasingam followed Tamiya with back-to-back base hits. Zimmerman followed Air Force's table-setters with a double down the left field line, scoring Covin. Air Force, once trailing 5-0 and 7-2, had trimmed the lead to 7-5.

Oklahoma's final long ball gave the Sooners a crucial insurance run in the 8th to put the Falcons down 8-5 going into the final frame.

Air Force certainly put pressure on Oklahoma late, as Covin and Kulasingam both reached with one-out hits in the 9th. With both men on second and third, Jason Booker, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the 7th, brought Covin home with a RBI groundout, advancing Kulasingam to third. Now 8-6, Garcia pulled a RBI triple into left-center, bringing the score to 8-7 with him being the tying run on third.

With Altorfer at the plate, a wild pitch saw Garcia attempt to score the tying run, though the baseball ricocheted off the backstop, leading to a throw and tag at home to end the game.

Next, the Falcons will reconvene Mountain West action when Air Force heads to UNLV for a three-game series starting Friday, March 18. Game One is scheduled for a 7:00 pm MT first pitch.

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