Air Force flies to Reno for four-game series

Schedule
GAME ONE: vs. Nevada, April 14, 2:00 pm MT
GAME TWO: at Nevada, April 15, 2:00 pm MT
GAME THREE: at Nevada, April 16, 2:00 pm MT
GAME FOUR: at Nevada, April 17, 2:00 pm MT

Broadcast Information
Live Stream: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: SIDEARM Live Stats
Twitter: @AF_Baseball

Series History
-Since 2013, Air Force and Nevada are 21-21 in 42 games.
-Air Force and Nevada are tied at 1-1 in the 2022 season series after a split at Falcon Field.
-The Falcons last series win at Nevada was in a season ago.
-Air Force has taken three of the last four series at William Peccole Park.

Note Regarding Game One
-Thursday's contest will be the makeup of March 5's postponed contest at Falcon Field, and thus Air Force will be the home team.

Pitching Probables

GAME ONE
RHP Paul Skenes (4-2, 2.70 ERA) vs. RHP Alejandro Murrilo (2-1, 6.08 ERA)

GAME TWO
RHP Jake Sansing (2-1, 5.89 ERA) vs. RHP Peyton Stumbo (4-1, 6.23)

GAME THREE
RHP Sawyer Hawks (0-1, 5.11 ERA) vs. RHP Cam Walty (2-3, 5.28)

GAME FOUR
LHP Seungmin Shim (3-3, 5.51 ERA) vs. RHP Casey Burfield (1-1, 7.76)

Air Force Projected Batting Order
1. CF, Jr. Blake Covin (L) (.286/.393/.363/0 HR/15 RBI)
2. 1B, So. Sam Kulasingam (S) (.352/.438/.500/2 HR/24 RBI)
3. LF, Sr. Gabriel Garcia (R) (.323/.394/.524/4 HR/24 RBI)
4. DH, So. Paul Skenes (R) (.274/.343/.500/4 HR/12 RBI)
5. 3B, So. Jay Thomason (L) (.339/.421/.670/10 HR/25 RBI)
6. RF, So. Jake Greiving (L) (.304/.369/.467/3 HR/17 RBI)
7. C, Sr. Braydon Altorfer (R) (.219/,314/.362/4 HR/18 RBI)
8. SS, So. Aerik Joe (R) (.257/.333/.312/0 HR/12 RBI)
9. 2B, Jr. Trayden Tamiya (R) (.220/.281/.339/2 HR/14 RBI)

Last Series vs. California Baptist

GAME ONE
-The Falcons clubbed 20 hits, with all nine players recording at least one knock, as Air Force took control early in its defeat of California Baptist 11-5.
-Blake Covin led all players with four hits in five plate appearances, including two RBI and a stolen base.
-Braydon Altorfer and Trayden Tamiya both had three hits, with Altorfer driving in two runs.
-Sam Kulasingam drove in a team-high 3 RBI after a 2-4 day, as the sophomore also walked twice.
-Jay Thomason may not have left the yard, but he was still a provider of damage.
-The Mountain West leader in home runs concluded the day 2-4 with 2 RBI, including a run-scoring triple in the 4th.
-Gabriel Garcia's lone hit, a 4th inning single, extended his hitting streak to 10-consecutive games. Garcia's current hit streak is the longest by a Falcon this season.
-Paul Skenes was brilliant for Air Force, allowing just one-run over 5.1 IP, picking up his fourth win of the season in the process. Skenes struck out six of the first nine batters he faced, allowing just two Lancers hits. He eventually finished with nine strikeouts.

GAME TWO
-It was a tough day at the office for the Falcons, as Air Force surrendered 23 hits in Saturday's 21-4 loss to California Baptist.
-Sam Kulasingam and Jay Thomason were each 2-4, with Kulasingam knocking a double and a triple with a RBI.
-Gabriel Garcia extended his hitting streak to 11-consecutive games in the 3rd, lining a RBI single into center field. The senior also managed a sacrifice fly in the 1st to lead the Falcons with two RBI.

GAME THREE
-Gabriel Garcia tied his career-high with five hits in five at-bats, as the Falcons rallied from an early five-run deficit to beat California Baptist 18-7.
-Garcia reached base in all six of his plate appearances, an afternoon that included a triple, two doubles, and two singles, as well as a hit-by-pitch.
-The senior also drove in three runs and extended his hitting streak to 12 games in the process.
-Sam Kulasingam was 3-6 with 2 RBI, as the sophomore knocked a double and two singles.
-Paul Skenes clubbed his fourth home run of the season in the 6th, a two-run shot over the big right field fence as part of a 2-5 day. Skenes also had a RBI fielder's choice in the 4th.
-Jay Thomason remains an overwhelming threat at the plate, as the Auburn native was 2-4 for the third-consecutive game. His stat line included a double, single, and 2 RBI.
-Jake Greiving and Trayden Tamiya also managed two hits with a RBI each.
-Seungmin Shim gave Air Force five valuable innings en route to picking up his third win of 2022. Shim allowed six runs, though just four earned, surrendering 10 hits while picking up two strikeouts.
-The Air Force bullpen was stellar, as the combination of Zach Argo, Doyle Gehring, and Rob Martin combined to allow one run (none earned) over four innings with seven strikeouts.

Skenes Named MW Pitcher of the Week
-On April 4, Paul Skenes was named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week after his performance over the weekend at Fresno State.
-The sophomore went six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out three and walking just one.
-The California native out-dueled Fresno State starter Ixan Henderson, who entered the weekend leading the conference in ERA (1.05 ERA) and K/9 (12.3).
-Skenes didn't see a baserunner cross second base over his six innings.
-Picking up his third win of the season on Friday, Skenes set the tone for a weekend in which Air Force claimed its first-ever series win at Fresno State in program history.
-Over his last three starts, Skenes has not allowed a run over his last 12.1 IP, as the Falcons ace now boasts a 2.87 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 31.1 IP.

Friday Night Might
-After transitioning from the bullpen to the Friday starting slot, Paul Skenes has stayed true to form.
-Skenes' 10.8 K/9 is second in the Mountain West behind Fresno State's Ixan Henderson (12.8 K/9).
-Skenes' 44 total strikeouts is tied for 3rd in the MW.
-The sophomore's .197 opponent BA is 2nd in the MW as well.
-Skenes leads all Air Force pitchers with 36.2 IP.
-Righties are hitting only .173 off of Skenes.
-Skenes' 1.61 GO/FO rate also leads all Falcon pitchers.
-Skenes' 25 hits allowed is the lowest among starters in the MW.
-Skenes' 2.70 ERA is is second among MW starters.
-Air Force is 5-2 in game started by Skenes.
-As well, Skenes is now 9-26 (.346) with 2 HR, 1 2B, and 7 RBI since returning to the Falcons lineup.

He Goes by "BOMB-ason" Now
-Jay Thomason is currently tied with Nevada's Josh Zamora for the MW lead in home runs (10).
-All of Thomason's home runs this season and of his collegiate career have come this season.
-As a result, Thomason leads Air Force in OPS (1.091) and slugging (.670).
-Thomason's slugging percentage is 5th-highest in the MW.
-His 1.091 OPS is 7th-highest in the MW.
-Thomason's 73 total bases also leads all Falcons.
-With 25 RBI, Thomason also leads Air Force in runs batted in.
-In total, Thomason is 29-58 (.500) in his last 14 games.
-Thomason has raised his BA .182 points (.157 to .339) over the last 14 games.
-Thomason is 7-8 in stolen base attempts, 4th-most in the MW.
-The Auburn native's 13 walks are second on the team.
-Thomason is tied for the team lead with Kulasingam with 12 multi-hit games.

Kul-Hand Sam
-Kulasingam's .352 average leads qualifying hitters on Air Force, as do his 43 hits.
-Kulasingam has reached base in his last 17 games, and leads Air Force in doubles (10).
-The switch-hitter's .438 OBP leads all Falcon hitters.
-The sophomore is the only Falcon hitter with more walks (17) thans strikeouts (15).
-Kulasingam is third on AF in total bases (61).
-The North Carolinian's .374 BA vs. righties is best on Air Force.
-Kulasingam is hitting .464 with two outs, and .464 with runners on base.
-Kulasingam is tied for the team lead with Thomason with 12 multi-hit games.
-The sophomore leads Air Force with eight multi-RBI games as well.

Garcia Is HOT
-In Gabe Garcia's first nine games, the senior hit just .167 (5-30) with one XBH.
-Over Garcia's last 21 games, he has exploded, hitting .385 (35-91) with 12 XBH's.
-That stretch includes nine multi-hit games.
-Garcia has driven in 23 of his 24 RBI over the last 21 games, as he is second on the team in RBI.
-The senior's 65 total bases is second on Air Force.
-Garcia's nine doubles are second behind Kulasingam for the team lead.
-The C1C owns a 12-game hitting streak, the longest such streak of 2022 for Air Force.

Doyle Rules
-Doyle Gehring has taken well to the closer role, picking up six saves in six tries for Air Force.
-Exclusively out of the pen, his 23.2 IP is fourth among Falcon arms and leads all AF relievers.
-Gehring's 2.66 ERA leads the team.
-Gehring's 1.10 WHIP is second only to Skenes.
-The sophomore is one of only 43 pitchers in in Division I with at least six saves.
-Gehring's .231 opponent BA is second among AF pitchers.
-Righties are hitting just .185 off of Gehring.
-Gehring has been tough with runners on, with opponents hitting only .213 with ducks on the pond.
-The sopohomore's 27 strikeouts are second behind Skenes among AF pitchers.

Greiving is Achieving
-Sophomore Jake Greiving has boosted the Air Force lineup in his 26 games.
-Greiving's .467 SLG% is 4th among qualfied AF hitters.
-His 43 total bases is 4th on the team.
-Greiving's .369 OBP is 4th among qualified AF hitters.
-His .304 BA is 4th among AF hitters.

Joe Knows
-After holding just a .175 average as of March 12, Joe has raised his batting average 82 points to .257 over his last 19 games.
-The Falcons shortstop owns a current six-game hitting streak.
-10 of Joe's 12 RBI this season have come in his last 12 games.

Defense, Defense, Defense
-Air Force's .974 fielding percentage leads the Mountain West.

After Nevada
-Following the Falcons weekend series with Nevada, Air Force will test the waters in Austin, taking on #7 Texas at Disch-Falk Field for a midweek series starting Tuesday, April 19.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Braydon Altorfer

Zach Argo

Blake Covin

Gabriel Garcia

Doyle Gehring

Jake Greiving

Sawyer Hawks

Aerik Joe

Sam Kulasingam

Rob Martin

Jake Sansing

Seungmin Shim

Paul Skenes

Trayden Tamiya

Jay Thomason

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