Falcons to Challenge Longhorns in Austin

Schedule
GAME ONE: at #10 Texas, April 19, 5:30 pm MT
GAME TWO: at #10 Texas, April 20, 3:00 pm MT

Broadcast Information
TV: Longhorn Network
Live Stats: SIDEARM Live Stats
Twitter: @AF_Baseball

Series History
-The upcoming series marks the first meeting between the two schools.
-Since joining the Mountain West in 2000, Air Force is 12-29 against ranked opponents.

Pitching Probables

GAME ONE
RHP Dylan Rogers (0-0, 5.57 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Eckhardt (1-0, 5.40 ERA)

GAME TWO
TBD vs. TBD

Air Force Projected Batting Order
1. CF, Jr. Blake Covin (L) (.261/.354/.324/0 HR/17 RBI)
2. 1B, So. Sam Kulasingam (S) (.355/.429/.533/4 HR/32 RBI)
3. RF, Sr. Gabriel Garcia (R) (.321/.398/.557/6 HR/28 RBI)
4. 3B, So. Jay Thomason (L) (.331/.417/.645/11 HR/27 RBI)
5. C, So. Paul Skenes (R) (.286/.378/.486/4 HR/12 RBI)
6. DH, So. Jake Greiving (L) (.333/.398/.524/4 HR/22 RBI)
7. SS, So. Aerik Joe (R) (.257/.333/.312/0 HR/12 RBI)
8. 2B, Jr. Trayden Tamiya (R) (.220/.281/.339/2 HR/14 RBI)
9. LF, Fr. Chase Spencer (R) (.222/.344/.333/1 HR/6 RBI)

Last Series vs. Nevada

GAME ONE
-The Falcons jumped out to a five-run lead after the first three innings and faced little pushback from the Wolfpack in Thursday's 10-3 win.
-Jay Thomason maintained his scorching-hot production at the plate, going 3-4 while clubbing his conference-leading 11th home run in the 1st, a two-run shot to give Air Force a quick 2-0 lead.
-Jake Greiving managed a game-high 3 RBI after a 3-4 afternoon, as the sophomore lined a two-run single in the 3rd and a RBI double in the 7th.
-Aerik Joe was 2-5 with 2 RBI and was a key run-producer in Air Force's big 3rd and 7th innings.
-Paul Skenes may not have produced his usual number of swings and misses, but the sophomore was nonetheless stellar.
-Skenes lasted a career-high seven innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
-Including Thursday, Skenes owns a 1.16 ERA over his last four starts, a stretch that spans 23.1 innings.

GAME TWO
-Air Force failed to maintain control of multiple leads before eventually losing to Nevada 14-12 to even the four-game series.
-In spite of the loss, Sam Kulasingam provided a career-best effort at the plate.
-The sophomore was 4-5, including two home runs, a triple, and a double with six RBI.
-Kulasingam came up a single short of the cycle but extended his on-base streak to 19 games in the process.
-Gabriel Garcia was 2-4 with a two-run home run and a double, driving in three runs.
-Braydon Altorfer was 3-4 with three singles and a RBI, while Trayden Tamiya was 2-4 with a pair of base-hits as well as a run driven in.

GAME THREE
-Nevada opened Saturday's ballgame with eight unanswered runs, as the large disadvantage on the scoreboard was too tall a hill to climb for Air Force in Saturday's 14-7 loss.
-Paul Skenes was the lone Falcons with multiple hits, as he finished 2-2 with a walk and a run scored. -Gabriel Garcia extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a solo home run in the 6th inning as part of a 1-5 day.
-Sam Kulasingam has now reached base in his last 20 games, as the sophomore pulled a two-run single through the left side in the 9th.
-As well, Trayden Tamiya was 1-3 with a team-high 3 RBI.

GAME FOUR
-The Falcons stranded nine runners on Sunday while producing just two extra-base hits, as Air Force was unable to salvage the series finale in Sunday's 4-1 loss.
-Designated hitter Jake Greiving provided both of Air Force's extra-base hits, as the sophomore was 2-4 with a solo home run and a double.
-Greiving's home run in the 4th led to the Falcons only run, and was the lone Air Force hitter with multiple hits.
-With each managing a base-hit, Sam Kulasingam extended his on-base streak to 21 games, while Gabriel Garcia now has a hit in 16-consecutive games.
-Making his eighth start of the spring, southpaw Seungmin Shim shook off a four-run 1st inning to toss five-consecutive scoreless innings for Air Force.
-The southpaw recorded a career-high six strikeouts over his six innings, allowing just five hits with two walks.

Friday Night Might
-After transitioning from the bullpen to the Friday starting slot, Paul Skenes has stayed true to form.
-Skenes' owns a 9.5 K/9 to lead the Falcons.
-Skenes' 46 total strikeouts is 5th in the MW.
-The sophomore's .211 opponent BA is 2nd in the MW as well.
-Skenes leads all Air Force pitchers with 43.2 IP.
-Righties are hitting only .204 off of Skenes, with lefties owning a .224 BA.
-Skenes' 1.48 GO/FO rate also leads all Falcon pitchers.
-Skenes' 32 hits allowed is second-lowest among starters in the MW.
-Skenes' 2.68 ERA is is second among MW starters.
-Air Force is 6-2 in game started by Skenes.
-As well, Skenes is now 12-34 (.352) with 2 HR, 1 2B, and 7 RBI since returning to the Falcons lineup after missing time earlier in the season.

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.

He Goes by "BOMB-ason" Now
-Jay Thomason is currently tied with SJSU's Hunter Dorraugh for the MW lead in home runs (11).
-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 (1.062) and slugging (.645).
-Thomason's slugging percentage is 6th-highest in the MW.
-His 1.062 OPS is 6th-highest in the MW.
-Thomason's 80 total bases also leads all Falcons.
-With 27 RBI, Thomason is 3rd among Falcons in the category.
-In total, Thomason is 33-73 (.452) in his last 18 games.
-Thomason has raised his BA .174 points (.157 to .331) over the last 18 games.
-Thomason is 8-9 in stolen base attempts, 4th-most in the MW.
-The Auburn native's 14 walks are second on the team.
-Thomason is tied for the team lead with Kulasingam with 13 multi-hit games.

Kul-Hand Sam
-Kulasingam's .355 average leads qualifying hitters on Air Force, as do his 50 hits.
-The sophomore has reached base in his last 21 games, and in 32 of 34 games in 2022.
-He leads Air Force in doubles (12).
-The switch-hitter's .429 OBP leads all Falcon hitters.
-Kulasingam is tied for second on AF in total bases (78).
-The North Carolinian's .361 BA vs. righties is best on Air Force.
-Kulasingam is hitting .438 with two outs, and .460 with runners on base.
-Kulasingam is tied for the team lead with Thomason with 13 multi-hit games.
-The sophomore leads Air Force with 10 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 25 games, he has exploded, hitting .373 (40-107) with 16 XBH's.
-That stretch includes 10 multi-hit games.
-Garcia has driven in 27 of his 28 RBI over the last 25 games, as he is second on the team in RBI.
-Garcia is tied for second on AF in total bases (78).
-Garcia's 11 doubles are second behind Kulasingam for the team lead.
-The C1C owns a 16-game hitting streak, the longest such streak of 2022 for Air Force.

Back in Texas
-Freshman Dylan Rogers is scheduled to make the first start of his collegiate career on Tuesday versus Texas.
-The Dallas native has not allowed a run over his last three appearances, and hasn't allowed a run in seven of his 12 appearances.
-His 12 appearances is the most by any AF freshman pitcher.
-Rogers owns a 6.86 K/9.
-His .275 opponent BA is 5th-best among AF pitchers.

Greiving is Achieving
-Sophomore Jake Greiving has boosted the Air Force lineup in his 30 games.
-Greiving's .524 SLG% is 4th among qualfied AF hitters.
-His 55 total bases is 3rd-most on the team.
-Greiving's .398 OBP is 4th among qualified AF hitters.
-His .333 BA is 2nd among AF hitters.
-Greiving owns a current five-game hitting streak and has at least one hit in nine of his last 10 games.

The Middle Infield is Finding a Groove
-Shortstop Aerik Joe has settled in at the plate, recording at least one hit in eight of his last 10 games.
-Joe has driven in eight of his 14 RBI over his last 10 games.
-Second baseman Trayden Tamiya currently owns a seven-game hitting streak, a stretch including three multi-hit games.

After Texas
-Following the Falcons two-game midweek series with the Longhorns, Air Force will host Fresno State for a three-game series starting Friday, April 22.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Braydon Altorfer

Blake Covin

Gabriel Garcia

Jake Greiving

Aerik Joe

Sam Kulasingam

Dylan Rogers

Seungmin Shim

Paul Skenes

Chase Spencer

Trayden Tamiya

Jay Thomason

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