Air force overcomes 7-run deficit, but fall to walk-off homer

AUSTIN, Texas- Trailing 8-1 after the first two innings, the Falcons roared back to tie the game in the 9th, but the Longhorns lifted a game-winning home run in the final frame to beat Air Force 12-10.

Air Force hit a season-high six home runs on Wednesday, the most by the Falcons in a single game since 2009. Jake Greiving and Jay Thomason both homered twice, with Greiving's long balls both accounting for a 2-5 day while Thomason was 3-5.

Greiving's Wednesday performance gives him three home runs over his last three games. As well, Thomason now owns 13 home runs to retake the Mountain West lead in dingers.

Sam Kulasingam led off the ballgame with a solo shot, his fifth of the season to extend his on-base streak to 22 games. The Falcons first baseman was 2-5 with a RBI and a walk. Paul Skenes launched a home run over the right field fence leadoff the 7th, his second in as many days. Skenes finished his afternoon 3-5 with a RBI.

Blake Covin got back on track, managing three hits in five at-bats while scoring a run. Gabriel Garcia extended his hitting-streak to 18-consecutive games after a RBI double in the 3rd.

For the second-consecutive game, all nine Air Force starters recorded a hit.

It was a team effort on the mound with Zach Argo opening the game. The senior allowed two runs on three hits with a strikeout in his lone inning. Ryan Stohr was hit with four runs after recording just one out, while Kyle Moats, Duke Benge, and Sawyer Hawks each surrendered two runs in their respective outings.

Following Kulasingam's leadoff home run, Air Force saw Texas the game's next eight runs, putting the Falcons down 8-1. A five-run Falcons 3rd dented the lead, an inning in which Greiving and Thomason both homered.

The Longhorns grabbed runs in the 5th and 6th to regrow their advantage to 10-6, but Air Force quickly answered. Skenes and Thomason led off the 7th with back-to-back jacks to cut the Texas lead to 10-8. After a scoreless 8th, the Falcons entered the final inning trailing by two runs.

Greiving opened the 9th with his second home run of the day, a solo blast to narrow the Texas lead to just a run. Skenes and Thomason followed with singles, with Braydon Altorfer hitting into a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners with one out. In a 0-1 count, Trayden Tamiya dropped down a suicide squeeze to score Matt Thompson, who pinch-ran for Skenes.

With the game tied at 10-10, Hawks remained on the mound after retiring the first six batters he faced in the 7th and 8th. The freshman retired the first batter of the 9th before walking the next hitter he saw. In a 2-2 count, Hawks hurled a fastball in and off the plate to Trey Faltine, though the Texas shortstop managed to catch just enough of the barrel to hit a walk-off, two-run home run over the left field fence to give the Longhorns the 12-10 win.

Next, the Falcons return home for a nine-game home stand, beginning with a weekend series against Fresno State starting Friday, April 22.

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