Friday, February 17
Cleburne, TX
6:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Army
Photo by: Eric Strom
Defending-champion Falcons to debut in Cleburne, Norman
2/16/2023 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
Schedule
Fri: vs. Army, February 17, 6:00 pm MT
Sat: vs. Army, February 18, 12:00 pm MT
Sun: vs. Army, February 19, 10:00 am MT
Mon: at Oklahoma, February 20, 2:00 pm MT
Broadcast Information (vs. Army)
Live Stream: None
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History (vs. Army)
-All-time, the Falcons are 24-9 in 33 games against the Black Knights.
-Last season, Air Force defeated Army 4-3 in Charleston, South Carolina on February 19.
-Chase Spencer's 6th inning grand slam provided all the runs Air Force would need.
-Spencer, with two outs in a 1-1 count, hit his first career home run over the right-center field fence to give Air Force a 4-1 lead.
-Doyle Gehring would eventually secure a 2.2-inning save to close the 4-3 win.
Broadcast Information (vs. Oklahoma)
Live Stream: ESPN+ (Subscription Required)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History (vs. Oklahoma)
-All-time, the Falcons are 0-6 against the Sooners, a series that began in 1971.
-In 2022, Oklahoma swept Air Force in two games in Norman on March 15-16 by scores of 10-4 and 8-7.
Pitching Probables (2022 Stats)
Fri: RHP Jr. Doyle Gehring (4-3, 4.36 ERA) vs. RHP Jr. Tanner Gresham (1-1, 2.59 ERA)
Sat: RHP So. Dylan Rogers (2-1, 5.01 ERA) vs. RHP Jr. Matthew Ronnebaum (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
Sun: LHP Jr. Seungmin Shim (3-4, 7.66 ERA) vs. TBA
Mon: TBA vs. TBA
Previewing the 2023 Season
The Falcons make their long-awaited return on Friday, and for the first time, do so as the defending champions of the Mountain West Conference. Last spring, Air Force made its first NCAA Regional appearance since 1969, coming two wins away from the program's first Super Regional appearance before losing to host Texas in Air Force's program record 61st game. The 2022 Falcons benefited from tremendous veteran leadership and unique talent, requiring this group of Falcons to plug uncommon voids.
However, the 2023 Air Force baseball team enters the new season with capability, vast experience, and plenty of potentially-impactive faces yet to have the chance to do so.
The Infield
The Air Force infield returns all four of its starters from the dirt a season ago, including Tony Gwynn Mountain West Player of the Year Sam Kulasingam at first base, and First Team All-Mountain West third baseman Jay Thomason. The double-play combination of Trayden Tamiya at second base and Aerik Joe at shortstop will also be a consistent sight for the Falcons yet again in 2023.
Kulasingam became the first Air Force player to receive Player of the Year honors in program history in 2022. Kulasingam's 109 hits were the most-ever by an Air Force player in a single season, as were his games played (61) and at-bats (265). Kulasingam also produced the second-most doubles (26) in a single season in the history of Air Force baseball. His .411 batting average led the Mountain West Conference, and was second in Division I only to Georgia Tech's Chandler Simpson. The C2C's 181 total bases were also a program record, and seventh-most in Division I. Kulasingam recorded a .797 slugging percentage in 30 Mountain West games, the highest mark by a Falcon since Air Force joined the conference in 2000.
Thomason broke out as the Falcons starting third baseman a season ago, and was one of four players to appear in at least 60 games in 2022. The Alabaman led the Falcons with 16 home runs last season, second only to New Mexico slugger Lenny Junior Ashby (17). Thomason's 12 home runs within Mountain West play tied him with Nic Ready for the most in program history. Thomason was one of only 12 players in the Mountain West with an OPS north of 1.000 (1.028), while also having tied for the team lead with 10 stolen bases. Thomason became one of only nine players in program history to manage at least 85 hits in a single season, while his 149 total bases in 2022 were the eighth-most by a player in the history of Air Force baseball.
Quite simply, the Falcons are well situated at the corners.
In the middle infield, Tamiya and Joe create one of the more potent double-play tandems in the country, as the pair are as dependable defensively as any duo in Division I baseball. The Falcons averaged .74 double plays per game a season ago, a figure that placed Air Force in the top-third in the country.
After a slow start offensively, Tamiya really surged in the second half of his junior season. Over his final 12 games, Tamiya hit .431 (22-51), and was named to the Austin Regional All-Tournament Team after going 7-15 over his four games in Austin. Joe will likely see his name at the bottom of the batting order, though he's a hitter never to give away single plate appearance. The Falcons shortstop hit .270 a season ago and got on base at a solid .360 clip in his first full collegiate season.
The Outfield
Air Force will be replacing the mighty Gabriel Garcia as well as veteran Cayden Zimmerman, two seniors who saw significant playing time during their careers. The speedy Blake Covin is slated to return as the Falcons starting center fielder, and head coach Mike Kazlausky would be hard-pressed to find an outfielder with more range than his own.
Covin was susceptible to the strikeout (22.6% strikeout rate in 265 plate appearances), though he still managed a solid .271 average with a .370 OBP as a junior. Covin will remain a true table-setter at the top of the order for Air Force with plenty of speed to showcase (10-11 in stolen base attempts).
Jake Greiving is likely to be the everyday designated hitter, though could still provide relief in the outfield if necessary. The junior was one of Air Force's most unheralded players a season ago, hitting .315 in 57 games with 11 home runs and 53 RBI. His batting average was the fourth-highest mark among Falcons a season ago.
Chase Spencer is expected to carry a heavier workload in one of the corner positions, and was incredibly potent in limited stints a season ago. In his first 76 collegiate at-bats, Spencer managed an .860 OPS, highlighted by his game-winning grand slam against Army and a two-game span against UNLV in which the freshman drove in 11 runs.
Chris Stallings has been tentatively projected as a corner outfielder to see extensive playing time, as the junior has missed two full seasons due to nagging injury. Senior Matt Thompson will also vie for playing time, as the platoon outfielder produced a .281 BA with a .787 OPS in 32 at-bats last season.
Catcher
At backstop, Air Force will be searching for a consistent replacement to players like Braydon Altorfer and Paul Skenes, a duo that provided few questions during their time at Air Force. Entering 2023, catcher is a position with no sure answer.
Aaron Reyes is now a sophomore, having started three games last season, though he only stepped into the batter's box 17 times in his first season. Landon Boyd is a JUCO transfer from Navarro College who saw 54 plate appearances in 15 games for the Bulldogs and could be part of a platoon until the catching situation has more clarity. Freshman Walker Zapp could also see time behind the plate, as the Auburn native was a crucial player for an elite high school program.
The Pitching Staff
The departure of Paul Skenes is unlikely to be felt with more hurt than on the mound, as the Mountain West's Co-Pitcher of the Year is now an LSU Tiger. Even so, there are still assurances to be had.
Doyle Gehring has been promoted to the Friday role for the Falcons, and is more than capable of accepting his status as team ace. Gehring, who began his sophomore season as the Falcons closer before transitioning to a starting role, was vital to Air Force's postseason run a season ago. Having recorded six saves prior to his insertion into the Falcons starting rotation, Gehring finished his sophomore season with a 4.36 ERA over 64.0 IP while producing 9.3 K/9. When his team needed him most, the Oklahoman allowed just one earned run in 14.1 postseason innings (0.62 ERA) to go with 20 strikeouts in those two starts. The Falcons managed a record of 14-9 in games in which Gehring appeared a season ago. The junior will now have the chance to feature his low-to-mid 90's fastball, biting breaking ball and good changeup against the opposition's best.
Dylan Rogers will be tasked as the Saturday starter for the Falcons and he's only gotten better with time. As primarily a relief option in the beginning of his freshman season, Rogers was eventually moved to a starting role, and considering the league and the hitting environments the Falcons are inherently up against, the Texan held his own.
Owning a sinking upper-80's fastball, sharp slider, and underrated changeup, Rogers was 2-1 with a 5.01 ERA and really shined in crunch time. In a must-win final regular season game, Rogers pitched eight shutout innings against New Mexico to secure Air Force's position in the Mountain West Tournament. In the final game of the conference tournament, Rogers was tremendous. The first-year right-hander lasted 7.1 innings, allowing just three runs with a career-best eight strikeouts. Rogers did not walk any of the 30 batters he faced en route to securing the Falcons first-ever Mountain West Championship.
Seungmin Shim is likely to start on Sundays for Air Force, and he brings nine starts from a season ago. Shim is capable of eating innings, having recorded at least 5.0 innings pitched in his six of his nine starts. Shim brings a mid-80's fastball with a sweeping breaking ball and fading changeup.
In the bullpen, Air Force will no longer have Zach Argo, Rob Martin, or C.J. Dornak, a trio of hardy competitors that were crucial for the Falcons late in games. Coach Kaz won't have to fret too much, as his team will still have a number of familiar arms to help bridge Air Force to victory.
Sawyer Hawks appears to be the first name to surface as to who will close games for Air Force. The big 6'4 sophomore has the prototypical delivery of a power arm, and was said to have looked strong during the fall after pitching in eight games last season. No pitcher saw time in more games than Duke Benge a season ago, as his 27 appearances was a team-high. A strike-thrower, Benge owned a walk-per-nine figure of just 1.7 BB/9.
Kyle Moats, Ryan Stohr, and Jake Sansing each bring middle and late relief experience to the table as well. The coaching staff has raved at the progression of senior Jason Shuger, who has had to battle back from arm trouble. Though he didn't see time on the mound last season, sophomore Zach Peters is expected to be called upon out of the pen as well, as the 5'9 righty has a bigger arm than his frame may suggest.
Up Next
Following the weekend in Texas and Oklahoma, the Falcons will travel to Kinston, North Carolina to play Navy in the annual Freedom Classic at Grainger Stadium. The series takes place February 24-26. Air Force will then fly to Lubbock, Texas to play the vaunted Texas Tech Raiders for a midweek series starting February 28 to March 1.
Fri: vs. Army, February 17, 6:00 pm MT
Sat: vs. Army, February 18, 12:00 pm MT
Sun: vs. Army, February 19, 10:00 am MT
Mon: at Oklahoma, February 20, 2:00 pm MT
Broadcast Information (vs. Army)
Live Stream: None
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History (vs. Army)
-All-time, the Falcons are 24-9 in 33 games against the Black Knights.
-Last season, Air Force defeated Army 4-3 in Charleston, South Carolina on February 19.
-Chase Spencer's 6th inning grand slam provided all the runs Air Force would need.
-Spencer, with two outs in a 1-1 count, hit his first career home run over the right-center field fence to give Air Force a 4-1 lead.
-Doyle Gehring would eventually secure a 2.2-inning save to close the 4-3 win.
Broadcast Information (vs. Oklahoma)
Live Stream: ESPN+ (Subscription Required)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History (vs. Oklahoma)
-All-time, the Falcons are 0-6 against the Sooners, a series that began in 1971.
-In 2022, Oklahoma swept Air Force in two games in Norman on March 15-16 by scores of 10-4 and 8-7.
Pitching Probables (2022 Stats)
Fri: RHP Jr. Doyle Gehring (4-3, 4.36 ERA) vs. RHP Jr. Tanner Gresham (1-1, 2.59 ERA)
Sat: RHP So. Dylan Rogers (2-1, 5.01 ERA) vs. RHP Jr. Matthew Ronnebaum (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
Sun: LHP Jr. Seungmin Shim (3-4, 7.66 ERA) vs. TBA
Mon: TBA vs. TBA
Previewing the 2023 Season
The Falcons make their long-awaited return on Friday, and for the first time, do so as the defending champions of the Mountain West Conference. Last spring, Air Force made its first NCAA Regional appearance since 1969, coming two wins away from the program's first Super Regional appearance before losing to host Texas in Air Force's program record 61st game. The 2022 Falcons benefited from tremendous veteran leadership and unique talent, requiring this group of Falcons to plug uncommon voids.
However, the 2023 Air Force baseball team enters the new season with capability, vast experience, and plenty of potentially-impactive faces yet to have the chance to do so.
The Infield
The Air Force infield returns all four of its starters from the dirt a season ago, including Tony Gwynn Mountain West Player of the Year Sam Kulasingam at first base, and First Team All-Mountain West third baseman Jay Thomason. The double-play combination of Trayden Tamiya at second base and Aerik Joe at shortstop will also be a consistent sight for the Falcons yet again in 2023.
Kulasingam became the first Air Force player to receive Player of the Year honors in program history in 2022. Kulasingam's 109 hits were the most-ever by an Air Force player in a single season, as were his games played (61) and at-bats (265). Kulasingam also produced the second-most doubles (26) in a single season in the history of Air Force baseball. His .411 batting average led the Mountain West Conference, and was second in Division I only to Georgia Tech's Chandler Simpson. The C2C's 181 total bases were also a program record, and seventh-most in Division I. Kulasingam recorded a .797 slugging percentage in 30 Mountain West games, the highest mark by a Falcon since Air Force joined the conference in 2000.
Thomason broke out as the Falcons starting third baseman a season ago, and was one of four players to appear in at least 60 games in 2022. The Alabaman led the Falcons with 16 home runs last season, second only to New Mexico slugger Lenny Junior Ashby (17). Thomason's 12 home runs within Mountain West play tied him with Nic Ready for the most in program history. Thomason was one of only 12 players in the Mountain West with an OPS north of 1.000 (1.028), while also having tied for the team lead with 10 stolen bases. Thomason became one of only nine players in program history to manage at least 85 hits in a single season, while his 149 total bases in 2022 were the eighth-most by a player in the history of Air Force baseball.
Quite simply, the Falcons are well situated at the corners.
In the middle infield, Tamiya and Joe create one of the more potent double-play tandems in the country, as the pair are as dependable defensively as any duo in Division I baseball. The Falcons averaged .74 double plays per game a season ago, a figure that placed Air Force in the top-third in the country.
After a slow start offensively, Tamiya really surged in the second half of his junior season. Over his final 12 games, Tamiya hit .431 (22-51), and was named to the Austin Regional All-Tournament Team after going 7-15 over his four games in Austin. Joe will likely see his name at the bottom of the batting order, though he's a hitter never to give away single plate appearance. The Falcons shortstop hit .270 a season ago and got on base at a solid .360 clip in his first full collegiate season.
The Outfield
Air Force will be replacing the mighty Gabriel Garcia as well as veteran Cayden Zimmerman, two seniors who saw significant playing time during their careers. The speedy Blake Covin is slated to return as the Falcons starting center fielder, and head coach Mike Kazlausky would be hard-pressed to find an outfielder with more range than his own.
Covin was susceptible to the strikeout (22.6% strikeout rate in 265 plate appearances), though he still managed a solid .271 average with a .370 OBP as a junior. Covin will remain a true table-setter at the top of the order for Air Force with plenty of speed to showcase (10-11 in stolen base attempts).
Jake Greiving is likely to be the everyday designated hitter, though could still provide relief in the outfield if necessary. The junior was one of Air Force's most unheralded players a season ago, hitting .315 in 57 games with 11 home runs and 53 RBI. His batting average was the fourth-highest mark among Falcons a season ago.
Chase Spencer is expected to carry a heavier workload in one of the corner positions, and was incredibly potent in limited stints a season ago. In his first 76 collegiate at-bats, Spencer managed an .860 OPS, highlighted by his game-winning grand slam against Army and a two-game span against UNLV in which the freshman drove in 11 runs.
Chris Stallings has been tentatively projected as a corner outfielder to see extensive playing time, as the junior has missed two full seasons due to nagging injury. Senior Matt Thompson will also vie for playing time, as the platoon outfielder produced a .281 BA with a .787 OPS in 32 at-bats last season.
Catcher
At backstop, Air Force will be searching for a consistent replacement to players like Braydon Altorfer and Paul Skenes, a duo that provided few questions during their time at Air Force. Entering 2023, catcher is a position with no sure answer.
Aaron Reyes is now a sophomore, having started three games last season, though he only stepped into the batter's box 17 times in his first season. Landon Boyd is a JUCO transfer from Navarro College who saw 54 plate appearances in 15 games for the Bulldogs and could be part of a platoon until the catching situation has more clarity. Freshman Walker Zapp could also see time behind the plate, as the Auburn native was a crucial player for an elite high school program.
The Pitching Staff
The departure of Paul Skenes is unlikely to be felt with more hurt than on the mound, as the Mountain West's Co-Pitcher of the Year is now an LSU Tiger. Even so, there are still assurances to be had.
Doyle Gehring has been promoted to the Friday role for the Falcons, and is more than capable of accepting his status as team ace. Gehring, who began his sophomore season as the Falcons closer before transitioning to a starting role, was vital to Air Force's postseason run a season ago. Having recorded six saves prior to his insertion into the Falcons starting rotation, Gehring finished his sophomore season with a 4.36 ERA over 64.0 IP while producing 9.3 K/9. When his team needed him most, the Oklahoman allowed just one earned run in 14.1 postseason innings (0.62 ERA) to go with 20 strikeouts in those two starts. The Falcons managed a record of 14-9 in games in which Gehring appeared a season ago. The junior will now have the chance to feature his low-to-mid 90's fastball, biting breaking ball and good changeup against the opposition's best.
Dylan Rogers will be tasked as the Saturday starter for the Falcons and he's only gotten better with time. As primarily a relief option in the beginning of his freshman season, Rogers was eventually moved to a starting role, and considering the league and the hitting environments the Falcons are inherently up against, the Texan held his own.
Owning a sinking upper-80's fastball, sharp slider, and underrated changeup, Rogers was 2-1 with a 5.01 ERA and really shined in crunch time. In a must-win final regular season game, Rogers pitched eight shutout innings against New Mexico to secure Air Force's position in the Mountain West Tournament. In the final game of the conference tournament, Rogers was tremendous. The first-year right-hander lasted 7.1 innings, allowing just three runs with a career-best eight strikeouts. Rogers did not walk any of the 30 batters he faced en route to securing the Falcons first-ever Mountain West Championship.
Seungmin Shim is likely to start on Sundays for Air Force, and he brings nine starts from a season ago. Shim is capable of eating innings, having recorded at least 5.0 innings pitched in his six of his nine starts. Shim brings a mid-80's fastball with a sweeping breaking ball and fading changeup.
In the bullpen, Air Force will no longer have Zach Argo, Rob Martin, or C.J. Dornak, a trio of hardy competitors that were crucial for the Falcons late in games. Coach Kaz won't have to fret too much, as his team will still have a number of familiar arms to help bridge Air Force to victory.
Sawyer Hawks appears to be the first name to surface as to who will close games for Air Force. The big 6'4 sophomore has the prototypical delivery of a power arm, and was said to have looked strong during the fall after pitching in eight games last season. No pitcher saw time in more games than Duke Benge a season ago, as his 27 appearances was a team-high. A strike-thrower, Benge owned a walk-per-nine figure of just 1.7 BB/9.
Kyle Moats, Ryan Stohr, and Jake Sansing each bring middle and late relief experience to the table as well. The coaching staff has raved at the progression of senior Jason Shuger, who has had to battle back from arm trouble. Though he didn't see time on the mound last season, sophomore Zach Peters is expected to be called upon out of the pen as well, as the 5'9 righty has a bigger arm than his frame may suggest.
Up Next
Following the weekend in Texas and Oklahoma, the Falcons will travel to Kinston, North Carolina to play Navy in the annual Freedom Classic at Grainger Stadium. The series takes place February 24-26. Air Force will then fly to Lubbock, Texas to play the vaunted Texas Tech Raiders for a midweek series starting February 28 to March 1.
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