Thursday, April 6
USAFA, CO
3:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Fresno State
Photo by: Trevor Cokley
Falcons return home to face Bulldogs
4/5/2023 3:26:00 PM | Baseball
Schedule
Thu: vs. Fresno State, April 6, 3:00 pm MT
Fri: vs. Fresno State, April 7, 3:00 pm MT
Sat: vs. Fresno State, April 8, 12:00 pm MT
Broadcast Information
Television: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History
-Since 1997, Air Force is 18-37 against Fresno State
-A season ago, the Falcons and Bulldogs split six games.
-Both teams claimed series wins in their respective home sets.
Pitching Probables
Thu: RHP Jake Sansing (1-3, 3.90 ERA) vs. LHP Ixan Henderson (3-1, 2.57 ERA)
Fri: RHP vs. Doyle Gehring (1-2, 5.00 ERA) vs. LHP Jake Dixon (3-2, 4.03 ERA)
Sat: RHP Dylan Rogers (1-3, 5.94 ERA) vs. RHP Roman Angelo (2-4, 4.54 ERA)
Projected Lineup
1. L/R, Blake Covin, CF (.863 OPS)
2. S/R, Sam Kulasingam, 3B (1.088 OPS)
3. L/R, Jay Thomason, DH (1.050 OPS)
4. L/R, Jake Greiving, RF (.739 OPS)
5. R/R, Trayden Tamiya, 2B (.817 OPS)
6. R/R, Matt Thompson, LF (.752 OPS)
7. R/R, Charlie Jones, 1B (.825 OPS)
8. R/R, Aerik Joe, SS (.681 OPS)
9. S/R, Landon Boyd, C (.626 OPS)
The Previous Series (at #21 Texas)
Game One
-The Falcons mustered just four hits on Tuesday, as the Air Force offense was unable to keep up with #21 Texas in the 7-1 loss.
-Walker Zapp drove in the lone Air Force run, as the freshman singled home a run in the 2nd. Zapp finished 1-3.
-Jake Greiving, Trayden Tamiya, and Aerik Joe each managed base-hits as well.
-Sam Kulasingam was 0-3, though the junior's 1st inning walk extended his on-base streak to 26 games. The defending Mountain West Player of the Year has reached base in 29 of 30 games this season.
-Blake Covin walked twice and stole his sixth base of the spring.
-Duke Benge made his 18th appearance and first start of 2023, allowing three runs on three hits in his lone inning of work. Benge was credited with the loss.
-Seungmin Shim, after an abbreviated start on Sunday, pitched a scoreless 2nd.
-Zach Peters entered in the 3rd and was charged with three runs on two hits over 2.0 innings.
-Joey Collier also tossed 2.0 frames, allowing one run on three hits.
-Sawyer Hawks worked around a pair of walks to notch a scoreless 7th, while Cooper Loveridge set the Longhorns down in order in the 8th.
-Trailing 3-1 after the 2nd, the Falcons saw the Longhorns score the final four runs of the ballgame. Conversely, the Falcons managed just two hits after Zapp's RBI single.
A Walking Hit
-In his first 30 games, Sam Kulasingam owns a .402 BA, the second-best mark among Mountain West players.
-The reigning Mountain West Player of the Year is also one of only eight players in Division I with at least 51 hits thus far in 2023.
-The junior's 18 multi-hit games lead the team.
-Kulasingam is currently riding a 26-game on-base streak, having reached base in 29 of 30 games this season.
-Kulasingam also leads all DI players in doubles with 18.
-A master of bat control, Kulasingam also owns more walks (20) than strikeouts (13).
-Kulasingam's 76 total bases lead the MW.
#BOMBason is Back
-After leading Air Force with 16 home runs a season ago, Jay Thomason has maintained his status as a power threat.
-Thomason again owns the team lead in home runs (10), and is behind only Kulasingam with a 1.050 OPS.
-Thomason currently leads the conference in home runs with 10, and is one of only 68 DI players with double-digit home runs thus far.
-Thomason's 73 total bases are second-most behind Kulasingam in the MW.
-His .658 SLG% is second in the conference.
-Thomason's 29 RBI are second in the Air Force dugout.
The Captain
-Trayden Tamiya has been one the Falcons most consistent offensive threats.
-Tamiya's .328 average is second to only Kulasingam.
-Tamiya's 40 hits are fourth-most in the conference.
-Tamiya has also struck out just 13 times in 138 plate appearances (9.4%).
-Tamiya's 9.6 at-bats-per-strikeout is among the top figures in college baseball.
-Tamiya also hasn't recorded an error in 143 chances at second base, leading the Mountain West with 100 assists.
Blake is Raking
-After starting the year 5-40 (.125), Covin has caught fire, going 24-49 (.490) over his last 13 games.
-Covin has at least one hit in 10 of his last 13 games.
-The senior managed a career-high five hits in six at-bats on March 26.
-Covin has more RBI (11) over his last 11 games than he did in his previous 15 games (1).
The Bull
-Jake Greiving has returned to his usual self after posting a .943 OPS in 2022.
-After an up-and-down start at the plate, Greiving is 21-60 (.350) over his last 12 games.
-Greiving has taken over the team lead in RBI with 30, having driven home 17 runs the last seven games.
-Greiving's 30 RBI leads all MW players.
-The junior has also managed multiple hits in six of his last sevem games.
-His 36 hits are third-most among the Falcons.
Ol' Reliable
-Reliever Duke Benge has amassed 18 appearances in Air Force's first 30 games.
-He's one of only seven DI pitchers with at least 18 appearances in 2023.
Up Next
-Following the Falcons series against the Bulldogs, Air Force will host St. Thomas for a one-gamer on Monday, April 10.
Thu: vs. Fresno State, April 6, 3:00 pm MT
Fri: vs. Fresno State, April 7, 3:00 pm MT
Sat: vs. Fresno State, April 8, 12:00 pm MT
Broadcast Information
Television: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History
-Since 1997, Air Force is 18-37 against Fresno State
-A season ago, the Falcons and Bulldogs split six games.
-Both teams claimed series wins in their respective home sets.
Pitching Probables
Thu: RHP Jake Sansing (1-3, 3.90 ERA) vs. LHP Ixan Henderson (3-1, 2.57 ERA)
Fri: RHP vs. Doyle Gehring (1-2, 5.00 ERA) vs. LHP Jake Dixon (3-2, 4.03 ERA)
Sat: RHP Dylan Rogers (1-3, 5.94 ERA) vs. RHP Roman Angelo (2-4, 4.54 ERA)
Projected Lineup
1. L/R, Blake Covin, CF (.863 OPS)
2. S/R, Sam Kulasingam, 3B (1.088 OPS)
3. L/R, Jay Thomason, DH (1.050 OPS)
4. L/R, Jake Greiving, RF (.739 OPS)
5. R/R, Trayden Tamiya, 2B (.817 OPS)
6. R/R, Matt Thompson, LF (.752 OPS)
7. R/R, Charlie Jones, 1B (.825 OPS)
8. R/R, Aerik Joe, SS (.681 OPS)
9. S/R, Landon Boyd, C (.626 OPS)
The Previous Series (at #21 Texas)
Game One
-The Falcons mustered just four hits on Tuesday, as the Air Force offense was unable to keep up with #21 Texas in the 7-1 loss.
-Walker Zapp drove in the lone Air Force run, as the freshman singled home a run in the 2nd. Zapp finished 1-3.
-Jake Greiving, Trayden Tamiya, and Aerik Joe each managed base-hits as well.
-Sam Kulasingam was 0-3, though the junior's 1st inning walk extended his on-base streak to 26 games. The defending Mountain West Player of the Year has reached base in 29 of 30 games this season.
-Blake Covin walked twice and stole his sixth base of the spring.
-Duke Benge made his 18th appearance and first start of 2023, allowing three runs on three hits in his lone inning of work. Benge was credited with the loss.
-Seungmin Shim, after an abbreviated start on Sunday, pitched a scoreless 2nd.
-Zach Peters entered in the 3rd and was charged with three runs on two hits over 2.0 innings.
-Joey Collier also tossed 2.0 frames, allowing one run on three hits.
-Sawyer Hawks worked around a pair of walks to notch a scoreless 7th, while Cooper Loveridge set the Longhorns down in order in the 8th.
-Trailing 3-1 after the 2nd, the Falcons saw the Longhorns score the final four runs of the ballgame. Conversely, the Falcons managed just two hits after Zapp's RBI single.
A Walking Hit
-In his first 30 games, Sam Kulasingam owns a .402 BA, the second-best mark among Mountain West players.
-The reigning Mountain West Player of the Year is also one of only eight players in Division I with at least 51 hits thus far in 2023.
-The junior's 18 multi-hit games lead the team.
-Kulasingam is currently riding a 26-game on-base streak, having reached base in 29 of 30 games this season.
-Kulasingam also leads all DI players in doubles with 18.
-A master of bat control, Kulasingam also owns more walks (20) than strikeouts (13).
-Kulasingam's 76 total bases lead the MW.
#BOMBason is Back
-After leading Air Force with 16 home runs a season ago, Jay Thomason has maintained his status as a power threat.
-Thomason again owns the team lead in home runs (10), and is behind only Kulasingam with a 1.050 OPS.
-Thomason currently leads the conference in home runs with 10, and is one of only 68 DI players with double-digit home runs thus far.
-Thomason's 73 total bases are second-most behind Kulasingam in the MW.
-His .658 SLG% is second in the conference.
-Thomason's 29 RBI are second in the Air Force dugout.
The Captain
-Trayden Tamiya has been one the Falcons most consistent offensive threats.
-Tamiya's .328 average is second to only Kulasingam.
-Tamiya's 40 hits are fourth-most in the conference.
-Tamiya has also struck out just 13 times in 138 plate appearances (9.4%).
-Tamiya's 9.6 at-bats-per-strikeout is among the top figures in college baseball.
-Tamiya also hasn't recorded an error in 143 chances at second base, leading the Mountain West with 100 assists.
Blake is Raking
-After starting the year 5-40 (.125), Covin has caught fire, going 24-49 (.490) over his last 13 games.
-Covin has at least one hit in 10 of his last 13 games.
-The senior managed a career-high five hits in six at-bats on March 26.
-Covin has more RBI (11) over his last 11 games than he did in his previous 15 games (1).
The Bull
-Jake Greiving has returned to his usual self after posting a .943 OPS in 2022.
-After an up-and-down start at the plate, Greiving is 21-60 (.350) over his last 12 games.
-Greiving has taken over the team lead in RBI with 30, having driven home 17 runs the last seven games.
-Greiving's 30 RBI leads all MW players.
-The junior has also managed multiple hits in six of his last sevem games.
-His 36 hits are third-most among the Falcons.
Ol' Reliable
-Reliever Duke Benge has amassed 18 appearances in Air Force's first 30 games.
-He's one of only seven DI pitchers with at least 18 appearances in 2023.
Up Next
-Following the Falcons series against the Bulldogs, Air Force will host St. Thomas for a one-gamer on Monday, April 10.
Players Mentioned
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