Falcons advance to MW Tournament Final with 7-3 win

FRESNO- For the second-consecutive season, the Falcons have rolled through the winner's bracket of the Mountain West Championship, as Air Force secured a position in the Tournament Final with a 7-3 win over #1 San Jose State.

Blake Covin catalyzed the Air Force lineup from the nine-hole, where the speedy centerfielder pieced together a 4-5 evening with 2 RBI. Covin slugged a game-tying solo homer in the 5th, his first since since March 26.

Covin also brought the go-ahead run across the plate an inning later, as the lefty executed a textbook drag bunt to notch his second of three singles. Friday marks the second game this season in which Covin has managed at least four hits.

Sam Kulasingam crafted another in a long line of impactful ballgames, as the junior finished 2-3 with a 2B, HR, 2 BB's and 2 RBI. His solo homer in the 5th gave the Falcons a brief 3-2 lead.

Kulasingam has now reached base in 53-consecutive games and in nine of 10 plate appearances since the tournament began. His 27 doubles this season are tied for the national lead.

Another program record potentially looms for the two-time Mountain West Player of the Year, as Kulasingam sits just one double shy of tying Mike Thiessen's program record of 28 set in 2000.

Maintaining his hot streak, Jay Thomason was 2-3 with 2 BB's while also driving in two runs with RBI knocks in the 1st and 6th innings.

Jake Greiving was 2-5, providing insurance with an RBI double in the 8th. Matt Thompson was one of five Falcons to produce multiple hits, while Chase Spencer walked twice in four plate appearances.

The Falcons have outscored the top two seeds of the 2023 Mountain West Championship 19-4 over the first two games.

As he's done all season, Jake Sansing kept the Falcons in the ballgame, scattering three runs over 5.0 innings. Sansing allowed just five hits before picking up his seventh win of the spring. Sansing becomes just one of 19 pitchers in program history to record at least seven wins in a single season.

Entering with his team leading 5-3, Doyle Gehring was exactly what the Falcons needed out of the bullpen.

Gehring, making his first relief appearance since April 24, 2022, was lights out over his 4.0 innings. The junior allowed just three baserunners (2 H, 1 BB) while striking out three. Picking up the save, Gehring does so for the first time since April 3, 2022.

Air Force is scheduled to play the winner of Saturday's elimination game between #1 San Jose State and #4 Fresno State, a contest scheduled for 2:30 pm MT. That team will play the Falcons at 7:00 pm MT, with Air Force needing just one win to clinch its second-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.

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