Friday, February 23
Kinston, NC
4:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Navy
Photo by: Big Gold Photography
Air Force and Navy to renew rivalry at Freedom Classic
2/22/2024 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
Schedule
Fri: vs. Navy, 4:00 pm MT
Sat: vs. Navy, 12:00 pm MT
Sun: vs. Navy, 10:30 am MT
Mon: at UNC-Wilmington, 2:00 pm MT
Broadcast Information (Navy)
Live Stream: YouTube (Navy Athletics)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History (Navy)
-Since 1990, Air Force is 30-32 against Navy.
-A season ago, the Falcons were defeated in the first two games of the 2023 Freedom Classic before picking up a 4-1 win in the series finale.
-Since the annual Freedom Classic began in Kinston in 2011, Air Force is 18-18 against Navy at Grainger Stadium.
Broadcast Information (UNC-Wilmington)
Live Stream: FloSports
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History (UNC-Wilmington)
-Monday, February 26 will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Pitching Probables
Fri: LHP Seungmin Shim (0-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Matthew Shirah (0-1, 3.60 ERA)
Sat: RHP Dylan Rogers (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Jackson Beattie (1-0, 5.40 ERA)
Sun: RHP Ben Weber (0-1, 7.71 ERA) vs. RHP Liam Golden (0-0, 24.00 ERA)
Mon: TBA vs. TBA
Projected Lineup (2024 OPS)
1. S/R, Sam Kulasingam, 1B (.347 OPS)
2. R/R, Chase Spencer, CF (.528 OPS)
3. L/R, Jay Thomason, 3B (.989 OPS)
4. L/R, Jake Greiving, RF (.670 OPS)
5. R/R, Aerik Joe, SS (.626 OPS)
6. R/R, Chris Stallings, LF (.762 OPS)
7. R/R, Jack Bello, DH (.929 OPS)
8. R/R, Walker Zapp, C (1.064 OPS)
9. R/R, T.J. Oster, 2B (.143 OPS)
Tough Start
-In Air Force's first four games of 2024, the Falcons found it tough sledding in the batter's box.
-Posting a combined .205 team average, the Falcons struck out 51 times over opening weekend, equating to a 35% strikeout rate.
-As well, Air Force was 10-56 with runners on (.179) and 0-2 in bases-loaded situations.
-The Falcons were also 8-37 (.216) with runners in scoring position over the first four games.
-Air Force's .205 team batting average ranked 231st among 282 teams over college baseball's first weekend of the new spring.
-In addition to the offensive struggles, Air Force did not defend up to its standards during opening weekend.
-The Falcons committed eight errors over the first four games, seventh-most among Division I teams following opening weekend.
Aer-ing It Out
-Aerik Joe was the lone Falcon to record at least one hit in his first four games for Air Force.
-He currently leads Air Force with five hits in 16 at-bats, having extended his on-base streak to 38-consecutive games dating back to last spring.
He Hits Bombs, Son
-Jay Thomason began his senior season with four hits in first 15 at-bats, including a home run and a triple to make up his .989 OPS over his first four games.
-Thomason now owns 38 career home runs, 12 shy of tying Nic Ready for the program's career home run record.
-He also owns the team lead in runs scored (5) and total bases (9) after opening weekend.
STALLwart
-Chris Stallings finished his opening weekend 4-14, as he leads the team in RBIs (4).
-Stallings is the only Falcon thus far to produce a multi-RBI game, as his two-run single in the top of the 9th at Mississippi State pushed the Falcons towards a 3-2 win in Starkville on February 17.
-He also shares the team lead with Jake Greiving, slugging two doubles in four games.
Zapp of Lightning
-After posting an initial .162 average in 21 games as a freshman, Walker Zapp has given the Falcons an offensive jolt out of the catcher spot to open the new season.
-Zapp currently leads the Falcons in OPS (1.064) and is one of only two Air Force players with multiple RBIs (2).
-Zapp slugged his first-career home run in the Falcons 3-2 win over the Bulldogs on February 17.
-He is also one of only three Air Force players to notch multiple extra-base hits over the first four games.
-He currently leads the team in slugging (.700).
Clutch in Relief
-The Falcons have deployed some intriguing arms to start the new season, spanning all classes.
-Jimmy Hebenstreit crafted a career-day at Dudy Noble Field in the Falcons 3-2 win over the Bulldogs, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings.
-Six of his 11 outs came via the groundball, while his 3.2 innings stands as a career-high.
-Doyle Gehring, reverting back to the bullpen in his final season, has allowed just one run and two hits over his first 4.0 IP to go with three strikeouts.
-Davis Rhyne impressed on February 18, as the freshman allowed just one hit over his first 1.2 collegiate innings.
Eyasses Take Flight
-An eyas is defined as an unfledged nestling taken from the nest for training, an apt description for Coach Kaz's Baby Birds.
-The Falcons saw 15 sophomores and freshmen take the field over the first four games, with eight freshmen making their collegiate debuts over opening weekend.
Air Force to debut Doolittle Raider uniforms
The Falcons will don the Doolittle Raider uniforms for the first time this weekend against Navy as part of the festivities of the Freedom Classic. The Doolittle Raiders were 80 pilots and crew of 16 B-25B Mitchell bombers who launched the Doolittle Raid April 18, 1942. Led by United States Army Air Force Lt. Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle, the Raiders bombed selected targets in the Japanese capital of Tokyo and other military locations on the Japanese homeland. Planning for the Doolittle Raid began in January 1942, in response to the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. The plan featured 16 B-25B medium bombers, each with a crew of five, launched from the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, USS Hornet (CV-8). Running low on fuel after the bombing, the Raiders had to ditch their planes at sea, bail out, or crash land in China. Most of the Dootlittle Raiders safely reached friendly forces and returned to action. Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole, Doolittle's co-pilot in the lead B-25 during the mission and last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders, passed away at the age of 103 April 9, 2019.
The jersey features the letters and numbers of steel and rivets like on the B-25 aircraft the Raiders flew in the mission. The right chest lists tail numbers of the aircraft that flew the mission. The left sleeve features the squadron patch of the Raiders, which was created and graciously permitted for use by the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Association. The back nameplate says Doolittle Raiders. The right sleeve patch features the American flag. On the collar, the names of the aircrew for Plane #40-2344 are listed, including pilot Lt. Col. J.H. Doolittle, co-pilot Lt. R.E. Cole, navigator Lt. H.A Potter, bombardier SSgt. F.A. Braemer, and engineer/gunner SSgt. P.J. Leonard.
Mike Kazlausky receives Wakin Award for Character, Leadership Development
Head baseball coach Mike Kazlausky was presented the Brigadier General Malham M. Wakin Award by Superintendent Lt. General Richard M. Clark, an honor bestowed upon the Falcons' skipper for his commitment to developing leaders of character.
Brigadier General Malham "Mal" Wakin joined the Air Force in 1953 and taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1959 to 1995. After military retirement he continued teaching at the Academy until 2016. During his tenure he served as the head of the Department of Philosophy and was recognized as Emeritus Professor of Philosophy.
In 1998, the Center for Character and Leadership Development created the Brigadier General Malham M. Wakin Award for Character and Leadership Development, recognizing him as an esteemed role model.
The Wakin Award is used to recognize individuals or teams that have fostered character and leadership development consistent with our Leader of Character framework.
Kazlausky, having just began his 14th season as head coach at Air Force, is a 1991 Academy graduate. He is the first Academy graduate to become head baseball coach at Air Force and is the program's first military coach since 1988. Kazlausky retired with the rank of major after 20 years of meritorious service with the U.S. Air Force.
Up Next
Following the Falcons time in North Carolina, Air Force travels to Texas to take part in the first-ever Battle at the Ballpark in Sugar Land. The round robin series will begin Friday, March 1.
Fri: vs. Navy, 4:00 pm MT
Sat: vs. Navy, 12:00 pm MT
Sun: vs. Navy, 10:30 am MT
Mon: at UNC-Wilmington, 2:00 pm MT
Broadcast Information (Navy)
Live Stream: YouTube (Navy Athletics)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History (Navy)
-Since 1990, Air Force is 30-32 against Navy.
-A season ago, the Falcons were defeated in the first two games of the 2023 Freedom Classic before picking up a 4-1 win in the series finale.
-Since the annual Freedom Classic began in Kinston in 2011, Air Force is 18-18 against Navy at Grainger Stadium.
Broadcast Information (UNC-Wilmington)
Live Stream: FloSports
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History (UNC-Wilmington)
-Monday, February 26 will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Pitching Probables
Fri: LHP Seungmin Shim (0-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Matthew Shirah (0-1, 3.60 ERA)
Sat: RHP Dylan Rogers (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Jackson Beattie (1-0, 5.40 ERA)
Sun: RHP Ben Weber (0-1, 7.71 ERA) vs. RHP Liam Golden (0-0, 24.00 ERA)
Mon: TBA vs. TBA
Projected Lineup (2024 OPS)
1. S/R, Sam Kulasingam, 1B (.347 OPS)
2. R/R, Chase Spencer, CF (.528 OPS)
3. L/R, Jay Thomason, 3B (.989 OPS)
4. L/R, Jake Greiving, RF (.670 OPS)
5. R/R, Aerik Joe, SS (.626 OPS)
6. R/R, Chris Stallings, LF (.762 OPS)
7. R/R, Jack Bello, DH (.929 OPS)
8. R/R, Walker Zapp, C (1.064 OPS)
9. R/R, T.J. Oster, 2B (.143 OPS)
Tough Start
-In Air Force's first four games of 2024, the Falcons found it tough sledding in the batter's box.
-Posting a combined .205 team average, the Falcons struck out 51 times over opening weekend, equating to a 35% strikeout rate.
-As well, Air Force was 10-56 with runners on (.179) and 0-2 in bases-loaded situations.
-The Falcons were also 8-37 (.216) with runners in scoring position over the first four games.
-Air Force's .205 team batting average ranked 231st among 282 teams over college baseball's first weekend of the new spring.
-In addition to the offensive struggles, Air Force did not defend up to its standards during opening weekend.
-The Falcons committed eight errors over the first four games, seventh-most among Division I teams following opening weekend.
Aer-ing It Out
-Aerik Joe was the lone Falcon to record at least one hit in his first four games for Air Force.
-He currently leads Air Force with five hits in 16 at-bats, having extended his on-base streak to 38-consecutive games dating back to last spring.
He Hits Bombs, Son
-Jay Thomason began his senior season with four hits in first 15 at-bats, including a home run and a triple to make up his .989 OPS over his first four games.
-Thomason now owns 38 career home runs, 12 shy of tying Nic Ready for the program's career home run record.
-He also owns the team lead in runs scored (5) and total bases (9) after opening weekend.
STALLwart
-Chris Stallings finished his opening weekend 4-14, as he leads the team in RBIs (4).
-Stallings is the only Falcon thus far to produce a multi-RBI game, as his two-run single in the top of the 9th at Mississippi State pushed the Falcons towards a 3-2 win in Starkville on February 17.
-He also shares the team lead with Jake Greiving, slugging two doubles in four games.
Zapp of Lightning
-After posting an initial .162 average in 21 games as a freshman, Walker Zapp has given the Falcons an offensive jolt out of the catcher spot to open the new season.
-Zapp currently leads the Falcons in OPS (1.064) and is one of only two Air Force players with multiple RBIs (2).
-Zapp slugged his first-career home run in the Falcons 3-2 win over the Bulldogs on February 17.
-He is also one of only three Air Force players to notch multiple extra-base hits over the first four games.
-He currently leads the team in slugging (.700).
Clutch in Relief
-The Falcons have deployed some intriguing arms to start the new season, spanning all classes.
-Jimmy Hebenstreit crafted a career-day at Dudy Noble Field in the Falcons 3-2 win over the Bulldogs, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings.
-Six of his 11 outs came via the groundball, while his 3.2 innings stands as a career-high.
-Doyle Gehring, reverting back to the bullpen in his final season, has allowed just one run and two hits over his first 4.0 IP to go with three strikeouts.
-Davis Rhyne impressed on February 18, as the freshman allowed just one hit over his first 1.2 collegiate innings.
Eyasses Take Flight
-An eyas is defined as an unfledged nestling taken from the nest for training, an apt description for Coach Kaz's Baby Birds.
-The Falcons saw 15 sophomores and freshmen take the field over the first four games, with eight freshmen making their collegiate debuts over opening weekend.
Air Force to debut Doolittle Raider uniforms
The Falcons will don the Doolittle Raider uniforms for the first time this weekend against Navy as part of the festivities of the Freedom Classic. The Doolittle Raiders were 80 pilots and crew of 16 B-25B Mitchell bombers who launched the Doolittle Raid April 18, 1942. Led by United States Army Air Force Lt. Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle, the Raiders bombed selected targets in the Japanese capital of Tokyo and other military locations on the Japanese homeland. Planning for the Doolittle Raid began in January 1942, in response to the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. The plan featured 16 B-25B medium bombers, each with a crew of five, launched from the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, USS Hornet (CV-8). Running low on fuel after the bombing, the Raiders had to ditch their planes at sea, bail out, or crash land in China. Most of the Dootlittle Raiders safely reached friendly forces and returned to action. Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole, Doolittle's co-pilot in the lead B-25 during the mission and last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders, passed away at the age of 103 April 9, 2019.
The jersey features the letters and numbers of steel and rivets like on the B-25 aircraft the Raiders flew in the mission. The right chest lists tail numbers of the aircraft that flew the mission. The left sleeve features the squadron patch of the Raiders, which was created and graciously permitted for use by the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Association. The back nameplate says Doolittle Raiders. The right sleeve patch features the American flag. On the collar, the names of the aircrew for Plane #40-2344 are listed, including pilot Lt. Col. J.H. Doolittle, co-pilot Lt. R.E. Cole, navigator Lt. H.A Potter, bombardier SSgt. F.A. Braemer, and engineer/gunner SSgt. P.J. Leonard.
Mike Kazlausky receives Wakin Award for Character, Leadership Development
Head baseball coach Mike Kazlausky was presented the Brigadier General Malham M. Wakin Award by Superintendent Lt. General Richard M. Clark, an honor bestowed upon the Falcons' skipper for his commitment to developing leaders of character.
Brigadier General Malham "Mal" Wakin joined the Air Force in 1953 and taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1959 to 1995. After military retirement he continued teaching at the Academy until 2016. During his tenure he served as the head of the Department of Philosophy and was recognized as Emeritus Professor of Philosophy.
In 1998, the Center for Character and Leadership Development created the Brigadier General Malham M. Wakin Award for Character and Leadership Development, recognizing him as an esteemed role model.
The Wakin Award is used to recognize individuals or teams that have fostered character and leadership development consistent with our Leader of Character framework.
Kazlausky, having just began his 14th season as head coach at Air Force, is a 1991 Academy graduate. He is the first Academy graduate to become head baseball coach at Air Force and is the program's first military coach since 1988. Kazlausky retired with the rank of major after 20 years of meritorious service with the U.S. Air Force.
Up Next
Following the Falcons time in North Carolina, Air Force travels to Texas to take part in the first-ever Battle at the Ballpark in Sugar Land. The round robin series will begin Friday, March 1.
Players Mentioned
LHP/1B
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RHP
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OF/DH
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LHP
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IF
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IF
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