Bullpen shuts out Aztecs, Air Force wins 12-4 in series opener

SAN DIEGO- The Air Force bullpen threw 5.1 innings of scoreless baseball on Friday, including a near-flawless outing by Gaines Estridge, as the Falcons lineup formed the perfect complement in the 12-4 win.

After 85 pitches and 3.2 innings out of starter Seungmin Shim, Estridge entered the game with his team leading 6-4 in the 4th, though he inherited a bases-loaded situation. Estridge would proceed to strand all three men on base and go on to toss a total of 3.1 shutout innings, as his teammates scored seven unanswered runs.

Estridge, to go along with two strikeouts, picked up his first collegiate win in the process.

Sam Kulasingam maintained his rousing form, going 3-4 with 2 RBIs, falling a home run short of the cycle. Kulasingam drove in the game's first run with a double in the 1st before tripling home his second RBI in the 4th. The senior was also credited with a stolen base of home in the game's opening inning after an Air Force double steal.

Kulasingam has now reached base in 18-consecutive games, and is seven hits away from tying Nic Ready's record of 300 career hits. He is also a double short of Garrett Custon's program record of 77 career doubles.

Jay Thomason also managed three hits, including his 54th career home run. The powerful lefty launched a two-run homer, his 17th of the spring, immediately after Kulasingam's RBI triple in the 4th, now giving him a timeshare with Sean McNaughton for the most in the career of a Mountain West player. He also doubled in a run in the 6th.

Charlie Jones had just one hit, but it was a big one, as the still-surging sophomore connected on his sixth home run in the last five games. The reigning Mountain West Player of the Week lifted a three-run home run to the opposite field as part of a five-run 6th inning for Air Force.

Jones has produced 15 RBIs in just the last five games.

Chase Spencer reached base in three of five plate appearances, as his double in the 6th brought in a run to initiate the five-run rally. Zach Peters was 2-4 with a double, though his two-out RBI single in the 3rd broke a 2-2 tie.

Aerik Joe was responsible for the Falcons final run, as the Air Force shortstop poked a single through the right side for an RBI. The Falcons also succeeded in 4 of 5 stolen base attempts, and were plunked four times.

Kyle Moats and Patrick Davidson were given the 8th and 9th, respectively, and each held the Aztecs off the scoreboard in their lone inning. Both men added a strikeout to their ledger. After San Diego State managed seven hits over the first four innings, the Falcons bullpen held the Aztecs to just three hits the remainder of the game.

Following Nevada's loss earlier tonight, the win moves Air Force into the third-seed of the Mountain West Tournament and only a game outside of first place with five regular season matchups remaining. As well, Air Force has now owns a six-game winning streak over San Diego State.

The teams will resume the series on Saturday, May 11 with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 pm MT.

Footer

The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the u.s air force of non-u.s. government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the u.s. air force may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for department of defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.