Friday, February 14
Gainesville, FL
4:30 pm MT
Air Force Academy
at
Florida
Air Force Baseball Travels to No. 10 Florida for Opening Weekend
2/13/2025 3:07:00 PM | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla., - The Air Force Falcons open the season with a three-game series at No. 10 Florida.
Schedule
Friday, Feb. 14: at No. 10 Florida, 6:30 p.m. EST/4:30 p.m. MT
Saturday, Feb. 15: at No. 10 Florida, 4:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. MT
Sunday, Feb. 16: at No. 10 Florida, 12:00 p.m. EST/10:00 a.m. MT
Broadcast Information
Live Stream: SEC Network+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History
The 2025 Opening Weekend series of Air Force vs. Florida will mark the first match up between the two programs.
Pitching Probables (2024 Stats)
Fri: RHP Dylan Rogers (5-5, 7.49 ERA) vs. RHP Liam Peterson (3-6, 6.43 ERA)
Sat: RHP Gaines Estridge (1-0, 8.10 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Clemente (2-0, 5.34 ERA)
Sun: RHP John Mitchell vs. LHP Pierce Coppola (1-4, 8.75 ERA)
Projected Lineup (2024 OPS)
1. R/R, Kayden Bradshaw, CF
2. R/R, Christian Taylor, LF (.693)
3. R/R, Alex Adams, 1B
4. L/L, Tripp Garrish, DH (.881)
5. R/R, Walker Zapp, C (.774 OPS)
6. R/R, Zach Peters, RF (.830 OPS)
7. R/R, Dawson Thrush, 3B (.971 OPS)
8. R/R, T.J. Oster, 2B (.432 OPS)
9. L/R, Ben Niednagel, SS (.368 OPS)
So Long, 2024
-Air Force finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 27-28.
-In Mountain West play, the Falcons marked an 18-12 record.
-The Falcons 18 conference wins are tied for the most in a single season since joining the Mountain West, matching the 2021 total.
-Against Fresno State, on Saturday, May 18, Air Force clinched its first-ever regular season Mountain West title since joining the conference in 2000.
-Air Force's 18-12 conference record equates to a .600 winning percentage, the highest for the program in its 24-year Mountain West affiliation.
-The 2024 graduating class accumulated a record of 112-108, the most successful four-year stretch in Air Force's Mountain West history.
Key Returners
Back on the Mound
-Dylan Rogers slides into the Friday night spot, after serving as a weekend starter last season.
-In 2024, Rogers went 5-5 with an ERA of 7.49 after taking 14 starts and making 16 appearances.
-The righty tallied 50 strikeouts across 57.2 innings pitched.
-Career wise, Rogers marks a 7.23 ERA, with a record of 9-11.
-Over the 178.0 innings pitched in his four years as a Falcon, Rogers has struck out 138 batters and given up 143 earned runs.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
- Against Navy (02/24/24), he was credited as the winning pitcher in a 10-0 victory after going 3.0 innings with four strikeouts and one hit allowed.
- Rogers went eight innings with eight K's, two individual season-highs, and just one earned run to defeat MW opponent San Diego State (03/16/24), 7-5.
- He threw 6.0 innings and notched five strikeouts and allowed one run against San Diego State (05/11/24) in 4-3 win.
Workin' on those Gaines
- Previous reliever, Gaines Estridge, is projected to shift into the Saturday start slot for the Falcons.
- Last season, the RHP made 23 appearances out of the bullpen.
- Estridge logged 26.2 innings pitched with 15 Ks, 11 walks, and an ERA of 8.10.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
-Pitched a season-high of 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and one hit allowed to defeat MW opponent San Diego State12-4 (05/10/24). This game marked Estridge's first collegiate win on the mound.
-He threw 2.0 relief innings in a 14-13 win over Fresno State (05/17/24), while notching one strikeout and allowing just one run on one hit.
The Man, Chase Spencer
-Chase Spencer was the only Falcon selected to the 2025 Preseason All-Mountain West Team.
-Last season, the outfielder earned a spot as a Second Team All-Mountain West selection.
-Spencer has been a table-setter for the Air Force lineup.
-He finished third on the team in hitting with a .326 average, hits (70), and 45 scored runs.
-Notched six triples for the second spot on the team, along with 11 doubles, six homers, and 32 RBIs.
-He compiled 107 total bases and a .498 slugging percentage.
-His 26 stolen bases led all Mountain West players.
-Spencer becomes just the eighth player in Falcons history to record at least 26 steals in a single season.
-In the field, Spencer totaled 130 putouts, 5 assists, and one DP.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
-In a 9-6 win over MW opponent, San Jose State (05/05/24), Spencer locked in a season-high four hit, two RBI game.
-Tallied back-to-back three-hit games vs San Diego State (03/17/24) and Texas (03/19/24). Against SDSU, Spencer brought a season-high four runs to the plate.
-At Texas A&M (04/16/24), the outfielder went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a solo shot.
-Appeared on the mound at San Jose State (03/08/24) and Texas (03/20/24) to total 1.1 innings pitched with two Ks and no hits/runs allowed.
Don't Get Zapped
-Walker Zapp returns to the lineup after making 50 starts of 51 games played in 2024.
-He batted .244 and marked four homers and 24 RBIs for the Falcons.
-Behind the dish, Zapp led Air Force by throwing out 13 baserunners.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
-Hit long balls in wins against Mississippi State (02/17/24), Fresno State (03/22/24), Dallas Baptist (04/13/24), and Nevada (04/26/24).
-Recorded a pair of season-highs with three hits and four RBIs in against Nevada (04/26/24).
-The catcher collected a season-high 12 putouts in 8-3 win against San Jose State (05/03/24)
Zach Attack
-Zach Peters returns to the outfield as a senior for the Falcons.
-In 2024, he took 29 starts out of 39 total appearances.
-He batted .290, marking 31 hits, one long ball, and 19 RBIs.
-The right fielder recorded 51 putouts to help defend Air Force.
-Tallied seven mulit-hit games on the season.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
-Batted in a season-high three runs against Nevada (04/29/24).
- He recorded four putouts on four chances in a 9-6 victory against MW opponent San Jose State (05/05/24).
The New Crew
C4C Sunday
-The projected Sunday guy, John Mitchell, will take his first collegiate start as a freshman on Sunday.
-Mitchell specializes in a pair of breaking balls and throws in the lower 90s range.
-In high school, the righty played for Saint John XXIII College Prep and was named First Team All-State, while also playing for Elite Squad.
-Mitchell began his baseball career at age 13, and only because some friends thought "he should give it a shot".
-He did not pitch until age 14, until then he wanted to play quarterback in football.
Fresh Faces
-Three freshman Falcons, Kayden Bradshaw, Alex Adams, and Dawson Thrush, will make their collegiate debut in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Gators.
-Kayden Bradshaw make the start in center for Air Force. The Dallas, TX native comes to the Academy after graduating from Scurry-Rosser HS, where he lettered in baseball all four years of his high school career. Bradshaw also played for the 5-Star Performance national club team.
-Alex Adams is expected to take the start at first base, on Friday night. The freshman attended Mount Paran Christian where he lettered all four years of his high school baseball career and served as team captain over the course of two seasons. The Woodstock, Ga., native was a member of the 2021 Georgia High School Baseball State Championship team and earned a First Team All-State honor.
-#7 Dawson Thrush will make his debut for the Falcons at third. Thrush graduated from William T. Dwyer HS where he earned four varsity letters in baseball. The Jupiter, Fla., native helped lead Dwyer to the 2024 State Championships, where he pitched 6.2 innings and marked two hits with a trio of RBIs in the final game, and was named a member of the All-Region team for his efforts.
On Deck
Following their series in the Sunshine State, Air Force will head northwest to take on the No.16 Commodores of Vanderbilt for a midweek series on Tuesday Feb. 18 and Wednesday Feb. 19 at 4:30 p.m. CST/3:30 p.m. MT.
Schedule
Friday, Feb. 14: at No. 10 Florida, 6:30 p.m. EST/4:30 p.m. MT
Saturday, Feb. 15: at No. 10 Florida, 4:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. MT
Sunday, Feb. 16: at No. 10 Florida, 12:00 p.m. EST/10:00 a.m. MT
Broadcast Information
Live Stream: SEC Network+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History
The 2025 Opening Weekend series of Air Force vs. Florida will mark the first match up between the two programs.
Pitching Probables (2024 Stats)
Fri: RHP Dylan Rogers (5-5, 7.49 ERA) vs. RHP Liam Peterson (3-6, 6.43 ERA)
Sat: RHP Gaines Estridge (1-0, 8.10 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Clemente (2-0, 5.34 ERA)
Sun: RHP John Mitchell vs. LHP Pierce Coppola (1-4, 8.75 ERA)
Projected Lineup (2024 OPS)
1. R/R, Kayden Bradshaw, CF
2. R/R, Christian Taylor, LF (.693)
3. R/R, Alex Adams, 1B
4. L/L, Tripp Garrish, DH (.881)
5. R/R, Walker Zapp, C (.774 OPS)
6. R/R, Zach Peters, RF (.830 OPS)
7. R/R, Dawson Thrush, 3B (.971 OPS)
8. R/R, T.J. Oster, 2B (.432 OPS)
9. L/R, Ben Niednagel, SS (.368 OPS)
So Long, 2024
-Air Force finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 27-28.
-In Mountain West play, the Falcons marked an 18-12 record.
-The Falcons 18 conference wins are tied for the most in a single season since joining the Mountain West, matching the 2021 total.
-Against Fresno State, on Saturday, May 18, Air Force clinched its first-ever regular season Mountain West title since joining the conference in 2000.
-Air Force's 18-12 conference record equates to a .600 winning percentage, the highest for the program in its 24-year Mountain West affiliation.
-The 2024 graduating class accumulated a record of 112-108, the most successful four-year stretch in Air Force's Mountain West history.
Key Returners
Back on the Mound
-Dylan Rogers slides into the Friday night spot, after serving as a weekend starter last season.
-In 2024, Rogers went 5-5 with an ERA of 7.49 after taking 14 starts and making 16 appearances.
-The righty tallied 50 strikeouts across 57.2 innings pitched.
-Career wise, Rogers marks a 7.23 ERA, with a record of 9-11.
-Over the 178.0 innings pitched in his four years as a Falcon, Rogers has struck out 138 batters and given up 143 earned runs.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
- Against Navy (02/24/24), he was credited as the winning pitcher in a 10-0 victory after going 3.0 innings with four strikeouts and one hit allowed.
- Rogers went eight innings with eight K's, two individual season-highs, and just one earned run to defeat MW opponent San Diego State (03/16/24), 7-5.
- He threw 6.0 innings and notched five strikeouts and allowed one run against San Diego State (05/11/24) in 4-3 win.
Workin' on those Gaines
- Previous reliever, Gaines Estridge, is projected to shift into the Saturday start slot for the Falcons.
- Last season, the RHP made 23 appearances out of the bullpen.
- Estridge logged 26.2 innings pitched with 15 Ks, 11 walks, and an ERA of 8.10.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
-Pitched a season-high of 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and one hit allowed to defeat MW opponent San Diego State12-4 (05/10/24). This game marked Estridge's first collegiate win on the mound.
-He threw 2.0 relief innings in a 14-13 win over Fresno State (05/17/24), while notching one strikeout and allowing just one run on one hit.
The Man, Chase Spencer
-Chase Spencer was the only Falcon selected to the 2025 Preseason All-Mountain West Team.
-Last season, the outfielder earned a spot as a Second Team All-Mountain West selection.
-Spencer has been a table-setter for the Air Force lineup.
-He finished third on the team in hitting with a .326 average, hits (70), and 45 scored runs.
-Notched six triples for the second spot on the team, along with 11 doubles, six homers, and 32 RBIs.
-He compiled 107 total bases and a .498 slugging percentage.
-His 26 stolen bases led all Mountain West players.
-Spencer becomes just the eighth player in Falcons history to record at least 26 steals in a single season.
-In the field, Spencer totaled 130 putouts, 5 assists, and one DP.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
-In a 9-6 win over MW opponent, San Jose State (05/05/24), Spencer locked in a season-high four hit, two RBI game.
-Tallied back-to-back three-hit games vs San Diego State (03/17/24) and Texas (03/19/24). Against SDSU, Spencer brought a season-high four runs to the plate.
-At Texas A&M (04/16/24), the outfielder went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a solo shot.
-Appeared on the mound at San Jose State (03/08/24) and Texas (03/20/24) to total 1.1 innings pitched with two Ks and no hits/runs allowed.
Don't Get Zapped
-Walker Zapp returns to the lineup after making 50 starts of 51 games played in 2024.
-He batted .244 and marked four homers and 24 RBIs for the Falcons.
-Behind the dish, Zapp led Air Force by throwing out 13 baserunners.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
-Hit long balls in wins against Mississippi State (02/17/24), Fresno State (03/22/24), Dallas Baptist (04/13/24), and Nevada (04/26/24).
-Recorded a pair of season-highs with three hits and four RBIs in against Nevada (04/26/24).
-The catcher collected a season-high 12 putouts in 8-3 win against San Jose State (05/03/24)
Zach Attack
-Zach Peters returns to the outfield as a senior for the Falcons.
-In 2024, he took 29 starts out of 39 total appearances.
-He batted .290, marking 31 hits, one long ball, and 19 RBIs.
-The right fielder recorded 51 putouts to help defend Air Force.
-Tallied seven mulit-hit games on the season.
KEY 2024 APPEARANCES
-Batted in a season-high three runs against Nevada (04/29/24).
- He recorded four putouts on four chances in a 9-6 victory against MW opponent San Jose State (05/05/24).
The New Crew
C4C Sunday
-The projected Sunday guy, John Mitchell, will take his first collegiate start as a freshman on Sunday.
-Mitchell specializes in a pair of breaking balls and throws in the lower 90s range.
-In high school, the righty played for Saint John XXIII College Prep and was named First Team All-State, while also playing for Elite Squad.
-Mitchell began his baseball career at age 13, and only because some friends thought "he should give it a shot".
-He did not pitch until age 14, until then he wanted to play quarterback in football.
Fresh Faces
-Three freshman Falcons, Kayden Bradshaw, Alex Adams, and Dawson Thrush, will make their collegiate debut in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Gators.
-Kayden Bradshaw make the start in center for Air Force. The Dallas, TX native comes to the Academy after graduating from Scurry-Rosser HS, where he lettered in baseball all four years of his high school career. Bradshaw also played for the 5-Star Performance national club team.
-Alex Adams is expected to take the start at first base, on Friday night. The freshman attended Mount Paran Christian where he lettered all four years of his high school baseball career and served as team captain over the course of two seasons. The Woodstock, Ga., native was a member of the 2021 Georgia High School Baseball State Championship team and earned a First Team All-State honor.
-#7 Dawson Thrush will make his debut for the Falcons at third. Thrush graduated from William T. Dwyer HS where he earned four varsity letters in baseball. The Jupiter, Fla., native helped lead Dwyer to the 2024 State Championships, where he pitched 6.2 innings and marked two hits with a trio of RBIs in the final game, and was named a member of the All-Region team for his efforts.
On Deck
Following their series in the Sunshine State, Air Force will head northwest to take on the No.16 Commodores of Vanderbilt for a midweek series on Tuesday Feb. 18 and Wednesday Feb. 19 at 4:30 p.m. CST/3:30 p.m. MT.
Players Mentioned
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