Saturday, February 15
Gainesville, FL
11 am MT
Air Force Academy
4
at
10
Florida
Falcons Fall in Twin Bill to No. 10 Florida
2/15/2025 6:16:00 PM | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla., - Air Force baseball (0-3) was outslugged by No. 10 Florida (3-0) and dropped both doubleheader games, on Saturday evening at Condron Family Ballpark.
Across the three-game series, AF batters tallied 12 hits, four RBIS, and two stolen bags, while the pitching staff accounted for 16 strikeouts.
Game One: Florida 10, Air Force 4
Tripp Garrish paved the way offensively for AF, earning credit for two RBIs off a fielder's choice and a solo shot. Sophomore, Luke Elmore went 2-for-4 in the box, as the only Falcon to have a pair of hits in the game.
Five Air Force pitchers saw time on the mound, starting off with Estridge Gaines who earned the opening spot. The C3C threw four strikeouts for a new career high across 3.1 innings. He gave up three runs off five hits while facing 15 batters. Cranz Smelcer (0-1) made his collegiate debut for 0.2 innings and was credited with the loss after allowing five runs. In relief, Ethan Dillinger entered for two innings, throwing three strikeouts and allowing one run. Charlie Russell and Gio Sambito split the final two innings and allowed one hit apiece.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Gators were first to put runs on the board, marking a solo homer and an RBI single to lead, 2-0.
The Falcons fought back in the following frame, shifting into a 3-2 advantage. To lead off, Cam Anstey took a pitch to take first and was advanced on a single through the left side by T.J. Oster. Freshman, Christian Taylor, capitalized on a throwing error by the catcher to reach base and enabled Anstey to cross the plate. The next batter, Alex Adams, followed with a sacrifice fly, sending Oster home. Rounding out runs in the third, Garrish earned an RBI on a fielder's choice that scored Taylor.
Florida retaliated in the bottom of four, plating three runs to reassume the lead at 5-3.
In the fifth, UF extended their lead to 9-3, with a two RBI long shot, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI single.
The Gators closed out their scoring with a solo home run in the seventh inning, 10-3.
For Air Force's final run of the game, Garrish launched the first homer of the season for the Falcons over the right field wall, trimming the final deficit to 10-4.
Game Two: Florida 11, Air Force 1
In the final game of the series, newcomer Alex Adams accounted for the lone RBI off his first double at the collegiate level.
Taking his first start on the mound as a Falcon, John Mitchell (0-1) tallied 4.2 innings pitched with a single strikeout and four runs surrendered. Patrick Davidson closed for AF, throwing one strikeout and allowing two runs in 1.1 innings.
The scoreboard saw all zeros until the Gators homered to left and scored on a passed ball to assume a 2-0 advantage, in the bottom of four.
In the next frame, Florida plated seven runs, extending the lead to 9-0.
T.J. Oster opened the top of the fifth by laying a single down the right line. With one away, Adams broke the shutout and doubled to right center field, sending Oster home, but the Falcons still trailed 9-1.
The top of the sixth inning saw UF take two more runs across the plate with a pair of RBI doubles for a final score of 11-1.
Up next, Air Force will head to Nashville, Tenn., to play the No. 16 Commodores of Vanderbilt on Tuesday Feb. 18 and Wednesday Feb. 19. Both games are set for a 4:30 p.m. CST/3:30 p.m. MST start.
Across the three-game series, AF batters tallied 12 hits, four RBIS, and two stolen bags, while the pitching staff accounted for 16 strikeouts.
Game One: Florida 10, Air Force 4
Tripp Garrish paved the way offensively for AF, earning credit for two RBIs off a fielder's choice and a solo shot. Sophomore, Luke Elmore went 2-for-4 in the box, as the only Falcon to have a pair of hits in the game.
Five Air Force pitchers saw time on the mound, starting off with Estridge Gaines who earned the opening spot. The C3C threw four strikeouts for a new career high across 3.1 innings. He gave up three runs off five hits while facing 15 batters. Cranz Smelcer (0-1) made his collegiate debut for 0.2 innings and was credited with the loss after allowing five runs. In relief, Ethan Dillinger entered for two innings, throwing three strikeouts and allowing one run. Charlie Russell and Gio Sambito split the final two innings and allowed one hit apiece.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Gators were first to put runs on the board, marking a solo homer and an RBI single to lead, 2-0.
The Falcons fought back in the following frame, shifting into a 3-2 advantage. To lead off, Cam Anstey took a pitch to take first and was advanced on a single through the left side by T.J. Oster. Freshman, Christian Taylor, capitalized on a throwing error by the catcher to reach base and enabled Anstey to cross the plate. The next batter, Alex Adams, followed with a sacrifice fly, sending Oster home. Rounding out runs in the third, Garrish earned an RBI on a fielder's choice that scored Taylor.
Florida retaliated in the bottom of four, plating three runs to reassume the lead at 5-3.
In the fifth, UF extended their lead to 9-3, with a two RBI long shot, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI single.
The Gators closed out their scoring with a solo home run in the seventh inning, 10-3.
For Air Force's final run of the game, Garrish launched the first homer of the season for the Falcons over the right field wall, trimming the final deficit to 10-4.
Game Two: Florida 11, Air Force 1
In the final game of the series, newcomer Alex Adams accounted for the lone RBI off his first double at the collegiate level.
Taking his first start on the mound as a Falcon, John Mitchell (0-1) tallied 4.2 innings pitched with a single strikeout and four runs surrendered. Patrick Davidson closed for AF, throwing one strikeout and allowing two runs in 1.1 innings.
The scoreboard saw all zeros until the Gators homered to left and scored on a passed ball to assume a 2-0 advantage, in the bottom of four.
In the next frame, Florida plated seven runs, extending the lead to 9-0.
T.J. Oster opened the top of the fifth by laying a single down the right line. With one away, Adams broke the shutout and doubled to right center field, sending Oster home, but the Falcons still trailed 9-1.
The top of the sixth inning saw UF take two more runs across the plate with a pair of RBI doubles for a final score of 11-1.
Up next, Air Force will head to Nashville, Tenn., to play the No. 16 Commodores of Vanderbilt on Tuesday Feb. 18 and Wednesday Feb. 19. Both games are set for a 4:30 p.m. CST/3:30 p.m. MST start.
Players Mentioned
IF
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UT
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RHP
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LHP
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OF
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OF
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RHP
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IF
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RHP
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RHP
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RHP
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UT
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