Monday, February 17
Nashville, TN
3:30 pm MT
Air Force Academy
0-4
1
at
3
Vanderbilt
3-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Air Force
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
7
0
Vanderbilt
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
X
3
7
1
AF Falls Short to No. 15 Vanderbilt
2/17/2025 7:10:00 PM | Baseball
NASHVILLE, Tenn., - The Falcons (0-4) put up a fight, but fell short, 3-1, to No. 15 Vanderbilt (3-1) on Monday evening at Hawkins Field. Across the team's first matchup in program history, the Air Force pitching staff collected eight strikeouts and allowed three runs off seven hits. The hitters tallied one run and seven hits, along with a lone stolen base.
On the mound, Bowen Brantingham (0-1) took his second start as a Falcon and recorded a pair of career highs by throwing five strikeouts in 4.1 innings. The sophomore allowed one run on a balk, and four hits. Davis Rhyne entered in relief for 1.2 innings, where he notched two strikeouts and allowed just one run off one hit. In the bottom of the seventh frame, Patrick Davidson was called from the pen and gave up one run and two hits. Charlie Russell followed as the closer, throwing the final two outs and striking out one batter.
Senior, Ben Niednagel, accounted for Air Force's run after hitting an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning. Walker Zapp finished 2-for-3, while Alex Adams marked two hits, as well.
In the bottom of the second, AF found themselves with bags full of Commodores, but the first baseman, Cam Anstey threw a runner out at home and Brantingham followed with a pair of strikeouts to escape the frame.
Brantingham went three up, three down in the bottom of the third to tie his previous career-high strikeout count.
To break the goose eggs on the board, Vanderbilt scored their first run, on a balk, in the bottom of the fourth to lead 1-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Rhyne entered the game to pitch for Air Force, inheriting a runner on third and one out. The sophomore held Vanderbilt by striking out the first batter he faced and forcing a fly out to the second baseman, T.J. Oster. Â
The Commodores put an RBI triple in the books in the seventh to shift into a 2-0 advantage.
A solo shot to right field put VU up 3-0, in the bottom of the eighth frame.
The top of nine saw the Falcons score their only run of the game to trim the final score to 3-1. Brooks Ward entered the batter's box as a pinch hitter, reaching base on a fielding error by the Vanderbilt third baseman, and advancing to second. With two outs, Niednagel put a single through the right side to bring Ward to the plate, but the one run was not enough to overcome the deficit.
Up next, the Falcons will face No. 15 Vanderbilt once more on Tuesday February 18th. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. CT/12:00 p.m. MT.
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On the mound, Bowen Brantingham (0-1) took his second start as a Falcon and recorded a pair of career highs by throwing five strikeouts in 4.1 innings. The sophomore allowed one run on a balk, and four hits. Davis Rhyne entered in relief for 1.2 innings, where he notched two strikeouts and allowed just one run off one hit. In the bottom of the seventh frame, Patrick Davidson was called from the pen and gave up one run and two hits. Charlie Russell followed as the closer, throwing the final two outs and striking out one batter.
Senior, Ben Niednagel, accounted for Air Force's run after hitting an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning. Walker Zapp finished 2-for-3, while Alex Adams marked two hits, as well.
In the bottom of the second, AF found themselves with bags full of Commodores, but the first baseman, Cam Anstey threw a runner out at home and Brantingham followed with a pair of strikeouts to escape the frame.
Brantingham went three up, three down in the bottom of the third to tie his previous career-high strikeout count.
To break the goose eggs on the board, Vanderbilt scored their first run, on a balk, in the bottom of the fourth to lead 1-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Rhyne entered the game to pitch for Air Force, inheriting a runner on third and one out. The sophomore held Vanderbilt by striking out the first batter he faced and forcing a fly out to the second baseman, T.J. Oster. Â
The Commodores put an RBI triple in the books in the seventh to shift into a 2-0 advantage.
A solo shot to right field put VU up 3-0, in the bottom of the eighth frame.
The top of nine saw the Falcons score their only run of the game to trim the final score to 3-1. Brooks Ward entered the batter's box as a pinch hitter, reaching base on a fielding error by the Vanderbilt third baseman, and advancing to second. With two outs, Niednagel put a single through the right side to bring Ward to the plate, but the one run was not enough to overcome the deficit.
Up next, the Falcons will face No. 15 Vanderbilt once more on Tuesday February 18th. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. CT/12:00 p.m. MT.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Connor Fennell (1-0)
L: Brantingham, Bowen (0-1)
S: Alex Kranzler (1)
Batting:
RBI: Niednagel, Ben 1
SH: Niednagel, Ben 1 ; Anstey, Cam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ward, Brooks 1
SB: Adams, Alex 1
CS: Adams, Alex 1
Batting:
3B: Colin Barczi 1
HR: JD Rogers 1
RBI: Colin Barczi 1 ; JD Rogers 1
SH: Jacob Humphrey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Riley Nelson 1 ; JD Rogers 1 ; Rustan Rigdon 1
SB: RJ Austin 1 ; RJ Hamilton 1 ; Rustan Rigdon 1 ; Jacob Humphrey 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
UT
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
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