Friday, March 21
Excite Ballpark | San Jose, CA
7 pm MT
Air Force Academy
at
San Jose State University
Falcons Fly West for Mountain West Matchup with San Jose State
3/20/2025 5:37:00 PM | Baseball
SAN JOSE, Calif., - The Air Force Falcons (7-13, 2-1) head back to the west coast to play San Jose State (12-8, 1-2) in their second Mountain West series of the season from March 21-March 23.
Schedule
Fri: vs. San Jose State, 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif.,
Sat: vs. San Jose State, 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif.,
Sun: vs. San Jose State, 12 p.m. PT/1 p.m. MT at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif.,
Broadcast Information
Live Stream: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History
-The first meeting between the two programs took place on April 11, 1959, ending in an Air Force win, 4-3.
-The Falcons hold a winning record of 40-26 against San Jose State.
-Over time, AF has outscored SJSU, 460-412.
-The Falcons have shut out the Spartans once 12-0 on March 7, 2015.
-Over the last seven meetings in 2024, Air Force is 4-3 against San Jose State.
Pitching Probables (2025 Stats)
Fri: RHP Bowen Brantingham (3.07 ERA, 1-1) vs. RHP Nolan George (2.89 ERA, 1-0)
Sat: RHP Easton Miller (8.62 ERA, 0-3) vs. RHP David Thomas (3.91 ERA, 0-1)
Sun: RHP Cranz Smelcer (13.50 ERA, 1-3) vs. LHP Win Scott (5.79 ERA, 2-1)
Projected Lineup (2025 OPS)
1. R/R, Chase Spencer, CF (.686 OPS)
2. R/R, Christian Taylor, 3B (.686 OPS)
3. R/R, Walker Zapp, C (1.060 OPS)
4. L/L, Tripp Garrish, DH (.996 OPS)
5. R/R, Alex Adams, 1B (.666 OPS)
6. R/R, Zach Peters, RF (1.018 OPS)
7. R/R, Luke Elmore, LF (.762 OPS)
8. R/R, Ben Niednagel, SS (.673 OPS)
9. R/R, T.J. Oster, 2B (.574 OPS)
BO-BO Brantingham
-Bowen Brantingham has made his mark on the mound so far this season.
-The sophomore currently holds an ERA of 3.07 across 14.2 innings pitched.
-He has recorded a record of 1-1 with two starts and five total appearances.
-Brantingham has held his opponents to a batting average against of .236 and allowed five earned runs off 13 hits.
-The St. Louis, Mo., native has tallied 12 strikeouts on the season and has given up just two XBH.
-Most recently, Brantingham threw four relief innings in the game two loss, 10-4, against MW opponent, Washington State.
-He marked four strikeouts and allowed just one earned run off four hits.
-The RHP made his second start of the season in the second game at California Baptist.
-He went 1.2 innings with one K and two earned runs off one hit.
-His second appearance of 2025 came as a reliever in game two of the Army series.
-Brantingham earned his first win after throwing one K across 3.2 IP with only one earned run allowed.
-His defense on the mound helped the Falcons to a 14-7 victory over the Black Knights and clinched the series.
-The righty took a start in game one at No. 14 Vanderbilt.
-The sophomore recorded a pair of career highs by throwing five strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
-In 2024, Brantingham made 11 appearances with a single start.
-He finished last season with an ERA of 5.12, 19.1 IP, 11 strikeouts, and 13 runs allowed.
East out West
-So far this season, Easton Miller has made seven appearances and taken four starts for 15.2 total innings pitched, the third most for AF.
-Miller holds an ERA of 8.62, 12 strikeouts, and has allowed 15 earned runs off 19 hits for a record of 0-3.
-He is in a three-way tie for first in the Mountain West for picking off two runners this season.
-Most recently, the RHP opened for Air Force in game two against Washington State, where he marked one strikeouts, and gave up three earned runs off four hits in 1.2 innings.
-At TCU, the Fort Collins, Colo., native claimed the start and finished at one inning, with five runs allowed and a single K.
-The RHP entered in relief of game one against Army.
-Miller tallied a single strikeout with three earned runs surrendered in one inning.
-Against Navy, Miller pitched game two and threw three Ks across 1.2 innings, allowing one earned run.
-Miller earned his first start in game two at No. 15 Vanderbilt.
- The C4C went four innings with two Ks and two runs allowed on five hits.
- In the bottom of the first, Miller went 1-2-3.
- He struck out a pair of Commodores and combined with the first baseman to pick off a runner in the bottom of the second frame.
Sunday Smelcer
-Cranz Smelcer has worked his way from reliver to starting pitcher for the Falcons.
-Overall, the freshman is tied for the most appearances for an Air Force pitcher and has a team third-best 15 Ks.
-Most recently, the RHP took his second start in the rubber match 14-9 win against MW opponent, Washington State.
-He went 1.1 innings with one K and three earned runs given up off six hits.
-In the 15-2 run-rule win over South Dakota State, Cranz Smelcer made his first start on the mound.
-He recorded an impressive outing, going a career-high four full innings with another career-high six strikeouts.
-The freshman earned his first win at Air Force and improved to 1-3, after defending AF's lead and only allowing one run off three hits.
-So far this season, the right-handed pitcher has made six appearances out of the bullpen.
-Across 7.1 relief innings pitched, Smelcer has allowed 16 runs off 11 hits and tallied eight strikeouts.
-His collegiate debut came against No. 10 Florida, where he went 0.2 innings with one K and five runs allowed.
-In game one against Navy, Smelcer gave up no runs and struck out one batter in 0.2 innings.
-In high school, Smelcer was the Apex High School baseball MVP and named First Team All-Conference and All-Region during his senior year.
Zappin'
-Walker Zapp returned to the lineup after making 50 starts of 51 games played in 2024.
-The junior is batting a multitude of starter team-bests: AVG: .387, slugging .653, 1.060 OPS, 29 hits, seven doubles, two triples, three homers, and 18 RBIs.
-In the Mountain West rankings, Zapp holds the fourth-best batting average, slugging percentage, and hits. He is fifth with 48 total bases and tied for sixth in RBIs.
- Zapp was on a eight-game hit streak, recording at least one hit in every game since Army on March 3 until Washington State on March 14, and five of them were multi-hit.
-He leads the team in extra base hits, boasting 12 with seven doubles, two triples, and a trio home run.
-Across the MW series against Washington State, the junior accounted for four RBIs, a pair of homers, and three runs scored.
-Against South Dakota State, Zapp finished at a perfect 3-for-3 with a trio of runs scored and two RBIs.
-Zapp marked critical ABs in wins against Navy and Army.
-Against Army in game one, the catcher led off the bottom of the 11th frame with a double down the left line to reach base, and ultimately scored the walk-off run for a 9-8 Falcon victory.
-In game one against Navy, Zapp earned an RBI for sending the winning run across the plate in the top of the ninth, 3-2.
-He knocked one out of the park for his first home run of 2025 at No. 15 Vanderbilt.
-Behind the plate, Zapp has marked 152 put outs on 178 chances, with 20 assists for a fielding percentage of .966.
-He has caught seven runners stealing, four of which were in the series at CBU.
Lookin' for More!
-Luke Elmore has made a statement in the Falcon lineup, after only appearing in two games last season.
-He has taken 15 starts with 17 total appearances and holds a team-fifth batting average of .271 and is tied for the fourth-most RBIs at 11.
-Elmore has totaled 16 hits, eight runs scored, one double, one triple, two homers, and three stolen bags.
-The outfielder was a critical component of the 15-14 game one win over Washington State.
-He recorded his first two career homers and a career-high five RBIs.
-The Panama City, Fla., native made it a one-run game with a three-run shot and put the Falcons in the lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of eight.
-His performance set him up to earn Mountain West Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
On Deck
Following the series at San Jose State, the Falcons will head to Dayton, Ohio where they will face Wright State on March 25 and Dayton on March 26.
Schedule
Fri: vs. San Jose State, 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif.,
Sat: vs. San Jose State, 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif.,
Sun: vs. San Jose State, 12 p.m. PT/1 p.m. MT at Excite Ballpark in San Jose, Calif.,
Broadcast Information
Live Stream: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @AF_Baseball
Series History
-The first meeting between the two programs took place on April 11, 1959, ending in an Air Force win, 4-3.
-The Falcons hold a winning record of 40-26 against San Jose State.
-Over time, AF has outscored SJSU, 460-412.
-The Falcons have shut out the Spartans once 12-0 on March 7, 2015.
-Over the last seven meetings in 2024, Air Force is 4-3 against San Jose State.
Pitching Probables (2025 Stats)
Fri: RHP Bowen Brantingham (3.07 ERA, 1-1) vs. RHP Nolan George (2.89 ERA, 1-0)
Sat: RHP Easton Miller (8.62 ERA, 0-3) vs. RHP David Thomas (3.91 ERA, 0-1)
Sun: RHP Cranz Smelcer (13.50 ERA, 1-3) vs. LHP Win Scott (5.79 ERA, 2-1)
Projected Lineup (2025 OPS)
1. R/R, Chase Spencer, CF (.686 OPS)
2. R/R, Christian Taylor, 3B (.686 OPS)
3. R/R, Walker Zapp, C (1.060 OPS)
4. L/L, Tripp Garrish, DH (.996 OPS)
5. R/R, Alex Adams, 1B (.666 OPS)
6. R/R, Zach Peters, RF (1.018 OPS)
7. R/R, Luke Elmore, LF (.762 OPS)
8. R/R, Ben Niednagel, SS (.673 OPS)
9. R/R, T.J. Oster, 2B (.574 OPS)
BO-BO Brantingham
-Bowen Brantingham has made his mark on the mound so far this season.
-The sophomore currently holds an ERA of 3.07 across 14.2 innings pitched.
-He has recorded a record of 1-1 with two starts and five total appearances.
-Brantingham has held his opponents to a batting average against of .236 and allowed five earned runs off 13 hits.
-The St. Louis, Mo., native has tallied 12 strikeouts on the season and has given up just two XBH.
-Most recently, Brantingham threw four relief innings in the game two loss, 10-4, against MW opponent, Washington State.
-He marked four strikeouts and allowed just one earned run off four hits.
-The RHP made his second start of the season in the second game at California Baptist.
-He went 1.2 innings with one K and two earned runs off one hit.
-His second appearance of 2025 came as a reliever in game two of the Army series.
-Brantingham earned his first win after throwing one K across 3.2 IP with only one earned run allowed.
-His defense on the mound helped the Falcons to a 14-7 victory over the Black Knights and clinched the series.
-The righty took a start in game one at No. 14 Vanderbilt.
-The sophomore recorded a pair of career highs by throwing five strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
-In 2024, Brantingham made 11 appearances with a single start.
-He finished last season with an ERA of 5.12, 19.1 IP, 11 strikeouts, and 13 runs allowed.
East out West
-So far this season, Easton Miller has made seven appearances and taken four starts for 15.2 total innings pitched, the third most for AF.
-Miller holds an ERA of 8.62, 12 strikeouts, and has allowed 15 earned runs off 19 hits for a record of 0-3.
-He is in a three-way tie for first in the Mountain West for picking off two runners this season.
-Most recently, the RHP opened for Air Force in game two against Washington State, where he marked one strikeouts, and gave up three earned runs off four hits in 1.2 innings.
-At TCU, the Fort Collins, Colo., native claimed the start and finished at one inning, with five runs allowed and a single K.
-The RHP entered in relief of game one against Army.
-Miller tallied a single strikeout with three earned runs surrendered in one inning.
-Against Navy, Miller pitched game two and threw three Ks across 1.2 innings, allowing one earned run.
-Miller earned his first start in game two at No. 15 Vanderbilt.
- The C4C went four innings with two Ks and two runs allowed on five hits.
- In the bottom of the first, Miller went 1-2-3.
- He struck out a pair of Commodores and combined with the first baseman to pick off a runner in the bottom of the second frame.
Sunday Smelcer
-Cranz Smelcer has worked his way from reliver to starting pitcher for the Falcons.
-Overall, the freshman is tied for the most appearances for an Air Force pitcher and has a team third-best 15 Ks.
-Most recently, the RHP took his second start in the rubber match 14-9 win against MW opponent, Washington State.
-He went 1.1 innings with one K and three earned runs given up off six hits.
-In the 15-2 run-rule win over South Dakota State, Cranz Smelcer made his first start on the mound.
-He recorded an impressive outing, going a career-high four full innings with another career-high six strikeouts.
-The freshman earned his first win at Air Force and improved to 1-3, after defending AF's lead and only allowing one run off three hits.
-So far this season, the right-handed pitcher has made six appearances out of the bullpen.
-Across 7.1 relief innings pitched, Smelcer has allowed 16 runs off 11 hits and tallied eight strikeouts.
-His collegiate debut came against No. 10 Florida, where he went 0.2 innings with one K and five runs allowed.
-In game one against Navy, Smelcer gave up no runs and struck out one batter in 0.2 innings.
-In high school, Smelcer was the Apex High School baseball MVP and named First Team All-Conference and All-Region during his senior year.
Zappin'
-Walker Zapp returned to the lineup after making 50 starts of 51 games played in 2024.
-The junior is batting a multitude of starter team-bests: AVG: .387, slugging .653, 1.060 OPS, 29 hits, seven doubles, two triples, three homers, and 18 RBIs.
-In the Mountain West rankings, Zapp holds the fourth-best batting average, slugging percentage, and hits. He is fifth with 48 total bases and tied for sixth in RBIs.
- Zapp was on a eight-game hit streak, recording at least one hit in every game since Army on March 3 until Washington State on March 14, and five of them were multi-hit.
-He leads the team in extra base hits, boasting 12 with seven doubles, two triples, and a trio home run.
-Across the MW series against Washington State, the junior accounted for four RBIs, a pair of homers, and three runs scored.
-Against South Dakota State, Zapp finished at a perfect 3-for-3 with a trio of runs scored and two RBIs.
-Zapp marked critical ABs in wins against Navy and Army.
-Against Army in game one, the catcher led off the bottom of the 11th frame with a double down the left line to reach base, and ultimately scored the walk-off run for a 9-8 Falcon victory.
-In game one against Navy, Zapp earned an RBI for sending the winning run across the plate in the top of the ninth, 3-2.
-He knocked one out of the park for his first home run of 2025 at No. 15 Vanderbilt.
-Behind the plate, Zapp has marked 152 put outs on 178 chances, with 20 assists for a fielding percentage of .966.
-He has caught seven runners stealing, four of which were in the series at CBU.
Lookin' for More!
-Luke Elmore has made a statement in the Falcon lineup, after only appearing in two games last season.
-He has taken 15 starts with 17 total appearances and holds a team-fifth batting average of .271 and is tied for the fourth-most RBIs at 11.
-Elmore has totaled 16 hits, eight runs scored, one double, one triple, two homers, and three stolen bags.
-The outfielder was a critical component of the 15-14 game one win over Washington State.
-He recorded his first two career homers and a career-high five RBIs.
-The Panama City, Fla., native made it a one-run game with a three-run shot and put the Falcons in the lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of eight.
-His performance set him up to earn Mountain West Player of the Week for the first time in his career.
On Deck
Following the series at San Jose State, the Falcons will head to Dayton, Ohio where they will face Wright State on March 25 and Dayton on March 26.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
UT/RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF/RHP
/ Baseball
UT
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballFalcons win on senior day over New Mexico
Sunday, May 11
Lobos top Falcons to even series
Saturday, May 10
Falcons big 8th inning leads to win over Lobos
Friday, May 09
Falcons fall in series finale to Nevada
Sunday, April 27
