Air Force Comes Up Short in Pitchers' Duel Against the Spartans

SAN JOSE, Calif., - Air Force baseball (7-16, 2-4) fell short to San Jose State (15-8, 4-2) in a 2-0 pitchers' duel on Sunday afternoon at Excite Ballpark. The Falcons picked up a pair of hits, while the pitchers combined for ten strikeouts.

Walker Zapp marked a hit in the form of a double and Christian Taylor accounted for the only other Falcon hit.

Sophomore, Patrick Davidson, took his first start of the season on the mound and moved to 3-1. He tallied a career-high six strikeouts across three innings but gave up the pair of Spartan runs. Sam Hentges followed in relief for one full inning, striking out two Spartans and allowing no runs or hits. The next pitcher, Davis Rhyne, threw two strong innings where he logged a pair of strikeouts and gave up one hit. Joey Collier and Marcus Downing combined to throw the final two frames, with one inning a piece. Neither reliever surrendered a hit or a run.

In the bottom of the first, Davidson sat down a trio of San Jose State batters with strikeouts.

The Falcon defense went three up, three down with a foul out to Ben Niednagel at third, a line out to Alex Adams at shortstop, and a swinging strikeout from Davidson.

The Spartans scored their only runs of the game to lead, 2-0, in the bottom of the third.

In the top of the fourth, Walker Zapp doubled to reach base but was left stranded.

Hentges entered in the bottom of the fourth frame, recording two strikeouts and a ground out to Niednagel to hold SJSU.

The bottom of the fifth inning saw Rhyne take the call from the bullpen, inheriting runners on first and second with no outs. A fielder's choice, a Rhyne strikeout, and a ground out to Dawson Thrush at second base helped the Birds out of a bases-loaded situation.

Niednagel drew a walk to take first but could not make it around the bags, in the top of six.

A pair of fly outs to Taylor in left field and a strikeout by Rhyne, in the bottom of the sixth, stranded a Spartan on base.

Joey Collier entered as a reliever for Air Force, throwing a one, two, three bottom of seven inning.

In the bottom of eight, Marcus Downing recorded a three up, three down frame, with two ground outs and a fly out.

Air Force will head to Fairborn, Ohio where they will face Wright State on Tuesday March 25 at 5 p.m. ET/3 p.m. MT.

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