Tuesday, March 25
Nischwitz Stadium | Fairborn, OH
3 pm MT
Air Force Academy
8-16
9
at
4
Wright State University
11-11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Air Force
1
2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
9
9
2
Wright State
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
4
5
3
AF Baseball Takes Down Wright State, 9-4
3/25/2025 7:35:00 PM | Baseball
FAIRBORN, Ohio., - The Falcons (8-16) stack one in the win column after defeating Wright State (11-11), 9-4, on Tuesday afternoon at Nischwitz Stadium. Air Force tacked on nine runs off nine hits, while the pitchers struck out nine Raiders and allowed only five hits. AF breaks the Raiders undefeated home record.
The batters were led by T.J. Oster who went 3-for-5 with a trio of runs scored, the most of any Falcon and was a home run away from the cycle. The shortstop, Alex Adams finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Walker Zapp scored two runs, brought in a pair of runners, and batted 1-for-3. Zach Peters and Christian Taylor recorded one RBI a piece.
Four pitchers made appearances on the mound, starting with Cranz Smelcer, who went 2.1 innings with a trio of strikeouts and two earned runs allowed. Easton Miller followed in relief and earned his first win as a Falcon, for a record of 1-4. The freshman threw three strikeouts and allowed just one run off one hit across 2.2 innings pitched. The next pitcher, Gunner Gilmore, logged a career-high three full innings on the mound with a pair of strikeouts, only one hit, and gave up no runs. Joey Collier took the closing spot, throwing the last inning and holding the Raiders to no runs and no hits.
Air Force jumped on the board in the top of the first, 1-0. Chase Spencer opened the frame with a lead-off walk and stole second. Back-to-back walks drawn by Christian Taylor and Walker Zapp loaded the bases. With one out, Zach Peters got the job done, plating Spencer with a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Birds extended their lead to 3-0, in the top of two. To start the inning, T.J. Oster singled down the left line and took second on a passed ball. Spencer followed with another walk and a single from Taylor juiced the bases. A two-run double by Zapp enabled Oster and Spencer to cross the plate.
In the bottom of the third, Wright State leveled the score at 3-3.
To reclaim the lead at 5-3, the Falcons scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. An Oster triple began the frame for Air Force. Taylor sent him home on a first-pitch RBI ground out, before Zapp reached on a throwing error by the Raider third baseman. Tripp Garrish singled to the pitcher, instigating a pitching change for Wright State. Taking advantage of a rundown on Garrish, Zapp scored.
Miller went three up, three down in the bottom of four, recording two looking strikeouts and a ground out to hold WSU.
The top of the sixth frame saw Air Force plate two more, 7-3. Once again, Oster opened the inning for the Birds with a hit, doubling down the left line. A pair of consecutive throwing errors by Wright State's third baseman to Spencer and Taylor let a pair of unearned runs score.
The Raiders managed one run but still trailed 7-4, in the bottom of the same inning.
Air Force added a pair of insurance runs, in the top of the eighth, for a 9-4 advantage. Spencer reached first after being hit by a pitch and was followed by a walked Zapp. With two away, Peters drew a walk to fill the bases with Birds. Alex Adams notched a full-count double down the left line, enabling Spencer and Zapp to go home.
In the bottom of eight, AF defense logged another straight up inning with a ground out, a pop up, and a fly out to diminish any Raider threat.
Air Force will face Dayton on Wednesday March 26 at Woerner Field in Dayton, Ohio. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. ET/1 p.m. MT.
The batters were led by T.J. Oster who went 3-for-5 with a trio of runs scored, the most of any Falcon and was a home run away from the cycle. The shortstop, Alex Adams finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Walker Zapp scored two runs, brought in a pair of runners, and batted 1-for-3. Zach Peters and Christian Taylor recorded one RBI a piece.
Four pitchers made appearances on the mound, starting with Cranz Smelcer, who went 2.1 innings with a trio of strikeouts and two earned runs allowed. Easton Miller followed in relief and earned his first win as a Falcon, for a record of 1-4. The freshman threw three strikeouts and allowed just one run off one hit across 2.2 innings pitched. The next pitcher, Gunner Gilmore, logged a career-high three full innings on the mound with a pair of strikeouts, only one hit, and gave up no runs. Joey Collier took the closing spot, throwing the last inning and holding the Raiders to no runs and no hits.
Air Force jumped on the board in the top of the first, 1-0. Chase Spencer opened the frame with a lead-off walk and stole second. Back-to-back walks drawn by Christian Taylor and Walker Zapp loaded the bases. With one out, Zach Peters got the job done, plating Spencer with a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Birds extended their lead to 3-0, in the top of two. To start the inning, T.J. Oster singled down the left line and took second on a passed ball. Spencer followed with another walk and a single from Taylor juiced the bases. A two-run double by Zapp enabled Oster and Spencer to cross the plate.
In the bottom of the third, Wright State leveled the score at 3-3.
To reclaim the lead at 5-3, the Falcons scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. An Oster triple began the frame for Air Force. Taylor sent him home on a first-pitch RBI ground out, before Zapp reached on a throwing error by the Raider third baseman. Tripp Garrish singled to the pitcher, instigating a pitching change for Wright State. Taking advantage of a rundown on Garrish, Zapp scored.
Miller went three up, three down in the bottom of four, recording two looking strikeouts and a ground out to hold WSU.
The top of the sixth frame saw Air Force plate two more, 7-3. Once again, Oster opened the inning for the Birds with a hit, doubling down the left line. A pair of consecutive throwing errors by Wright State's third baseman to Spencer and Taylor let a pair of unearned runs score.
The Raiders managed one run but still trailed 7-4, in the bottom of the same inning.
Air Force added a pair of insurance runs, in the top of the eighth, for a 9-4 advantage. Spencer reached first after being hit by a pitch and was followed by a walked Zapp. With two away, Peters drew a walk to fill the bases with Birds. Alex Adams notched a full-count double down the left line, enabling Spencer and Zapp to go home.
In the bottom of eight, AF defense logged another straight up inning with a ground out, a pop up, and a fly out to diminish any Raider threat.
Air Force will face Dayton on Wednesday March 26 at Woerner Field in Dayton, Ohio. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. ET/1 p.m. MT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Miller, Easton (1-4)
L: Thomas, P (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Zapp, Walker 1 ; Adams, Alex 1 ; Oster, T.J. 1
3B: Oster, T.J. 1
RBI: Taylor, Christian 1 ; Zapp, Walker 2 ; Peters, Zach 1 ; Adams, Alex 2
SH: Spencer, Chase 1 ; Taylor, Christian 1
SF: Peters, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Spencer, Chase 4 ; Zapp, Walker 2 ; Oster, T.J. 3
SB: Spencer, Chase 2 ; Taylor, Christian 1
CS: Garrish, Tripp 1
HBP: Spencer, Chase 1 ; Elmore, Luke 1
Batting:
RBI: Smith, B 1 ; Daniel, C 1 ; Blomquist, B 1
SF: Smith, B 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fultz, P 1 ; Gilkerson, C 1 ; Manley, N 1 ; Blomquist, B 1
SB: Arnold, L 1
HBP: Peltier, J 1 ; Manley, N 2
PO: Gilkerson, C 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
UT/RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF/RHP
/ Baseball
UT
/ Baseball
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