Friday, February 27
Dallas, TX
1 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
2-6
3
vs
6
Oral Roberts University
4-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Oral Roberts
1
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
1
6
10
1
Air Force
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
3
6
2
Baseball Drops Pair to Oral Roberts and Dallas Baptist
2/27/2026 10:11:00 PM | Baseball
DALLAS, TX., - Air Force baseball (2-7) dropped a pair of games to Oral Roberts (4-6), 6-3, and Dallas Baptist (7-3), 15-11 on Friday afternoon at Horner Ballpark. Across the two matchups, the Falcons posted 17 hits and 11 strikeouts.
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Oral Roberts (6) vs. Air Force (3)
The Falcons totaled six hits and drove in runs from Walker Zapp, Kayden Bradshaw, and J.D. Wolff.
Right-hander Gaines Estridge (0-1) made his third start of the season, working 5.1 innings while allowing five runs on just one walk and one strikeout. Despite the line, the junior was efficient, retiring nine consecutive batters across a three-inning stretch. Easton Miller followed with a one-out appearance before Gunner Gilmore entered from the bullpen and delivered 2.1 strong innings, tying his career high with four strikeouts while allowing no runs or hits. Charlie Russell handled the final inning.
Oral Roberts struck first with a run in the top of the first, but a timely double play turned by Landon Boyd, Wyatt Hanoian, and Luke Elmore helped limit the damage. The Falcon defense then settled in, posting three consecutive three-up, three-down innings.
Air Force evened the score in the bottom of the fifth. Elmore reached on a walk and came around to score on a two-out RBI double from Kayden Bradshaw, just the Falcons' second hit of the afternoon.
The Golden Eagles answered immediately with four runs in the sixth to take a 5–1 lead. Gilmore was called upon in a bases-loaded, one-out situation and ended the threat by striking out the final batter of the frame. He followed that effort by retiring Oral Roberts in order in the top of the eighth.
The Falcons mounted a response in the bottom of the seventh. Elmore again sparked the momentum with a leadoff walk, advancing on a single from Landon Boyd. Bradshaw followed with another single to load the bases, setting up a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Wolff. After Tripp Garrish was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, Zapp lifted a second sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5–3.
Oral Roberts added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on an RBI groundout, sealing the 6–3 final.
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Air Force (11) at Dallas Baptist (15)
By a long shot, Walker Zapp led the way at the plate, blasting a grand slam and a three-run homer to drive in seven runs—both career highs. Landon Boyd also went deep, accounting for one RBI, while Luke Elmore and Kayden Bradshaw each drove in a run.
Air Force used seven pitchers across eight innings. Josh Holst got the start and was tagged with the loss, falling to 0-2 after surrendering four earned runs on nine hits. Marcus Downing, Davis Rhyne, Joey Collier, Trey Rutledge, Sam Hentges, and Patrick Davidson all saw action out of the bullpen.
The Falcons struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, their first lead across the two-game set. Dallas Baptist Patriots quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning with three runs to jump ahead, 3-1.
DBU extended its advantage in the bottom of the third, pushing across three more runs to make it 6-1.
Air Force answered in the fourth, trimming the deficit to 6-2. J.D. Wolff opened the frame with a single to right and moved to second on a groundout. A Bradshaw single and a Patriot error allowed Wolff to score.
Boyd cut the score in half in the fifth, launching his third home run of the season, a shot that traveled 383 feet over the left-field fence to make it 6-3.
DBU answered again in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single, extending the lead to 7-3.
The Falcons mounted a big rally in the top of the sixth, plating four runs to make it a one-run game, 8-7. Walks to Garrish, Bradshaw, and Elmore loaded the bases for Zapp, who entered as a pinch hitter and crushed a grand slam over the left-field wall.
The Patriots responded with six runs in the bottom of the sixth to reclaim control, moving in front 14-8.
Air Force refused to go quietly, scoring four more runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to 14-11. Elmore walked and advanced to third on a Ben Niednagel single, later scoring on an RBI fielder's choice. Garrish reached on another fielder's choice, setting the stage for Zapp to hammer his second homer of the night.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sam Hentges made his season debut, tossing a clean frame with a pair of strikeouts. Patrick Davidson worked the eighth, striking out two swinging, but allowed the Patriots' final run as DBU secured the 15-11 decision.
Air Force will rematch DBU on Sunday, March 1, at 1 p.m. CT / 12 p.m. MT at Horner Ballpark.
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Oral Roberts (6) vs. Air Force (3)
The Falcons totaled six hits and drove in runs from Walker Zapp, Kayden Bradshaw, and J.D. Wolff.
Right-hander Gaines Estridge (0-1) made his third start of the season, working 5.1 innings while allowing five runs on just one walk and one strikeout. Despite the line, the junior was efficient, retiring nine consecutive batters across a three-inning stretch. Easton Miller followed with a one-out appearance before Gunner Gilmore entered from the bullpen and delivered 2.1 strong innings, tying his career high with four strikeouts while allowing no runs or hits. Charlie Russell handled the final inning.
Oral Roberts struck first with a run in the top of the first, but a timely double play turned by Landon Boyd, Wyatt Hanoian, and Luke Elmore helped limit the damage. The Falcon defense then settled in, posting three consecutive three-up, three-down innings.
Air Force evened the score in the bottom of the fifth. Elmore reached on a walk and came around to score on a two-out RBI double from Kayden Bradshaw, just the Falcons' second hit of the afternoon.
The Golden Eagles answered immediately with four runs in the sixth to take a 5–1 lead. Gilmore was called upon in a bases-loaded, one-out situation and ended the threat by striking out the final batter of the frame. He followed that effort by retiring Oral Roberts in order in the top of the eighth.
The Falcons mounted a response in the bottom of the seventh. Elmore again sparked the momentum with a leadoff walk, advancing on a single from Landon Boyd. Bradshaw followed with another single to load the bases, setting up a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Wolff. After Tripp Garrish was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, Zapp lifted a second sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5–3.
Oral Roberts added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on an RBI groundout, sealing the 6–3 final.
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Air Force (11) at Dallas Baptist (15)
By a long shot, Walker Zapp led the way at the plate, blasting a grand slam and a three-run homer to drive in seven runs—both career highs. Landon Boyd also went deep, accounting for one RBI, while Luke Elmore and Kayden Bradshaw each drove in a run.
Air Force used seven pitchers across eight innings. Josh Holst got the start and was tagged with the loss, falling to 0-2 after surrendering four earned runs on nine hits. Marcus Downing, Davis Rhyne, Joey Collier, Trey Rutledge, Sam Hentges, and Patrick Davidson all saw action out of the bullpen.
The Falcons struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, their first lead across the two-game set. Dallas Baptist Patriots quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning with three runs to jump ahead, 3-1.
DBU extended its advantage in the bottom of the third, pushing across three more runs to make it 6-1.
Air Force answered in the fourth, trimming the deficit to 6-2. J.D. Wolff opened the frame with a single to right and moved to second on a groundout. A Bradshaw single and a Patriot error allowed Wolff to score.
Boyd cut the score in half in the fifth, launching his third home run of the season, a shot that traveled 383 feet over the left-field fence to make it 6-3.
DBU answered again in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single, extending the lead to 7-3.
The Falcons mounted a big rally in the top of the sixth, plating four runs to make it a one-run game, 8-7. Walks to Garrish, Bradshaw, and Elmore loaded the bases for Zapp, who entered as a pinch hitter and crushed a grand slam over the left-field wall.
The Patriots responded with six runs in the bottom of the sixth to reclaim control, moving in front 14-8.
Air Force refused to go quietly, scoring four more runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to 14-11. Elmore walked and advanced to third on a Ben Niednagel single, later scoring on an RBI fielder's choice. Garrish reached on another fielder's choice, setting the stage for Zapp to hammer his second homer of the night.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sam Hentges made his season debut, tossing a clean frame with a pair of strikeouts. Patrick Davidson worked the eighth, striking out two swinging, but allowed the Patriots' final run as DBU secured the 15-11 decision.
Air Force will rematch DBU on Sunday, March 1, at 1 p.m. CT / 12 p.m. MT at Horner Ballpark.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: N. Love (1-0)
L: Estridge, Gaines (0-1)
S: B. Sanford (1)
Batting:
2B: M. Tanaka 1 ; T. Brodrick 1
HR: M. Tanaka 1
RBI: M. Tanaka 1 ; C. Combs 2 ; M. Davis 1 ; T. Brodrick 2
Base Running:
RUNS: M. Tanaka 2 ; C. Combs 1 ; C. Kelly 1 ; M. Davis 1 ; H. Ellis 1
SB: H. Ellis 1
HBP: M. Mainord 1
Batting:
2B: Bradshaw, Kayden 1
RBI: Zapp, Walker 1 ; Bradshaw, Kayden 1 ; Wolff, J.D. 1
SF: Zapp, Walker 1 ; Wolff, J.D. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Elmore, Luke 2 ; Boyd, Landon 1
SB: Garrish, Tripp 1
HBP: Garrish, Tripp 1 ; Hanoian, Wyatt 1
Game Leaders
AB
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H
2
RBI
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4
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1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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