Air Force Flies Past St. Thomas, 20-12

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo., - Air Force baseball (7-11) bested St. Thomas (4-15), 20-12, on Monday afternoon at Erdle Field. The Falcon hitters combined for 14 hits, 17 RBIs, five doubles, and a pair of homers. The pitchers posted eight strikeouts.

At the plate, T.J. Oster and Tripp Garrish both batted three runs in, while Ben Niednagel, Walker Zapp, Wyatt Hanoian, and Luke Elmore recorded one apiece.

Freshman Aiden Poe (2-0) earned his second career win after matching his career-high 4.1 innings. He struck out three batters and allowed four runs. Trey Rutledge gave up a trio of runs while logging two strikeouts in 0.2 innings, while Davis Rhyne entered for one inning and allowed one earned run. Ethan Dillinger and Easton Miller closed the last two frames.

After a scoreless first inning, the Falcons put a pair of runs on the board in the second after Hanoian drew a walk and was brought home on a Garrish homer.
The Tommies took over at 3-2 in the top of the third.

Their lead did not last long, as Air Force kept their momentum going with a trio of their own runs in the bottom of the same frame, 5-2. Kayden Bradshaw opened the inning with a double to left, stole third, and scored on a single from Niednagel. On two fielder's choices, Zapp and Garrish reached base. Both were able to score on a failed pickoff attempt by St. Thomas' catcher.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Falcons put up a seven-spot, extending into a 12-3 advantage. Oster singled and stole second to begin the frame and was joined on base by a walked Brooks Burdine. The pair pulled off a double steal before Bradshaw was hit by a pitch. With bases loaded, Niednagel singled to plate Oster, but Burdine was thrown out on the play trying to head home. A double from Zapp sent one run across the plate and put Niednagel on third. All the runners took advantage of a wild pitch and Garrish was issued a walk to reload the bases. Elmore received credit for an RBI after being hit by a pitch and Oster cleared the bags with a double to right field.

St. Thomas tacked on four runs but still trailed 12-7 in the top of the fifth inning.

Air Force continued to pull ahead in the bottom of five, adding a pair of runs, 14-7. With one out, Bradshaw flew through the bases for an inside-the-park home run after sending the ball deep into left center. Zapp reached on another fielder's choice and scored from first on a Hanoian double.

In the top of the sixth, the Tommies recorded their final runs of the day but were behind 14-11.

The Falcons maintained offensive power, scoring five runs in the sixth, 19-11. To open the inning, Van Klein singled, Burdine walked, and Bradshaw executed a bunt single to fill the bags. Dawson Thrush was credited with an RBI after being hit by a pitch, while Zapp and Hanoian walked in runs. Following a pitching change for the Tommies, Garrish and Elmore both logged RBI fielder's choices.

The top of the seventh saw AF plate their 20^th run of the game, 20-11 when Burdine scored on a single from pinch hitter Brooks Ward.\

St. Thomas scored one more run for good measure in the top of eight for a final score of 20-12.
Air Force will travel to Reno for their second Mountain West series of the season on Friday March 20-Sunday March 22 against Nevada.

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Team Stats

Kayden Bradshaw

Ben Niednagel

T.J. Oster

Brooks Ward

Players Mentioned

Kayden Bradshaw

Brooks Burdine

Ethan Dillinger

Luke Elmore

Tripp Garrish

Wyatt Hanoian

Van Klein

Easton Miller

Ben Niednagel

T.J. Oster

Aiden Poe

Davis Rhyne

Trey Rutledge

Dawson Thrush

Brooks Ward

Walker Zapp

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