Air Force Powers Past Nevada, 18-5

RENO, Nev., - Air Force (8-12, 4-1) delivered a dominant performance to take the second game over Nevada (13-7, 4-1), 18-5, on Saturday afternoon at Don Weir Field. The Falcons totaled 17 hits, while pitchers Gaines Estridge and Trey Rutledge combined for five strikeouts.

Estridge threw 4.1 innings in his sixth start of the season, allowing four earned runs with two strikeouts. Rutledge earned his second win of the season, tossing a career-high 4.2 scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts.

At the plate, Brooks Burdine went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, while Kayden Bradshaw also drove in four runs. Shortstop Ben Niednagel added three RBIs.

Air Force jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Bradshaw led off with a single and Niednagel followed with a walk. Back-to-back RBI doubles from Wyatt Hanoian and Tripp Garrish plated three runs. Garrish later advanced to third on a wild pitch and stole home during a rundown involving Landon Boyd.

Nevada responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit to 4-2.

The Falcons extended their lead to 8-2 in the third, scoring four runs. Garrish singled and stole second before Luke Elmore added a single and T.J. Oster walked to load the bases. Burdine delivered a two-RBI single, and after a pitching change, Bradshaw drove in two more.

Nevada added two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to make it 8-5.

After three scoreless innings, Air Force pushed the lead to 10-5. With Boyd and Oster in scoring position, Burdine reached on an infield single to load the bases. Bradshaw brought in two runs with a sacrifice bunt and squeeze play.

The Falcons broke the game open in the eighth, scoring four runs to make it 14-5. Garrish singled, Boyd walked, and Oster was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Burdine was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Bradshaw added an RBI on a fielder's choice, and Niednagel drove in two with a double down the left field line.

Air Force added four more runs in the ninth to secure the 18-5 victory. Hanoian was hit by a pitch and replaced by Blake Campbell, who advanced on a Garrish single. An error by Nevada's left fielder loaded the bases, and Oster delivered a two-RBI single. Burdine capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Air Force will face Nevada in a rubber match on Sunday March 22 at 12 p.m. PT/1 p.m. MT to close the Mountain West series.

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Team Stats

Tripp Garrish

Brooks Burdine

Kayden Bradshaw

Ben Niednagel

Players Mentioned

Landon Boyd

Kayden Bradshaw

Brooks Burdine

Blake Campbell

Luke Elmore

Gaines Estridge

Tripp Garrish

Wyatt Hanoian

Ben Niednagel

T.J. Oster

Trey Rutledge

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