Falcons Clinch Series over Nevada with 17-12 Finale Win

RENO, Nev., - Air Force (9-12, 5-1) clinched the series over Nevada (13-8, 4-2) with a finale win of 17-12 at Don Weir Field. With their second Mountain West series win of the season, the Falcons move into first in the conference standings. The Bird batters totaled 14 hits on the day while the pitchers combined for six strikeouts.

Tripp Garrish and Wyatt Hanoian led offensively, with a trio of hits and four RBIs apiece. Walker Zapp logged two hits for three runs batted in, while Kayden Bradshaw, Ben Niednagel, Luke Elmore, T.J. Oster, and Cole Jenkins recorded at least one RBI.

In his first start of the season, Jordan Watkins threw 2.2 innings with a strikeout and five earned runs allowed. Ethan Dillinger tossed 1.1 relief innings, striking out a pair of batters and giving up one run. Following a three-run appearance for Davis Rhyne, Marcus Downing went one scoreless inning on the mound. Junior Sam Hentges (1-0) earned his first win of the season for his strikeout and run allowed on the bump. To close, Easton Miller threw two strikeouts for a scoreless bottom of the ninth.

Early in the top of the first, the Birds took a 2-0 lead. With one out, Ben Niednagel drew a walk and advanced on a Wyatt Hanoian single up the middle. Both runners scored when Tripp Garrish sent a double out to shallow left field.

The Wolf Pack responded with a pair of their own runs to level the board at 2-2.

Air Force put up a six-spot, 8-2, in the top of two. Leadoff batter, Boyd, opened with a triple and was joined on base by a walked T.J. Oster, who then stole second. With one away, Kayden Bradshaw recorded an infield single to third that sent Boyd across the plate. A walk to Niednagel loaded the bases for an RBI single from Walker Zapp. Back-to-back RBI hits by Hanoian and Garrish plated a trio of runs, before a Bradshaw RBI groundout scored the final run of the frame.
In the bottom of two, Nevada scored one run, 8-3.

The Pack made it a one-run game, 8-7, before Dillinger got out of the frame with a looking strikeout in the bottom of the third.

Nevada scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull ahead 11-8.

The Falcons made it a one-run game but still trailed, 11-10, in the top of six. Walks and a wild pitch for Bradshaw and Niednagel put runners in scoring position. Zapp sent a sacrifice fly to right while Hanoian marked an RBI groundout to send both Falcons across the plate.

The visitor's seventh saw the Birds reclaim the advantage at 14-11. After Elmore singled and Boyd walked, the pair executed a double steal before Oster loaded the bags on a walk. Pinch hitter, Cole Jenkins, enabled one run to score with a single to centerfield. Bradshaw and Zapp recorded sacrifices while Niednagel doubled to plate three.

Garrish logged the only homer of the series for Air Force to extend their lead in the top of the eighth. Elmore made it to second on a walk and a stolen base and was brought home with an Oster single for a 16-11 lead.

Air Force closed the top of the ninth at 17-11 after Zapp singled, stole second, and scored on a Hanoian single.

The Pack responded with one run for a final score of 17-12, in the bottom of the last frame.

The Falcons will be back in action for a rematch with Oral Roberts on Wednesday March 25 at 6 p.m. CT/5 p.m. MT in Enid, Okla.

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