Tuesday, April 21
UFCU Disch-Falk Field | Austin, TX
5:30 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
at
University of Texas
Air Force Takes on No.4 Texas on Tuesday
4/20/2026 2:31:00 PM | Baseball
AUSTIN, Texas., - The Falcons (18-20) make their return to Austin as they gear up to face their first ranked opponent of the season, #4 Texas (30-8) at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday April 21 at 6:30 p.m. CT/5:30 p.m. MT.
MEDIA
Live Stream – SEC Network+
Live Stats – StatBroadcast
Radio – Longhorn Network Radio
Twitter - @AF_Baseball
Tickets
ALL-TIME VERSUS TEXAS
Texas and Air Force have met 7 times between 2022-2024, with the Longhorns holding the 6-1 record. In 2022, the Falcons played a two-game midweek series in Austin and won the first ever matchup, 14-2. Later in the season, Air Force earned a slot in the Austin Regional where they faced Texas twice and dropping 10-1 in the final. Most recently, the Falcons fell twice to Texas in 2024.
PITCHING MATCHUP (ERA)
RHP Bowen Brantingham (9.31) vs. RHP Michael Winter (4.70)
PROBABLE STARTERS (OPS)
AIR FORCE RANKED NATIONALLY
Stolen Bases - 9th (114)
63rd Tripp Garrish (18)
Stolen Bases/Game - 8th (3.00)
Runs - 22nd (334)
33rd Tripp Garrish (47)
Scoring - 15th (8.8)
OB% - 41st (.411)
10th Wyatt Hanoian (.533)
BA - 48th (.299)
Doubles - 33rd (84)
Doubles/Game - 27th (2.21)
BEN MEANS BUSINESS
C1C Ben Niednagel earned a spot on the 2026 Brooks Wallace Award Watchlist, recognizing the nation's top 100 shortstops, and has backed it up with standout play for the Falcons this season. A steady presence both offensively and defensively, the senior ranks second on the team with a .333 batting average while posting a .482 slugging percentage. His production includes 10 doubles, one triple, three home runs, and 16 stolen bases. Niednagel also put together the longest hitting streak by any Falcon this year at 14 games and has tallied 13 multi-hit performances.
During the Nevada series, Niednagel stayed hot at the plate, recording a double in every game while totaling five hits and five RBIs. He carried that momentum into the series finale at San Diego State, scoring two runs with a double and an RBI. In Air Force's recent outings against Utah Valley and Grand Canyon, he batted .400, tallying seven runs scored off eight hits.
HANOIAN STAYS HOT
Wyatt Hanoian has been a mainstay in the lineup, starting all 36 games he's appeared in while emerging as one of Air Force's most productive bats. The freshman owns the highest average on the team at .371, totaling 37 runs, 46 hits, and 34 RBIs. He also leads the Falcons with a .573 on-base percentage (ranked 10th in the country), drawing the most hit-by-pitches and the second-most walks on the team. Hanoian currently holds the longest active reached-base streak at 26 games and leads the team with 14 multi-hit performances.
During the UNLV series, Hanoian made a major impact, driving in seven runs while scoring six times. He stayed productive at Nevada in the designated hitter role, tallying five RBIs and four runs.
At Tarleton State, Hanoian paced the team with a .357 batting average, collecting five hits and three RBIs across the series. He capped off his stretch with a flawless performance in the series finale at San Diego State, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Against Fresno State, Hanoian batted .533 with eight hits and eight runs to mark the best OB% of .632. Over the five games this past week, he collected a BA of .385 with five hits, two of which were extra bases.
CATCH US IF YOU CAN
The Birds have been a major threat on the bases this season, averaging 3.00 stolen bases per game for a total of 114, ranking eighth in the nation.
In games two and three at Nevada, Air Force stole nine bases in both games for a season high. The current program record for steals in a single game is 12. So far, the Falcons have stolen five or more bases in 12 different games and are on track to break the Academy season-record, which sits at 122 and was set in 1978 and 1979.
Tripp Garrish leads in stealing with 18, while Ben Niednagel follows close behind with 16. Kayden Bradshaw has stolen 14 while Luke Elmore accounts for 12.
STARTING SLOT
Set to start against Texas is Bowen Brantingham. He has taken four starts with six total appearances. Across his 19.1 innings on the mound, he has struck out 21 batters and allowed 20 earned runs for an ERA of 9.31. So far, his season-best performance was 4.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts against South Carolina. In his most recent start in Enid, Okla., against Oral Roberts, the junior went 2.2 innings with no earned runs and a trio of strikeouts.
RELIABLE RELIEVERS
Marcus Downing has proved to be a strong reliever for the Falcons, with the lowest ERA of 3.86 in 23.1 frames. He has struck out 17 batters and allowed ten earned runs to hold the winningest record of any AF pitcher at 5-0.
Junior Sam Hentges has thrown 14.2 innings of strong relief, logging 17 Ks and nine runs off nine hits for a 5.52 ERA.
A LOOK AT TEXAS
The No. 4 Longhorns are 30-8 on the 2026 season and have compiled an SEC mark of 11-6. They took series wins over #5 Auburn, #8 Oklahoma, and #11 Alabama.
The team is batting .303, ranked 38th in the nation, and have outscored opponents 311-142. Aiden Robbins leads at the plate, posting the highest average at .368 with 56 hits and 41 RBIs.
Defensively, Michael Winter whom the Falcons will face on Tuesday, has taken on start out and made six appearances out of the pen. He's totaled an ERA of 4.70 over 7.2 innings with nine Ks. As a team, the Longhorns mark a team ERA of 3.41.
MEDIA
Live Stream – SEC Network+
Live Stats – StatBroadcast
Radio – Longhorn Network Radio
Twitter - @AF_Baseball
Tickets
ALL-TIME VERSUS TEXAS
Texas and Air Force have met 7 times between 2022-2024, with the Longhorns holding the 6-1 record. In 2022, the Falcons played a two-game midweek series in Austin and won the first ever matchup, 14-2. Later in the season, Air Force earned a slot in the Austin Regional where they faced Texas twice and dropping 10-1 in the final. Most recently, the Falcons fell twice to Texas in 2024.
PITCHING MATCHUP (ERA)
RHP Bowen Brantingham (9.31) vs. RHP Michael Winter (4.70)
PROBABLE STARTERS (OPS)
- Kayden Bradshaw, CF (.951)
- Ben Niednagel, SS (.926)
- Wyatt Hanoian, RF (1.106)
- Walker Zapp, C (.836)
- Tripp Garrish, DH (1.005)
- Luke Elmore, 1B (.820)
- Christian Taylor, LF (.597)
- Cole Jenkins, 3B (.960)
- T.J. Oster, 2B (.868)
AIR FORCE RANKED NATIONALLY
Stolen Bases - 9th (114)
63rd Tripp Garrish (18)
Stolen Bases/Game - 8th (3.00)
Runs - 22nd (334)
33rd Tripp Garrish (47)
Scoring - 15th (8.8)
OB% - 41st (.411)
10th Wyatt Hanoian (.533)
BA - 48th (.299)
Doubles - 33rd (84)
Doubles/Game - 27th (2.21)
BEN MEANS BUSINESS
C1C Ben Niednagel earned a spot on the 2026 Brooks Wallace Award Watchlist, recognizing the nation's top 100 shortstops, and has backed it up with standout play for the Falcons this season. A steady presence both offensively and defensively, the senior ranks second on the team with a .333 batting average while posting a .482 slugging percentage. His production includes 10 doubles, one triple, three home runs, and 16 stolen bases. Niednagel also put together the longest hitting streak by any Falcon this year at 14 games and has tallied 13 multi-hit performances.
During the Nevada series, Niednagel stayed hot at the plate, recording a double in every game while totaling five hits and five RBIs. He carried that momentum into the series finale at San Diego State, scoring two runs with a double and an RBI. In Air Force's recent outings against Utah Valley and Grand Canyon, he batted .400, tallying seven runs scored off eight hits.
HANOIAN STAYS HOT
Wyatt Hanoian has been a mainstay in the lineup, starting all 36 games he's appeared in while emerging as one of Air Force's most productive bats. The freshman owns the highest average on the team at .371, totaling 37 runs, 46 hits, and 34 RBIs. He also leads the Falcons with a .573 on-base percentage (ranked 10th in the country), drawing the most hit-by-pitches and the second-most walks on the team. Hanoian currently holds the longest active reached-base streak at 26 games and leads the team with 14 multi-hit performances.
During the UNLV series, Hanoian made a major impact, driving in seven runs while scoring six times. He stayed productive at Nevada in the designated hitter role, tallying five RBIs and four runs.
At Tarleton State, Hanoian paced the team with a .357 batting average, collecting five hits and three RBIs across the series. He capped off his stretch with a flawless performance in the series finale at San Diego State, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Against Fresno State, Hanoian batted .533 with eight hits and eight runs to mark the best OB% of .632. Over the five games this past week, he collected a BA of .385 with five hits, two of which were extra bases.
CATCH US IF YOU CAN
The Birds have been a major threat on the bases this season, averaging 3.00 stolen bases per game for a total of 114, ranking eighth in the nation.
In games two and three at Nevada, Air Force stole nine bases in both games for a season high. The current program record for steals in a single game is 12. So far, the Falcons have stolen five or more bases in 12 different games and are on track to break the Academy season-record, which sits at 122 and was set in 1978 and 1979.
Tripp Garrish leads in stealing with 18, while Ben Niednagel follows close behind with 16. Kayden Bradshaw has stolen 14 while Luke Elmore accounts for 12.
STARTING SLOT
Set to start against Texas is Bowen Brantingham. He has taken four starts with six total appearances. Across his 19.1 innings on the mound, he has struck out 21 batters and allowed 20 earned runs for an ERA of 9.31. So far, his season-best performance was 4.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts against South Carolina. In his most recent start in Enid, Okla., against Oral Roberts, the junior went 2.2 innings with no earned runs and a trio of strikeouts.
RELIABLE RELIEVERS
Marcus Downing has proved to be a strong reliever for the Falcons, with the lowest ERA of 3.86 in 23.1 frames. He has struck out 17 batters and allowed ten earned runs to hold the winningest record of any AF pitcher at 5-0.
Junior Sam Hentges has thrown 14.2 innings of strong relief, logging 17 Ks and nine runs off nine hits for a 5.52 ERA.
A LOOK AT TEXAS
The No. 4 Longhorns are 30-8 on the 2026 season and have compiled an SEC mark of 11-6. They took series wins over #5 Auburn, #8 Oklahoma, and #11 Alabama.
The team is batting .303, ranked 38th in the nation, and have outscored opponents 311-142. Aiden Robbins leads at the plate, posting the highest average at .368 with 56 hits and 41 RBIs.
Defensively, Michael Winter whom the Falcons will face on Tuesday, has taken on start out and made six appearances out of the pen. He's totaled an ERA of 4.70 over 7.2 innings with nine Ks. As a team, the Longhorns mark a team ERA of 3.41.
Players Mentioned
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/ BaseballFalcons finish series sweep against Utah Valley
Tuesday, April 14
Falcons Ten Run Utah Valley 17-7 on Monday
Monday, April 13
Falcons finish series sweep vs Fresno State
Sunday, April 12
8th inning rally gives Falcons win over Fresno State
Saturday, April 11
