Air Force Rallies in 20-10 Run-Rule Comeback, Niednagel Hits for the Cycle

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
San Jose State	2	0	1	5	1	1	0	0	10	13	0
Air Force	0	0	0	1	8	4	3	4	20	18	3

San Jose State

Air Force

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force baseball (19-20, 10-6) continues to soar at Erdle Field after erasing an early eight-run deficit and exploding for 20 runs on 18 hits to defeat Mountain West foe San Jose State (17-22, 8-12), 20-10, in a run-rule victory. The Falcons matched season highs in both runs and hits, fueled by senior Ben Niednagel's cycle and sophomore Garrett Hutchins' two-home run, six-RBI performance. Air Force also totaled eight strikeouts on the mound to improve its dominance at home.

Niednagel finished 4-for-6 and completed the cycle while driving in five runs and scoring four times. Hutchins was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two home runs and six RBIs, including his first career homer. Tripp Garrish added a three-run homer, while Kayden Bradshaw and Walker Zapp each contributed long balls of their own.

On the mound, Gaines Estridge made the start and allowed six earned runs over 3.2 innings. Aiden Poe (3-1) earned the win after tossing 2.2 innings with four strikeouts, while Sam Hentges closed the game with 1.2 hitless, scoreless innings and four strikeouts.

San Jose State came out swinging, building an 8-0 lead through the top of the fourth inning.

Air Force got on the board in the bottom half of the frame when Bradshaw worked a leadoff walk and Niednagel followed with a double. Wyatt Hanoian brought home the Falcons' first run on an RBI groundout to make it 8-1.

The Spartans added another run in the fifth to push the lead to 9-1, but the Falcons answered with one of their biggest innings of the season.

Luke Elmore opened the bottom of the fifth with a single and Landon Boyd was hit by a pitch before Hutchins launched his first career home run, a three-run shot, to spark the rally. Bradshaw followed with a solo homer, and after Niednagel singled, Hanoian drove him in with an RBI double. Garrish then crushed a three-run homer to even the score at 9-9.

SJSU briefly reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth, but Air Force responded immediately to take a 13-10 lead. Boyd and Hutchins singled, and Bradshaw drew a walk to load the bases. Following a Spartan pitching change, Niednagel ripped a bases-clearing triple into left-center to give the Falcons their first lead of the day and later scored on a groundout by Zapp.

The Falcons added three more in the seventh. Boyd drew a leadoff walk before Hutchins launched his second homer of the day, a towering 468-foot blast over left-center. Later in the inning, Zapp added a solo shot down the left field line to extend the lead to 16-10.

Air Force sealed the 20-10 run-rule victory with four more runs in the eighth. Elmore doubled, stole third, and scored on a Boyd single. Hutchins followed with an RBI double before Niednagel completed the cycle in dramatic fashion with a two-run home run to end the game early.

The Falcons and Spartans continue the series Saturday, April 25, with first pitch set for 1 p.m. MT at Erdle Field.

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