Falcons Rally For 10-9 Senior Day Walk-Off Win over Washington State

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Washington St.	0	0	0	3	2	0	3	0	1	9	14	0
Air Force	0	3	0	0	0	1	0	1	5	10	13	0

Washington St.

Air Force

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Falcons (24-24, 15-9) closed out their final home game and Mountain West regular season game in dramatic fashion, walking off Washington State (27-24, 15-9), 10-9, on senior day at Erdle Field. Air Force totaled 13 hits while the pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts.

Prior to first pitch, Air Force honored its six-man senior class: Landon Boyd, Joey Collier, Tripp Garrish, Ben Niednagel, T.J. Oster and Walker Zapp. All six will report to pilot training following graduation. The class helped guide the Falcons to 99 wins during their careers and contributed to several historic program milestones, including a trip to the 2023 Mountain West Championship game, the program's first Mountain West regular season title in 2024 and a berth in the 2026 Mountain West Championship Tournament.

"I am so proud of our seniors," expressed head coach Mike Kazlausky. "To show the grit, resiliency, and determination to never be out of the fight and have the warfighter mentality to finish after being down four runs in the ninth. I am proud of our warriors, who won their last home game in dramatic fashion and our new lieutenants will take that warfighter spirit to protect our nation. We are America's Team!"

At the plate, Luke Elmore led the Falcons with two hits and four RBIs. In his final game at Erdle Field, Oster added two RBIs, while freshman Wyatt Hanoian delivered the game-winning walk-off single and finished with two RBIs of his own.

Jordan Watkins earned the Sunday start, tossing four innings while matching his career high with four strikeouts. He allowed five earned runs. Sam Hentges followed with 2.1 innings of relief, striking out two and surrendering three runs. Patrick Davidson (2-0) earned the victory after allowing one run and striking out three over the final 2.2 innings.

For the first time in the series, Air Force struck first. In the bottom of the second, Christian Taylor and Garrett Hutchins delivered back-to-back singles with two outs before Elmore launched a 417-foot three-run homer to deep left field, giving the Falcons an early 3-0 advantage.

Washington State responded by tying the game, 3-3, in the fourth before taking a 5-3 lead in the fifth inning.

The Falcons cut into the deficit in the sixth. With two outs, Garrish doubled and later scored when Taylor lined an RBI single to right field, making it 5-4.

The Cougars extended their lead to 8-4 in the seventh, but Air Force answered in the eighth when Hanoian blasted a solo home run to trim the deficit to 8-5.

Washington State added an insurance run in the top of the ninth to move ahead 9-5, but the Falcons saved their best rally for last.

Taylor opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, and Hutchins followed with a walk. Elmore drove in a run with a single to left center before Boyd was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Oster then ripped a two-run single to cut the deficit to one, and Niednagel tied the game at 9-9 with a clutch double. After the Cougars intentionally walked Zapp to reload the bases, Hanoian lined a single into right center field to complete the comeback and send the Falcons off with a walk-off victory in their final home game of the season.

Air Force and will travel to Corvallis, Ore., for a non-conference series against No. 10 Oregon State from May 14-16.

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