Baseball: Academy takes series over South Dakota State

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PUEBLO, Colo. (AFPN) --  Chay Derbigny went four-for-five with three runs including the game-winning RBI as the U.S. Air Force Academy baseball team rallied from 5-1 and 8-7 deficits for an 11-8 win over South Dakota State March 16 at Hobbs Field in Pueblo. 

The Falcons won their first series of the season and improved to 7-9 with clutch hitting and relief pitching performances for the second consecutive game against the Jacks. 

Trailing 7-3 in the fifth inning and the bases loaded, Air Force cleanup hitter Addison Gentry hammered a changeup over the right field fence for a grand slam that tied the game up. 

After SDSU re-took the lead in the top of the sixth with a two-out RBI single, the Falcons came right back with four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to jump ahead 11-8. Derbigny singled up the middle on a drawn-in infield to knock in Ben Ausbun and Jake Allen to put the Falcons ahead 9-8. The Falcons tacked on two more runs to make it 11-8. 

Relievers Colin Shepherd (1-0) and Michael Ruvolo combined to hold SDSU to just one run over the final four innings. Shepherd picked up the win, allowing one run on one hit in three innings. Ruvolo picked up his third save of the season, and second in as many games, after retiring all six batters faced out in two innings of work. The Jacks went down 1-2-3 in the last three innings. 

The Falcons had 14 hits on the day, led by Derbigny's four hits and two RBIs. Gentry went three-for-five with two runs and six RBI. Nathan Carter added three hits and two runs scored. The Air Force also swiped five bases on the day with Carter stealing three and Derbigny swiping two. 

Air Force held an early 1-0 lead, but SDSU scored five in the fifth inning, highlighted by six consecutive hits in the inning. The Falcons rallied with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 5-3 game. 

The Falcons return to action March 18 hosting Colorado Christian at Falcon Field.

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