Baseball: Air Force loses pitchers battle to Gonzaga Published March 1, 2007 By Nick Arseniak U.S. Air Force Academy Assistant Sports Information Director LEWISTON, Idaho (AFNEWS) -- Despite Alex Truesdale taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning, Air Force baseball struggled again with its hitting, falling 3-1 to Gonzaga March 1 at the S.P.O.R.T. Banana Belt Tournament at Harris Field. Air Force (4-8) was held to just four hits in the ballgame and sent just three batters to the plate in six consecutive innings from the third through eighth innings. Gonzaga (6-8) starter Josh Monroe held the Falcons to just two hits while striking out nine in seven innings pitched. Bulldog reliever C.J. McClure picked up his second save of the season pitching the final two innings. In his first-career start, Truesdale kept the Gonzaga hitters at bay till late in the game. The freshman gave up his first hit in the fifth inning on a leadoff double by Mark Castellitto. Castellitto later came around to score on a wild pitch in the inning. Truesdale gave up three runs on five hits in 8.1 innings pitched, striking out four in the process. Freshman Michael Ruvolo also pitched two-thirds of an inning of scoreless relief for the Falcons. Gonzaga scored its second run of the game in the eighth inning as pinch-runner Michael Rhodes scored on a successful suicide-squeeze bunt by Evan Wells. The Bulldogs added a third run in the ninth as Dustin Colclough doubled off the wall in left to score Darin Holcomb. Air Force snapped its six consecutive hitless innings in the fifth as Shea Hall led off the inning with a single deep in the hole at short and Karl Bolt getting an infield single to third. Hall later came around to score on a ground out by Addison Gentry. The ballgame, which was originally slated to start at 11 a.m, did not start till 11:30 due to snow and hail. There was also a 15 minute snow delay midway through the second inning. The Falcons return to action with two games in two sites March 2. The Falcons take on Lewis-Clark State at 2 p.m. PST in Lewiston and then travel to Pullman, Wash., to take on Washington State at 7 p.m. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) Click here to view the comments/letters page