Falcons split doubleheader with Northern Colorado

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GREELEY, Colo. (AFPN) --  The Air Force Academy baseball team (5-14) split a midweek doubleheader with the University of Northern Colorado (13-8) on March 16 at Jackson Field here. The Bears took the first game, 15-2, and then the Falcons snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 17-9 win in the second game.

In Game One, UNC scored all 15 of its runs in the first three innings to cruise to an easy run-rule shortened five-inning game. The Bears scored five runs in the first inning and eight in the third. Pat O'Neil improved to 3-0 with a four-hit complete game effort. Falcons starter Paul Vignola fell to 1-3 as he lasted just one inning in the contest.

Ryan Symons led the way for Northern Colorado with three of the team's 14 hits. The Bears hit six doubles in Game One.

Josh Wolfram, Reid Lamson, Karl Bolt and Colton Walter had the Falcons' four hits.

In Game Two, Air Force snapped out of a nine-game funk, exploding for 16 hits in a 17-9 win. Nathan DeRohan had his second five-hit game of the season, going 5-for-5, with three runs scored, a double and two RBIs.

After staking UNC to three runs in the first, AFA roared back with three runs in the second inning and six in the third to take a 9-4 lead. Northern Colorado chipped away at the lead making it an 11-8 ballgame headed into the sixth inning. The Falcons had one more big inning left in them as they scored six more runs in the seventh and final inning.

Dale Kasel had his finest game as a Falcon, going 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs. Jason Brown also had his best game for Air Force, going 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBIs. Geno Salazar and Travis Fugler also had two hits for the academy, with Salazar hitting a double and a three-run triple in the seventh inning.

The winning pitcher for Air Force was Jeff Tetrault, who improved to 1-1 on the season. Falcon starter Ken Hodgson lasted just two innings, giving up four runs, two earned with one strikeout. Losing pitcher for UNC was Matt Tucker (0-1), who also lasted just two innings, giving up seven runs.

Air Force returns to action March 19, opening Mountain West Conference play at San Diego State University. The game is the first of eight games in 10 days for the Falcons, who head to San Diego and Las Vegas for their spring break baseball trip.