Starter Doyle Gehring didn't allow a run over seven innings while a four-run Air Force 3rd inning was enough to stave off elimination, as the Falcons took down Dallas Baptist 5-1.
Gehring was outstanding yet again, allowing just three hits over seven shutout innings. Over his last two starts, the sophomore has managed 20 strikeouts, allowing just one run over 14.1 innings. Trayden Tamiya drove in the first run of the ballgame in the 2nd, a RBI single that followed consecutive two-out base hits from Braydon Altorfer and Jay Thomason.
Gehring ran into a bit of trouble in the 3rd, as a single, a walk, and a sac bunt resulted in runners in scoring position with just one out. However, Gehring induced a pair of fly outs to escape the jam.
The Falcons wasted no time in their half of 3rd, as Sam Kulasingam launched his 12th home run of the season to leadoff the inning. Air Force now leading 2-0, Blake Covin reached one batter later with a bunt single and was brought home by Paul Skenes, who lifted his 13th long ball of the spring over the left field fence, extending the Falcons advantage to 4-0.
The rally wouldn't be halted, as Jake Greiving singled and Altorfer drew a free pass, all still with one out. Thomason, who was 3-4 with three singles, line a base-hit into right center to score Greiving, as the Falcons had suddenly built a 5-0 lead.
Including the final out of the 3rd, Gehring proceeded to retire 10-consecutive batters heading into the 7th. The Patriots did threaten in that 7th inning, leading off the frame with back-to-back singles. A productive out moved both runners into scoring position while a sacrifice fly brought home DBU's first and only run of the game.
Even so, Gehring kept the damage to a bare minimum, ending the inning with a grounder to shortstop Aerik Joe.
Factoring in the Falcons 3rd inning, which saw two runners left on base, Air Force stranded eight runners over the final seven innings, but the Falcons pitching made it a moot point. CJ Dornak relieved Gehring to begin the 8th and proceeded to toss two shutout innings to close the ballgame.
Dornak has been a revelation for the Falcons this postseason, owning 4.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts in three appearances.
The win marks the Falcons first Regional win since 1967, also giving Air Force 31 wins this season, the most victories in a single season in program history.
Air Force will play the loser of tonight's Texas-Louisiana Tech matchup in another elimination game on Sunday, June 5, with first-pitch scheduled for 12:00 pm MT.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up