Air Force Academy

March 27, 2009

Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Air Force dropped a wild, 13-11 baseball game at The Citadel Friday afternoon at Riley Park. The Falcons fall to 8-15 on the season, while the Bulldogs improved to 12-9.

Air Force erased a 9-4 Citadel lead with a seven-run seventh inning. Matt Alexander capped-off the inning with a three-run homer that put the Falcons up 11-9.

The lead was short lived as the Bulldogs rallied with four runs in the eighth inning to pull back ahead 13-11. The Citadel closer Drew Mahaffey then struck out the side in the ninth to shut the door on the Falcons, picking his first save of the season.

The game was a marathon affair, taking three hours and 52 minutes to complete.

Raymond Copenhaver (1-1) picked up the win in relief for the Bulldogs. Citadel starter Asher Wojciechowski went four innings, allowing four runs while striking out six.

Air Force reliever Aaron Kurcz (1-3) took the loss, allowing the go-ahead run on a two-run homer to Richard Jones in the eighth. It was Jones' second home run of the day. Falcon starter Jake Petro went 4.1 innings, allowing six runs while striking out three. Michael Ruvolo, Andrew Loyd, Mike Kazakoff and Jason Griggs also pitched in relief.

The Falcons had 15 hits in the game. Alexander led the way, going 4-for-6 with five RBIs. Daniel Walker also had a solid day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Blair Roberts, Addison Gentry and Adam Hill added two hits each for the Falcons.

Air Force got on the scoreboard first with a run in the second inning. The Citadel scored four in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 4-1. The Falcons scored a run in the third and four in the fourth to tie the game up. The Bulldogs then scored two in the fifth and three in the sixth to go ahead 9-4 before the wild seventh and eighth innings.

Air Force and the Citadel resume the four-game series tomorrow, March 28. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.