March 3, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Air Force (2-3) vs. Colorado Christian (7-8)/Southern Utah (4-3)
Wednesday, March 4 - vs. Colorado Christian - 2 p.m. (MST) - Falcon Field - USAFA, Colo.
Friday, March 6 at Southern Utah (DH) - 12 p.m. - Thunderbird Park - Cedar City, Utah
Saturday, March 7 at Southern Utah (DH) - 12 p.m. - Thunderbird Park - Cedar City, Utah
Live Stats/Radio:
Live stats and radio available for CCU game at goAirForceFalcons.com.
Additional Radio Link: http://www.usafa.org/KAFA.aspx
The Coaches:
AF: Mike Hutcheon (Wayne State (Neb.), 1984) is 53-211 in his 6th year at Air Force and 292-351 in his 15th year as a head coach.
Colorado Christian: Robb Pegg (Vanguard Univ., 1997) is 40-113 in his fourth year at CCU .
Southern Utah: David Eldredge (BYU, 1984) is 98-132 in his sixth year at SUU and 224-210 overall.
Series:
vs. CCU - Air Force leads the series 6-0.
vs. SUU - Southern Utah leads, 11-8
Last Meeting:
vs. CCU - Air Force won both meetings last year vs. CCU.
vs. SUU - Air Force went 1-2 in a three games set, March 24-25, 2006, at Runyon Park in Pueblo, Colo.
Last Time Out:
Air Force: Lost at Charleston Southern, 3-1, on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Colorado Christian: Lost at New Mexico Highlands, 1-0, on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Southern Utah: Defeated Utah Valley, 9-5, on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Falcons To Host Colorado Christian; Travel To Southern Utah
The Air Force baseball team plays five games in four days from March 4-7. The Falcons play host to Colorado Christian on Wednesday, March 4 and then travel to Cedar City, Utah, for back-to-back doubleheaders March 6-7 at Southern Utah. Live stats and radio will be available for the CCU game.
Scouting The Falcons
Air Force enters the week with a 2-3 overall record. The Falcon split their two games last weekend at Charleston Southern, taking game one on Friday, 2-0 and losing Saturday 3-1. The Falcons also played a second game Saturday with Charleston Southern, but the game was called due to rain in the top of the fifth with AFA leading 12-6. The Sunday game was also rained out.
Scouting Colorado Christian
Colorado Christian enters the week with a 7-8 overall record. The Cougars are led offensivly by junior first-baseman /DH Michael Cavazos, who is batting .481 with three homers and 24 RBIs. CCU's top pitcher is senior RHP Bud Wilborn , who is 3-1 with a 2.86 ERA in 22 innings pitched. Colorado Christian is batting .357, fielding .965 and has a team ERA of 8.12.
Scouting Southern Utah
Southern Utah is 5-4 entering Tuesday. The Thunderbirds are led offensively by senior outfielder Nick Freitas, who is batting .441 with three homers and 17 RBIs. SUU's top pitchers is junior right-hander Steve Johnson, who is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings pitched. Southern Utah is batting .332 as a team, fielding .972 and has a staff ERA of 5.01.
Series History vs. Colorado Christian
- Air Force is 6-0 all time against Colorado Christian.
- The two team s first played on Feb. 4, 2006, with the Falcons sweeping a doubleheader, 5-0 and 2-1.
Air Force-CCU series history
2/4/06 AF, 5-0 H
2/4/06 AF, 2-1 H
3/7/07 AF, 8-3 A
4/17/07 AF, 13-0 H
4/8/08 AF, 9-8 H
4/29/08 AF, 14-3 H
Series History vs. Southern Utah
- Air Force is 8-11 all time against Southern Utah.
- The two team s first played on March 31, 1984, a 16-7 Southern Utah win.
- SUU has won five of the last six meetings.
Air Force-SUU series history
3/31/84 SUU, 16-7 N
3/4/94 AF, 13-11 H
3/23/99 AF, 12-10 A
3/24/99 SUU, 12-13 A
3/36/02 SUU, 3-14 A
3/27/02 SUU, 0-9 A
2/14/03 SUU, 1-3 A
2/14/03 AF, 3-0 A
2/15/03 SUU, 5-6 A
2/15/03 AF, 9-2 A
2/14/04 AF, 9-5 H
2/15/04 AF, 15-12 H
2/4/05 AF, 8-2 A
2/4/05 SUU, 11-12 A
2/5/05 SUU, 9-11 A
2/5/05 SUU, 4-7 A
3/24/06 SUU, 2-7 H
3/25/06 AF, 3-0 H
3/25/06 SUU, 1-14 H
Last Meeting vs. Colorado Christian
The Air Force baseball team hit four home runs, two by Chay Derbigny and coasted to a 13-4 win over Colorado Christian in non-conference action April 29, 2008, at Falcon Field.
Derbigny led the Falcons' 18-hit attack, going 4-for-5 with a triple and his third and fourth homers of the season. In addition, the senior drove in five runs and scored three.
Addison Gentry hit his fifth homer of the year and Matt Alexander his seventh of the season. Gentry also went 2-for-4 on the day with his 15th double of the season. Alexander was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
The Falcons had 10 extra-base hits in the game. Daniel Walker also had a solid day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with his seventh triple of the season and a double.
Falcon starter Brad Pingel (3-3) earned the win with a predetermined four innings of work, striking out three. The freshman lefty did not allow a hit until the fourth inning. Colin Shepherd also threw well for Air Force, allowing just one run in three innings of relief. Matt Barattino worked the eight and Jeff Abt the ninth in relief of Pingel and Shepherd.
Colorado Christian had nine hits on the day. Bud Wilborn homered in the eighth inning for CCU and Brett Myatt and Daniel Castillo had two hits apiece. Cougar starter Cameron Corbett (2-4) took the loss, allowing eight runs in 1.1 innings of work. CCU used seven pitchers on the day.
Air Force batted around in the first inning, highlighted by a two-run homer to left by Derbigny to score five runs. Alexander homered in the second to highlight a three run second. The Falcons pushed the lead to 9-0 with a run in
Colorado Christian plated two runs in the fourth. Derbigny and Gentry then hit back-to-back homers in the bottom-half of the inning. Air Force scored runs in the fifth and seventh innings as well.
Last Meeting vs. Southern Utah
Air Force split its baseball doubleheader with Southern Utah on March 25, 2006, at Runyon Field. The Falcons took game one, 3-0, while the Thurnderbirds took game two 14-1.
In the first game, freshman Jake Petro and senior Paul Vignola combined to toss a three-hit shutout in Air Force's 3-0 win. Petro tossed six scoreless innings, scattering three hits to improve to 2-0 on the year. He did not walk a batter while striking out five. Vignola tossed a scoreless seventh to pick up his fifth save of the season.
Larry Ellenbrook (2-2) took the loss for Southern Utah, allowing seven hits and three walks in the complete game effort.
Air Force broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the sixth, when freshman Brad Madison beat out a chopper to third baseman Greg Marshall with the bases loaded to score sophomore Matt Ghigna from third. Sophomore Chay Derbigny then followed with a bunt single down the third base line to score senior Matt Musser. Senior Dustin Smith immediately followed with a single to left that scored sophomore Austin Ferreria.
Madison and Derbigny led the Falcons in game one with two hits apiece.
In game two, Southern Utah took advantage of a big second and fifth inning to roll to a 14-1 win. The Thunderbirds scored four runs in the second, two in the third and eight in the fifth.
Southern Utah starter Matt Wilson (1-2) went five innings for the win, holding the Falcons to six hits, one run, while striking out three. Air Force starter sophomore Josh Meents (0-1) took the loss, allowing four runs in 1.2 innings of work. The Falcons also used five relievers in the game.
The Thunderbirds had 12 hits in the game, as Charlie Hahl, Amos Burgess, Robbie Richards and Chester Wilson had two hits apiece. Hahl and Richards both drove in four runs.
Air Force had seven hits in the game, led by junior Karl Bolt, who was 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Senior Price Paramore also doubled to score Bolt in the fourth.
Recapping The Charleston Southern Series
Friday Game Recap: Air Force baseball Junior Alex Truesdale and freshman Aaron Kurcz combined to toss a 2-0 shutout win over Charleston Southern Friday afternoon at Buccaneer Ballpark.
This was Truesdale and Kurcz's second combined shutout on the season, as Air Force blanked Navy, 2-0, to open the season last Friday. Truesdale (2-0) pitched eight innings, allowing eight hits, while striking out seven. Kurcz came into another tight spot in the ninth, but retired all three batters faced to pick up his second save of the season.
Truesdale has be unscored upon in 15.2 innings pitched so far this season and has pitched 20.2 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to the 2008 season. Kurcz has been unscored upon in his three appearances this year.
Despite being held to five hits, the Falcon offense did just enough to pick up the win. Matt Alexander and Jack Lupo, Air Force's three-four hitters in the lineup, combined for all five hits. Alexander went 3-for-4 and Lupo 2-for-4.
With Truesdale and Charleston Southern starter Anthony Markham locked into a classic pitchers' duel, the first run of the game did not come until the sixth inning. Alexander singled to get on base and then came around to score on a double by Lupo, combined with an error by the left fielder, to put the Falcons up one.
Air Force added an insurance run in the eighth by taking advantage of another CSU miscue. K.J. Randhawa drew a walk and then reached second on a botched pickoff attempt. Alexander then made the Buccaneers pay with an RBI-single to score Randhawa.
Saturday Game Recap: The Falcons dropped a 3-1 game at Charleston Southern Saturday morning at Buccaneer Ballpark. Game two of the doubleheader was suspended due to rain in the top of the fifth inning with the Falcons leading 12-6.
In game one, the Falcon offense stuggled to get things going and was held to three hits. The loss spoiled a solid pitching performance by senior Jake Petro. Petro gave Air Force five innings, holding the Buccaneers to two hits and one run while striking out three.
Charleston Southern broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the seven inning game. Reliever Aaron Kurcz (0-1) took the loss for the Falcons, allowing both runs in the sixth.
Charleston Southern reliever Tyler Thornberg picked up the win with two innings of shutout relief. CSU starter Charlie McCready held the Falcons to two hits and one run in five innings pitched.
The Buccaneers took advantage of a Falcon error in the first to go ahead by one early in the game. Air Force responded in the fourth when Daniel Walker hit an RBI-single to score K.J. Randhawa, who started the inning with a walk.
In the sixth, a two-run double by Brantley Meier pushed Charleston Southern ahead and ultimately decided the game.
Three Games Already Rained Out
Air Force has already had three games rained out so far in 2009. Air Force's game against Memphis was rained out on Feb. 21 and two games at Charleston Southern were rained out over the weekend. Air Force will get one of the rainouts back as the uncompleted second game of last Saturday's doubleheader will be resumed on March 26 in Charleston.
Truesdale Off To Fast Start
Junior right-hander Alex Truesdale is off to a hot start in 2009. Truesdale has won both of this starts this year, defeating Navy and Charleston Southern. In a conference-leading 15.2 innings pitched, Truesdale has not allowed a run. The Austin, Texas, native has not allowed a run in his last 20.2 innings pitched, dating back to the 2008 season.
Top Pitching Staff in MWC
Air Force currently has the top pitching staff in the Mountain West Conference with a league-leading 2.84 ERA. The Falcons have already shutout two opponents in 2009 and have allowed five or fewer runs in four of the five games.
Offense Looking To Wake Up
The bats have been slow to awaken from the offseason as the Falcons are batting just .167 through the first five games of the season. The Falcons have six or fewer hits in four of its five games.
Defense Playing Well
Air Force enters the week with a solid .973 fielding percentage, ranking second in the conference. The Falcons are currently ahead of the school record .957 fielding percentage set by last years' team and the 1979 team.
Falcon Baseball On Radio
Air Force baseball home games will be broadcast on 97.7 KAFA radio, the cadet run radio station at the Air Force Academy. KAFA's first Air Force baseball broadcast is slated for the March 4 game with Colorado Christian. The full broadcast schedule will be posted on the website.
Alexander On Preseason All-MWC Baseball Team
Air Force junior designated hitter Matt Alexander was named to the 2009 Mountain West Conference Preseason All-Conference Team.
Alexander batted .306 last year as a sophomore, leading the Falcons with seven home runs. He was second on the team with 45 RBIs and a .529 slugging percentage. In one of the best single-game performances in school history, Alexander went 6-for-7 in a game last year against Doane College. In that game, Alexander hit for the cycle, hit two triples and drove in 11 runs. The 11 RBIs and 14 total bases are conference records.
Major League Bloodlines
Air Force has two sophomores, both from the East Bay region of Northern California, with brothers on Major League Baseball Spring Training rosters. Third baseman Vai Schierholtz has a brother, Nate, who is an outfielder with the San Francisco Giants. Outfielder Nathan Carter has a brother, Chris, who is an outfielder for the Boston Red Sox. Schierholtz batted .320 in 19 games for the Giants in 2008. He was also a member of the U.S. Olympic baseball team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and also played in the 2008 MLB All-Stars Futures Game. Carter batted .333 in nine games for the Red Sox in 2008. The elder Carter played his college ball at Stanford.
Up Next
The Falcons travel to Northern Colorado on Tuesday, March 10 for a mid-week game. Air Force then opens MWC play at New Mexico, March 13-15.
