Falcons Sweep Freedom Classic Series over Army in Walk Off Fashion - U.S. Air Force Academy Athletics

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KINSTON, N.C. – The Air Force Academy baseball team swept the three-game Freedom Classic series over rival Army West Point in extra inning walk off fashion, 5-4, Sunday afternoon, March 7, at Grainger Stadium. Freshman Sam Kulasingam was the hero, as his walk-off single was the game winning hit.

Walk offffffffff 🙌 pic.twitter.com/SEPRXRknOZ

— Air Force Baseball (@AF_Baseball) March 7, 2021

 
As a team, AF continued its high offensive output, collecting 11 hits as a team. Sophomore Blake Covin led the way with three knocks, while junior Gabriel Garcia had two, including a triple and an RBI.
 
On the mound, senior Ben Hauser got the win, the first of his career, after pitching a scoreless top of the tenth, with a pair of Ks. Junior Zach Argo had a solid start in a no decision, after he went the first four, only allowing one run while striking out one.
 
Also in relief, senior Joe Martinez III got out of a bases loaded jam that he acquired with a pair of Ks, while junior Nathan Price and freshman Paul Skenes, the starting DH, both tossed a pair of frames, both only allowing one run with one strikeout each.
 
The Falcons jumped out ahead in the first on an RBI double from junior Braydon Altorfer, but Army answered right back in the top of the second with an RBI double of their own to make it 1-1 early on.
 
AF got the lead back in the bottom of the third on an RBI single from Garcia, and a sac fly from senior Christian Gambale, putting the tally at 3-1, which held into the fifth.
 
In the top of the fifth, Army loaded the bases with no outs, prompting Martinez III to come on from the pen. The southpaw yielded a run on a sac fly, but used a pair of Ks to get out of the jam with the lead, 3-2, going into the midway point.
 
The Black Knights tied the game in the top of the sixth on a solo home run, but AF had the immediate answer. The Falcons loaded up the bags on two walks and a single, and senior Tommy Gillman drew the third walk of the frame to make it 4-3.
 
After a scoreless seventh and eighth, Army rallied in the ninth with an RBI fielder's choice, to knot the game at 4-4 and forcing a bottom of the ninth. Garcia tripled with two outs to put the winning run on third with two outs, but a fly out ended the threat.
 
Hauser entered in the top of the tenth, and struck out a pair in a 1-2-3 inning. In the bottom of the tenth, Skenes singled, and was pinch ran for with sophomore Trayden Tamiya. After another single, and a fielder's choice, Tamiya found himself on third with two outs. Kulasingam then played hero, ripping a single through the right side to drive in Tamiya and win the game, securing the sweep of the Service Academy rivals.
 
AF will be back in action next weekend with a pair of games down in Tucson, Ariz. against the host UA Wildcats, as well as Wichita State, March 13-14. Game one will come against the Shockers on Saturday, March 13 with a 1 p.m. first pitch.

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Falcons Sweep Freedom Classic Series over Army in Walk Off Fashion - U.S. Air Force Academy Athletics
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