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Air Force Baseball Completes Four-Game Sweep Of Portland

March 20, 2011
Air Force Baseball Completes Four-Game Sweep Of Portland With 10-2 Win Sunday

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force baseball completed a four-game series sweep of Portland with a 10-2 win Sunday at Falcon Field.  The Falcons have now won five of their last six and improve to 11-10, while the Pilots fell to 8-10.  Air Force completed its first series sweep of an opponent since 2003 and has its first four-game winning streak since 2002.

The Falcons continued to get solid starting pitching, with junior left-hander Michael Ceci (2-3) going six innings, holding Portland to two runs for his second win of the season.  The AFA bullpen was even more dominant, as Matt Zettler, Alex Baker and Stephen Colangelo pitched scoreless innings each to close out the game.

The Falcon bullpen had an outstanding weekend as the group did not allow a single run in the four-game series.

After allowing a run in the second, the Falcons put up two runs in the second to lead 2-1.  The Falcons added two runs in the third, four in the fourth and one in the fifth to pull ahead 9-2.  Air Force also added a run in the eighth.

The Falcons had 15 hits in the game.  Blair Roberts led the offense, going 4-for-5, with two runs and two RBIs.  Garrett Custons, Alex Bast, Vai Schierholtz and Matt Thorne had two hits each for the Falcons.  Custons, Bast and Schierholtz also scored two runs each and Seth Kline and Matt Thorne had two RBIs each.

Portland starting pitcher Mat McCallister (0-2) took the loss, allowing eight runs in 3.1 innings pitched.  The Pilots had nine hits in the game.  Craigh Smith, Matt Mardesich and Kris Kauppila had two hits each.
The Falcons return to action Tuesday, March 22, beginning a two-game set at Wichita State.

Nick Arseniak
Athletic Communications
U.S. Air Force Academy

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