Air Force baseball pounded out a season-high 23 hits to roll to a 22-5 win over Colorado Christian (16-23) in non-conference play Wednesday afternoon at Falcon Field. The Falcons matched the season-high’s for most runs and hits in a game by a Mountain West team so far this season. The Falcons run their season-best winning streak to four games and improved to 19-21.
Air Force jumped on CCU with four runs in the first and seven in the second to take a 11-0 lead after two innings. The Falcons also added a six-run fifth inning. Air Force scored in seven of the eight innings it batted in.
Eight players had multi-hit days for the Falcons, as the team also combined for 11 extra base hits. Rob Dau went 3 for 4 with two runs and four RBIs. Dau extended his hitting streak to 27 games, which is tied for the longest active hitting streak in the nation.
Ashton Easley hit three doubles, scoring two and driving in four. Jacob Booker also had a three-hit day, two runs and two RBIs. Travis Wilkie homered and freshmen Cole Blatchford and Michael Kolesar hit back-to-back homers.
Nic Ready, Tyler Zabojnik, Blatchford, Kolesar and Wilkie had two hits. Ryan Robb and Drew Wiss scored three runs each.
Senior Joe Kicart (3-0) pitched three scoreless innings in the start. Kicart held CCU to one hit and struck out four, earning the win in the predetermined three innings. John Byrnes, Steven Plaskett, Josh Leaser, Jeff Gerlica and Tucker Jacobs pitched in relief. Junior Karter Cook also made his collegiate debut with a scoreless inning of relief.
Colorado Christian had seven hits on the day. Austin Maltby went 2 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs. Dillon Mctague added three hits. Cougar starting pitcher Joey Loranger (4-4) allowed four runs in one inning of work.
The two teams combined to use 46 players and 16 pitchers in the game.
Air Force returns to action Friday, April 27, at Fresno State.
