:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70948198/BB8AE29A_26DA_4D96_AA88_987738A831D1.0.jpeg)
History makers. That’s how the 2022 Air Force Falcons baseball team will be remembered.
They were the first Falcon team to make the NCAA Tournament since 1969, winning their first game in it since 1967. Along with that, they were the first Falcon team to ever trot out a Tony Gwynn Mountain West Player of the Year and coupled it with the co-pitcher of the year in the league. Those are some pretty tough feats to beat.
It’s journey through the tournament ended on Sunday evening, but not before the Falcons made some more memories. After a 10-1 defeat to a Texas team they beat during the regular season, the teams shook hands and the crowd broke out into a “USA” chant. As the Falcons always do, they faced their opponents and listened along to their alma mater thereafter.
A 'USA' chant broke out at the Disch tonight as fans show their respect for @AF_Baseball.
— Jeff Barker (@JeffBarker_) June 6, 2022
A great weekend of baseball in Austin ends with Texas beating Air Force 10-1 to punch a ticket to the Super Regionals #HookEm
LHN pic.twitter.com/1DTEwIHUQi
During the postgame press conference, Coach Mike Kazlausky brought all his lieutenants to the podium, setting up for a long and unique setup.
Air Force brought all of its lieutenants to the postgame press conferences following its season-ending loss to Texas. pic.twitter.com/yF1bRsUXDI
— Danny Davis (@aasdanny) June 6, 2022
The Falcons made a lot of fans in Austin this weekend.
Air Force’s tournament hopes stayed alive earlier in the day with a back-and-forth battle against Louisiana Tech. It looked bad early.
Trailing by a score of 4-0 through two innings, Air Force tallied on two runs in the third. In the fifth, they added another and in the sixth two more to take a one-run lead.
Battling like that was nothing new to Air Force though. It’s what they’ve done all season.
The next two innings would go back-and-forth as when Air Force took a lead, Louisiana Tech would respond. That was until Jake Greiving had a say.
In both the seventh and eighth innings he would hit home runs, soaring the Falcons to a 9-7 victory. The win would seal the most wins since 1964 for an Air Force team in the NCAA baseball tournament.
Jake with the encore, Falcons retake the lead!
— Air Force Baseball (@AF_Baseball) June 5, 2022
: https://t.co/RljF8L7tAe#AmericasTeam I #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/HTx8Y0jwNl
The win set them up for another matchup with Texas but it didn’t go as expected. Texas put up a five-spot in the first inning and cruised from there.
Memories and fans were made but the mark this baseball team has put on the academy will be there forever. Here’s to hoping for some more next season.
Loading comments...