The Air Force Falcons baseball team lost to Navy 5-3 on Friday at Founders Park in Columbia, South Carolina. This game marked the start of Salute the Troops Weekend. The Falcons, now holding a 2-3 record for the season, recorded five hits during the contest.
Sophomore pitcher Gaines Estridge made his second start of the year and threw a personal-best seven innings, tallying 10 strikeouts. Despite his efforts, he was charged with the loss after allowing three runs. Davis Rhyne appeared in relief and gave up one run, while Joey Collier closed out the game with 1.2 innings and three strikeouts in his first outing of the season.
Landon Boyd contributed offensively by going 1-for-3 with a two-run home run—his second homer this year—and driving in two runs. Christian Taylor added an RBI single.
Navy built an early lead in the second inning with a home run, an RBI triple, and an RBI single to make it 3-0. They extended their advantage to 4-0 in the fifth inning with an RBI fielder’s choice.
Air Force responded in the bottom of the sixth inning when Brooks Burdine walked, stole second base, and scored on Taylor’s full-count RBI single. Boyd then hit a two-run homer to reduce Navy’s lead to one run at 4-3.
Estridge finished his outing by striking out all three batters he faced in a perfect seventh inning. In the eighth, Ben Niednagel reached third base but was thrown out attempting to steal home. Navy added another run in the ninth for insurance.
Joey Collier entered with one out and bases loaded in the ninth and struck out two batters to prevent further damage.
The Falcons are scheduled to continue Salute the Troops Weekend against Army Black Knights on Saturday at Founders Park. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET (3 p.m. MT).
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