U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Air Force shortstop Ben Niednagel drove in five runs, including highlighting an eight-run fifth inning with a grand slam, to lead the Falcons to a 15-2, seven-inning nonconference baseball victory over South Dakota State on Wednesday afternoon at Erdle Field.

The defending Mountain West Conference regular season champion, Air Force improved to 5-12 overall. SDSU dropped to 1-11 on the season.

Niednagel gave Air Force the lead for good with an RBI triple in the third inning, a frame in which all four Falcon hits off SDSU freshman Drew McDowell went for extra bases. Walker Zapp plated Niednagel with the Falcons’ second double of the inning and Tripp Garrish capped the four-run inning with a two-run home run to right field.

Zapp and Garrish each added another run-scoring hit in the fourth inning before the Falcons sent 12 men to the plate against three different SDSU pitchers in the eight-run fifth that pushed the Falcons’ lead to 15-1 and put the 10-run rule in effect. The first three batters of the inning all walked and Chase Spencer reached on an infield single before Niednagel launched a Brady Hawkins offering over the fence in right-center field for a grand slam and first home run of the season. Zach Peters and T.J. Oster also plated runs in the frame.

The Jackrabbits tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the third inning as Colin Gibson scored on the back end of an errant pickoff attempt. Tyson Kogel knocked in the other run for SDSU with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Zapp was 3-for-3 to lead Air Force’s 13-hit attack. The Jackrabbits’ six hits were scattered among six different players.

Falcon starter Cranz Smelcer struck out six over four innings and was credited with the win.

For SDSU, Dylan Richey made his season debut in a starting role and allowed one run on two hits, striking out three in two innings. Seven other Jackrabbit pitchers saw mound duty in the team’s final tuneup before league play.

Notes

• Air Force leads the all-time series, 14-7.
• Freshman Nolan Grawe extended his hitting streak to nine games.
• Luke Luskey drew a walk in the sixth inning and has now reached base in all 12 games this season and 18 in a row dating back to late in the 2024 season.
• Owen Siegert batted leadoff for the first time in his collegiate career and upped his hitting streak to five games with a third-inning single.
• Mason Lang recorded his first career hit with a single in the sixth inning
• Richey made his first appearance since May 25, 2023.
• Jude Sundquist pitched a scoreless sixth inning and has not allowed an earned run in his four relief appearances this season.

Up next

The Jackrabbits open Summit League action with a three-game weekend series at Northern Colorado. Friday’s series opener is slated for 3 p.m. CDT at Jackson Field in Greeley, Colorado.