THE RUNDOWN
DBU saw their 2022 season come to a close in a 5-1 loss to Air Force on Saturday afternoon at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas. A four-run third inning for the Falcons proved to be the difference as the Patriots (34-24-1) managed just one run on three hits.

Air Force (31-28) began the scoring in the bottom of the second inning when a two-out RBI single from Trayden Tamiya put the Falcons on the board.

In the top of the third, DBU let a golden opportunity slip through their grasp when the Patriots left the bases loaded. Air Force responded with a solo home run from the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, Sam Kulasingman, on the second pitch of the inning to put the Falcons up 2-0.  Three batters later, Paul Skenes left the yard with a two-run blast to left to extend the Air Force lead to four. Jay Thomason capped off the inning with a single to right-center that plated the fourth run for the Falcons in their half of the third.

DBU would not scratch a hit over the next three innings off of Air Force starter Doyle Gehring before a Cole Moore lead-off single in the seventh. Following a Blayne Jones base hit, George Specht ground out to the right side to put runners at second and third. With one out and two runners in scoring position, Luke Heefner lined out to center and Moore raced home to score, sliding past the tag at home to put the Patriots on the scoreboard.

That would prove to be the only run of the day for the Patriots as DBU was unable to put a runner on base over the last two innings against Air Force's CJ Dornak.

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 
- With the win, Air Force wins their first NCAA postseason game since 1967.                     
- Doyle Gehring allowed just one run over 7.0 innings and threw a season-high 116 pitches.
- Luke Eldred worked 2.0 scoreless innings in the final outing of his career.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 
40 - DBU saw their streak of seven consecutive 40-win seasons come to an end. The Patriots were the only team in the nation to post seven straight years of 40 wins or more.
3 - Three Patriot seniors in Luke Eldred, Blayne Jones, and Peyton Sherlin saw their storied careers come to a close today.
1 - The one run for DBU matches their lowest run total of the year. They also scored just one run against Texas A&M on April 19.

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