USAFA, Colo. — Utah Valley dropped the series finale, 5-4, to the United States Air Force Academy on Tuesday afternoon. UVU (15-21) was led by Mason Strong, who finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Kaden Carpenter and Jimmy De Anda each recorded two hits. Zapp Walker went 1-for-3 with two RBIs for Air Force (17-18).
 
The Falcons scored in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI double against UVU starter Jordan Chancellor, who made his first career start. The right-hander pitched 2.0 innings — his longest career outing — and recorded his first career strikeout in the opening frame.
 
The Wolverines threatened in the top of the second after hits from Derek Houston and De Anda put two runners on base, but Air Force turned a double play to end the inning.
 
De Anda helped jumpstart the UVU offense in the fifth inning, doubling on the first pitch he saw. He later scored on an RBI single by Carpenter to cut the Falcons' lead to 3-1. Carpenter has now hit safely in 17 games and reached base in 18 consecutive contests.
 
Utah Valley's middle relievers held Air Force hitless through the middle innings. Chance Wallace tossed two innings, ending the fourth with back-to-back strikeouts before working out of a jam in the fifth. Cooper Littledike recorded two groundouts in the sixth before striking out Dylan Archuleta to end the inning.
 
Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, Carpenter singled and DJ Massey added a pinch-hit single to put two runners on and bring the tying run to the plate. Strong delivered two RBIs — reaching 100 for his UVU career — on a fly ball misplayed in right field that rolled to the warning track, making it 4-3 and moving the tying run 90 feet from home. UVU tied the game on a sacrifice fly from Chipper Beck.
 
Air Force regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth after loading the bases. On a squeeze attempt, the pitch bounced in the dirt and got far enough away to allow Luke Elmore to score, giving the Falcons a 5-4 advantage.
 
Houston walked to lead off the ninth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by De Anda. Air Force's Sam Hentges recorded a strikeout for the second out before intentionally walking Carpenter to put the go-ahead run on base. Massey then grounded out to end the game.
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley will host Utah Tech for a weekend series in the Old Hammer Rivalry. First pitch is scheduled for Friday, April 17, at 6:05 p.m. MT at UCCU Ballpark.