Box Scores: Game 1 I Game 2

Video Highlights

 
The Pilots, who also topped the Falcons on Friday, improve to 10-2 on the year, while Air Force drops to 3-11. It’s the third time in program history to start a season 10-2 for the Pilots, who also began 2010 by winning 10 of their first 12 games.
 
After Kyle Kraus got the win on Friday, Portland turned to a pair of freshman starters on Saturday, and both Radke and Watts delivered. Radke, a left-hander, stifled the Air Force bats for most of the first game as he tossed five innings of no-hit ball.  Garrett Custons had the Falcons’ first hit of the game in the sixth inning, a two-run homer that tied the score at two.
 
Radke would settle down from there and get out of the inning before giving way to the bullpen.
 
The Pilots responded immediately with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. It was freshman Cody Lenahan to come through once again, registering the go-ahead RBI single. His base hit up the middle scored pinch runner Chet Thompson, while Caleb Whalen also scored on the play courtesy a throwing error to give the Pilots a 4-2 lead.
 
Portland added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning when Kris Kauppila tagged a single down the right field line with the bases loaded.
 
UP relievers J.R. Bunda and Jones picked up on the hill where Radke left off, with both pitchers holding the Falcons scoreless. Bunda fanned two in an inning and a third, and Jones struck out three in 1.1 innings to register his fourth save.
 
Radke (3-0) finished with five K’s in 6.0 innings, and he allowed just two hits.
 
Michael Ceci (1-3) takes the loss for Air Force after getting charged with four of Portland’s runs. He struck out one and allowed nine hits. The Falcons used three relievers following Ceci.
 
It was Portland’s Ben Grubb who broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-run home run to left field, his second long fly of the year.
 
The Pilots out-hit the Falcons in the first game 15-3, while Air Force committed two errors. Kauppila, Nick Armenta, Brian Frattali, Turner Gill, Grubb and Lenahan each had two hits.
 
Watts (1-0), a right-hander, picked up his first career win after lasting 5.0 innings in game two. He also fanned five and allowed just one hit.
 
Portland scored first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Whalen brought home Armenta on an infield single to hand the Pilots the early lead. Air Force starter Ben Bertelson then got Beau Fraser to ground into an inning-ending double play to avoid further damage.
 
The Falcons were able to tie the score with a run in the very next inning. David Thomas led off the inning with a double before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt. Thomas would then score on a ground out to second base before Watts got out of the inning with a strikeout.
 
Portland would score the game’s only other run in the bottom of the fifth inning, and it would prove to be the game-winner. Zack McCoy led off with a double to right-center field and was pushed to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bo Cornish. The next batter was Kauppila, who came through with a fly to right field that allowed McCoy to trot home and give the slim 2-1 edge to Portland.
 
The UP bullpen took over from there, with Keeler Brynteson, Kurt Yinger, Brandon Snyder and Jones again each holding the Falcons in check. Brynteson got out of a runner on third with one out situation in the top of the sixth when he struck out two Air Force hitters to end the inning.
 
Jones entered the game with two outs and a runner on first base in the bottom of the ninth inning and promptly picked his third straight save and fifth on the season.
 
Bertelson (0-3) went the distance for Air Force, striking out six, walking two and allowing six hits.
 
Portland and Air Force are next scheduled to play the series finale of this four-game set at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.