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PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland senior right-hander Kyle Kraus tossed 8.0 solid innings, Owen Jones picked up the save and Cody Lenahan provided the game’s only RBI as the Pilots blanked the visiting Air Force Falcons 1-0 at Joe Etzel Field on Friday afternoon. Kraus, who now has 22 career victories, is just three wins shy of matching the all-time program mark for career wins at UP.
The Pilots improve to 8-2 on the year, while Air Force, of the Mountain West Conference, drops to 3-9.
The game’s only run came in the third inning when sophomore Nick Armenta led off with a single, advanced to second on a ground out and moved to third on a wild pitch. Then with two outs, the freshman Lenahan smacked a 2-2 fastball to centerfield, easily allowing Armenta to trot home.
That was all the run support that Kraus (2-1) would need as he allowed just three singles on the day, while striking out a pair. After yielding a lead-off single to start the top of the ninth, Kraus would give way to the closer Jones.
Jones, a senior right-hander, had no problem retiring the next three batters in order to seal the win, picking up his third save of the year. Jones has been a part of three of Portland's four shutouts this season.
Cameron White (1-2) is saddled with the tough loss after matching Kraus pitch-for-pitch for most of the afternoon. He worked all 8.0 innings, struck out five, didn’t walk a batter and surrendered six Portland hits.
Both Lenahan and senior Kris Kauppila had a pair of hits against White.
Friday was the first game of a scheduled four-game series between the Pilots and Falcons, who are set to play a double-header on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. The series concludes with the finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
UP is celebrating Military Appreciation Weekend at Joe Etzel Field, and Friday’s game was preceded by a fly over from two F-15 Eagle Jets from the 142nd Fighter Wing.
