AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --- The Portland Pilots scored a season-high in runs and the potential game-tying run reached third base during the top of the ninth inning, but the Air Force Falcons held on to prevail 11-10 in a non-conference baseball game played on Wednesday afternoon at Falcon Ballpark. Portland's Beau Brundage hit his first career home run during the loss, and the Pilots tallied three triples.
 
Down 11-5 with only three innings left to play, the Pilots began to slowly chip away at the deficit to climb back into the game. Dutton Elske began the comeback with a two-out RBI triple in the top of the seventh inning. Cody Hawken then brought home Elske with a base hit to pull Portland within five.
 
Brundage kept the comeback alive in the top of the eighth with a solo home run, and the first two Pilots reached base to begin the top of the ninth inning. Pinch hitter Mike Hicks then stepped to the plate and sent a double down the left field, which scored Hawken from second and make it an 11-9 game.
 
Air Force reliever Tyler Mortensen then calmed down to register two clutch strikeouts. He wasn't so fortunate on the next hitter when a wild pitch got past the catcher, allowing Devin Kopas to score and pull the Pilots within one. But that's how the game would end as Mortensen recorded another strike-out, securing the win for the Falcons (8-9) with his second save of the year.
 
Mortenson was the ninth pitcher on the day for the Falcons, and the win went to Tucker Jacobs (1-0).
 
Portland (2-13) countered with four pitchers, with Tate Budnick (0-4) saddled with the loss. He allowed five runs in 4.0 innings, scattering seven hits. He K'd two and didn't issue a walk.
 
Relievers Christian Peters and Marty Luckenbach combined to hold the Falcons scoreless during the final 2.0 innings.
 
The Pilots jumped ahead early with two runs in the top of the first. Matt Kelly led off the game with a triple before coming home on a sacrifice fly from Elske. Ryan Hoogerwerf then provided the second triple of the inning, and he'd make it a 2-0 Portland lead when Hawken singled up the middle.
 
Air Force responded with four unanswered runs to claim the lead, but the Pilots evened the score in the top of the fifth, when Chris Arpan produced a two-run double to right center field. The Falcons then scored three in the fifth and four more in the sixth to take control of the scoreboard.
 
The Pilots next head to San Diego, Calif., to begin play in the West Coast Conference with a three-game series against the San Diego Toreros. First pitch on both Friday and Saturday is set for 6 p.m. at Fowler Park, while Sunday's finale is scheduled for 1 p.m.