COLORADO SPRINGS (Interstat) — Nick Lewis pitched seven innings of no-hit baseball and Washington State parlayed an early offensive burst into an 11-2 victory over Air Force on Friday at Falcon Baseball Field.

Lewis, a sophomore right-hander, struck out six and allowed two earned runs. He was backed by a 13-hit attack as the Cougars improved to 26-23. The Falcons, who collected eight hits, fell to 23-23. Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Air Force 6, Washington State 5, and its ELO system gave the Falcons a 56.30 percent probability to win, but the Cougars seized control in the third inning.

Washington State opened the scoring in the first inning. After a popout, Gavin Roy was hit by a pitch and advanced to second when Max Hartman reached on a fielder’s choice and a throwing error by Air Force shortstop Ben Niednagel. Matt Priest singled to left-center, scoring Roy. Ryan Skjonsby then singled to bring home Hartman, giving the Cougars a 2-0 lead before Skjonsby was picked off.

The Cougars broke the game open in the third. Smith singled, Roy was hit by a pitch and Hartman beat out a bunt single to fill the bases. Priest was hit by a pitch to force in Smith, and Robinson reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Roy. Skjonsby then lined out to shortstop, but Hartman scored on a throwing error by Niednagel, extending the lead to 5-0.

Air Force answered in the bottom of the third. Taylor doubled and scored on Walker Zapp’s double to center, cutting the lead to 5-1. In the fifth, Niednagel homered to deep right field, his fifth of the season, making it 5-2.

Washington State added a run in the sixth. Robinson walked, stole second and scored on Skjonsby’s single to center. The Cougars then pulled away in the seventh. Northrop tripled to left-center and scored on Roy’s triple to deep center. Hartman doubled to bring in Roy, and the margin grew to 8-2.

The Cougars scored three more in the eighth. Skjonsby was hit by a pitch, Ben walked, and both executed a double steal. Skjonsby scored on a throwing error by catcher Zapp, and the runners moved up. Roy singled to center to score Ben, and Hartman singled to bring home Smith, making it 11-2.

August Richie pitched the final two innings, allowing no hits and striking out one.

Offensively, Hartman finished 3 for 5 with two RBIs. Priest and Skjonsby each went 2 for 3 and 2 for 4, respectively, with two RBIs apiece. Roy was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two hit-by-pitches. For Air Force, Zapp went 3 for 4 with an RBI, and Niednagel had two hits including the home run.

Washington State came into the game after a 10-5 loss at Gonzaga on Monday, while the Falcons had won two of three at New Mexico last weekend. The series continues Saturday with the second game of the three-game set, then concludes Sunday. Washington State returns home to face Seattle on Tuesday, and Air Force travels to Oregon State for a three-game series beginning Thursday.