SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Interstat) — The Air Force Falcons opened their season with a commanding 15-3 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions in a nonconference baseball game Friday night at Scottsdale Stadium, defying pregame projections in a contest defined by opportunistic offense and defensive miscues.

Entering the game, statistical models favored Penn State with a 57.1% probability to win. That advantage evaporated quickly as Air Force capitalized on a series of Penn State errors to build an insurmountable early lead, finishing with 14 hits to Penn State’s four.

The Falcons broke through in the fourth inning, turning a narrow contest into a rout. With the game still scoreless, Braydon Burdine walked, stole second and advanced to third on a bunt single by Luke Elmore. Kade Bradshaw then delivered an RBI single to left field to plate the first run. A bunt single by Brady Niednagel loaded the bases, and a fielder’s choice grounder by Sam Oster brought home a second run. The inning unraveled further for Penn State when a throwing error by catcher Nate Voss allowed a third run to score, and another throwing error, this time by relief pitcher Kyle Emmons, let a fourth run cross the plate, staking Air Force to a 4-0 lead.

Air Force extended its advantage with three more runs in the fifth, highlighted by an RBI single from Bradshaw and a double steal that saw Elmore swipe home. The Falcons added two unearned runs in the sixth on a two-run double by Elmore, taking advantage of a Penn State fielding error, and three more in the seventh, all unearned, following a throwing error by shortstop J.T. Marr.

The most important sequence of the game, however, belonged to Penn State in the bottom of the seventh. Trailing 12-0 and facing reliever Aiden Poe, the Nittany Lions mounted their only sustained offense. Kevin Karstetter walked and Voss was hit by a pitch before Justin Turcovski lined an RBI single to center, breaking up the shutout. A wild pitch advanced the runners, and a groundout by Bobby Mercado scored Voss. J.T. Davis followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Turcovski, cutting the deficit to 12-3 and providing a brief spark for the home team.

Air Force immediately quashed any notion of a comeback by responding with three runs in the top of the eighth. Walks loaded the bases for Wyatt Hanoian, who cleared them with a two-run double. He later scored on an RBI single by Burdine, restoring the Falcons’ 12-run cushion.

Falcons starter Gaines Estridge earned the win with six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out four. Penn State starter Jaden Fitzgerald took the loss, charged with four runs, two earned, over 3 1/3 innings. Five Nittany Lions relievers combined to allow 11 runs, only three of which were earned, as the defense committed five errors.

For Air Force, Elmore led the way, going 4-for-6 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Bradshaw added two hits and three RBIs, while Hanoian drove in two runs and scored three times.

Penn State’s three runs came on just two hits in the seventh inning, with Turcovski, Mercado and Davis each recording an RBI.

With the win, Air Force begins its season 1-0, while Penn State starts 0-1. The Falcons continue play in the Scottsdale tournament Saturday against Iowa. Penn State will face Grand Canyon on Saturday.