Air Force baseball: 1-0

February 18th, 2011, 8:09 pm · 19 Comments · posted by Frank Schwab

Maj. Mike Kazlausky is full of energy most days. On the day he became 1-0 as a head college baseball coach he was predictably excited, but didn’t want any credit.

Air Force beat Missouri State 7-2 today at the Texas State Tournament at San Marcos, Texas in the 2011 season opener.

“I’m ecstatic,” Kazlausky said. “Not for myself, though. It’s for the kids. They worked so hard. I’m glad they tasted victory.”

Kazlausky expects to have a good pitching staff, and Evan Abrecht delivered six solid innings and three relievers each pitched a scoreless inning. The offense provided enough support. Senior outfielder Nathan Carter was 3-for-5 with a double, triple and five RBI. Sophomore outfielder Alex Bast went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. His home run capped off a five-run fifth inning for the Falcons.

Kazlausky, who is the interim coach for the 2011 season, took over a program that hadn’t experienced many wins in recent seasons. He replaced Mike Hutcheon, who was 78-287 as Air Force’s coach. Kazlausky said he didn’t have to plead with his players to believe they could win.

“It wasn’t a hard thing to do because expectations are high for these kids,” Kazlausky said. “At the Air Force they don’t say ‘Fly, fight and compete,’ they say ‘Fly, fight and win.’”

He said the players’ confidence is high. But the Falcons don’t have long to enjoy the win. They play Nebraska on Saturday.

“There’s energy, there’s enthusiasm,” Kazlausky said. “It’s great today, but it might change tomorrow. But these kids will compete, hustle and have fun.”

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About this blog …

I'm Frank Schwab, Air Force beat reporter for The Gazette. I've been at the paper since 2003, and covered the Broncos for seven seasons. I covered the University of Wisconsin in the late 1990s, so I'm well versed in running football teams (Ron Dayne) and defensive basketball teams (Dick Bennett). I love to chat on www.twitter.com/GazetteAirForce, and will respond to comments and emails at frank.schwab@gazette.com.

For more coverage, visit The Gazette's Air Force Academy Sports page

T.J. says:

February 18, 2011 at 10:03 pm

Thank goodness Maj. Kazlausky has spent more than half of his 19 years of active duty coaching baseball at AFA. I mean who wouldn’t stay in with that kind of boondoggle on the table?

The Bird says:

February 18, 2011 at 11:05 pm

TJ,

I’ll take an operational Air Force officer, pilot, and Academy grad over a bumbling, incompetent, fraud of a coach whom he replaced anyday.

“Fly, Fight, and Win” is all you need to read from the above article to know he should have been the head coach five years ago.

Air Force Baseball has been “born again”!

MKL says:

February 19, 2011 at 9:15 am

TJ-
Qustioning the service of someone who’s worn the uniform as long as Maj. Kazlausky has? How classy of you!!!
Did you ever consider what kind of influence he might have had over a future generation of officers over all that time?

February 19, 2011 at 9:27 am

I did consider the kind of influence that provides a future generation of officers … “we’ll give you a lifetime pension at age 42 whether you spent that time deploying overseas again and again, or whether you spent over half that time coaching baseball.” Again, boondoggle.

Actually I might be ok with it if each year spent coaching only counted as half a year towards retirement.

Chuck says:

February 19, 2011 at 11:29 am

tj, Why are you a hater, the man has earned everything he has or will have. I can guarantee you Coach Kaz will influence these young future AF officers in positve ways you can’t imagine.

bluefan says:

February 19, 2011 at 12:30 pm

T.J. you have no idea what you are talking about, I am not a Kaz fan nor do I care for the decision to make hiim coach. But I do respect his military service, He spent most of carrer flying cargo airplanes which are constantly overseas (war or peace) more than any other aircraft. He only was in the Athletic Dept, 6 years as a coach, during which he had regular duties such as instruction, and recruitment of officer canidates. coaching is 2nd for military assistants at the academy. He also Flew planes and instructed the entire time to keep up his pilot status. Stop hating, he has earned his military carrer and it should not be questioned unless you have the couragee to do it to his face not a message board.

February 19, 2011 at 1:00 pm

Hey TJ,

How do you feel about the permanent professor academic department heads at AFA huh? Who’s next on your list, the chaplains?

You wanna define “boondoggle”? Look no further than the AD who between cadet time, active duty time, and civilian time has spent almost FORTY, that’s right (40) years drawing a check from AFA?

These cadets are starving to mentor with operational Air Force officers who have credibility and have lived the “real Air Force”. Kaz adds value that cannot be purchased at any price. Especially in a time of war when these young people will be sent out into the fray very soon.

How would you feel about “Colonel Troy Calhoun” ?!?!?!?!? Is LtGen Mike Gould on a “boondoggle” as a “university president”.

Respect Kaz’s service, don’t value judge it!!!!

Al says:

February 19, 2011 at 9:17 pm

Fans don’t get distracted here…the key factor is that the previous coach who never should have been given the opportunity in the first place is at least not coaching anymore. That was a disgusting period in AF athletics. At least it is over.

February 19, 2011 at 9:35 pm

Al,

Agree with what you say above but there is still a huge problem with the previous coach still interacting with the cadets as a PE teacher at AFA. Until he is removed, “it’s” not over.

He was/is a bad example for the cadets period. It doesn’t matter whether he was on the D-1 baseball field or in the cadet gym. The problem was simply shifted, not eradicated.

February 20, 2011 at 12:22 pm

The Bird, considering that Troy Calhoun spent 4 of his 6 years on active duty coaching football at AFA, I think even less of his service.

Cap says:

February 21, 2011 at 10:06 am

TJ,
You’re an idiot. AF had 13 wins last year, 3 against D2 teams and 3 against UNC/SD. I would put a 2-2 tournament record and a win over a Pac 10 team up very high on AF athletics list of accomplishments. As far as service, Kaz has flown in to battle and had his life on the line. What is your resume, idiot.

February 21, 2011 at 10:42 am

I’m sure in TJ’s long and distinguished military career (wink, wink), he came to realize that military members do not choose their assignments . . . they receive ORDERS. They’re welcome to make their preferences known, but ultimately, it’s the needs of the service that dictate where they go and what they do.

Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion on what sorts of jobs military officers should be doing. Disagree with the system if you want, but only a profound moron would ridicule the service of someone who has served for so long (or at all for that matter), regardless of the manner of their service.

Frank Schwab says:

February 21, 2011 at 4:40 pm

So let me get a composite sketch of what you guys want from a coach: Someone who doesn’t use any of their military service years coaching, yet not a civilian either because he/she needs to know the Air Force way. And he has to be a consistent winner, and not to the lowly depths of, say, taking on a CBI basketball tournament bid. So, pretty much, you want someone that is in his/her early 40s as an Air Force retiree, hasn’t coached a day in his life, but has to come in on day one and post winning records in the Mountain West Conference.

I’m gonna pass this along to Hans Mueh, it’s totally rational.

February 21, 2011 at 7:02 pm

MKL, I’m well aware that servicemembers receive “orders.” As far as that goes, I consider AFPC complicit in allowing a commissioned officer to spend 10+ years COACHING BASEBALL. If that constitutes the needs of the service than the AF needs to slash the size of its officer corps asap.

February 21, 2011 at 7:49 pm

This should be about all the hard work the players have put in since September, and the hard work and time the coaches have put in and how the players have responded. Coach Kaz put together a great staff with knowledge, energy, and leadership. It’s baseball, with coaches who care about the players, and players who want to be there. In addition like Kaz always says, “it’s more than about on the field at AF”.

February 22, 2011 at 12:20 pm

…AFA batted .296 for the weekend, had an ERA of 4.89 and fielded .943.

Amazing what a group of real coaches can accomplish. Keep it up guys.

GO FALCONS!!!

ECK says:

February 25, 2011 at 12:24 am

Commitment+Integrity=Winner (Kaz and the AF Players)
Go Falcons!

March 20, 2011 at 5:39 pm

Is there chatter or articles somewhere on AF baseball that I’m missing? They are 10-10 and will start league this Friday, 3/25. After winning at a 24% clip last year, we could be on the verge of something just short of a miracle.

uvery brno says:

November 12, 2011 at 5:44 pm

uvery brno…

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