Where good news shines

Air Force first baseman Sam Kulasingam was named the Mountain West Conference’s Tony Gwynn Player of the Year for the second straight season Thursday.

Kulasingam was also named to the all-conference first team, one of five Falcons to receive all-conference nods. The Holly Springs, N.C., native was the first Falcon in program history to be recognized as conference player of the year a season ago. Now he becomes one of four athletes in history to ever repeat the feat.

The Air Force junior led the Mountain West in batting average (.411), hits (92), on-base percentage (.523), runs scored (67) and doubles (26). Kulasingam also had a 51-game on-base streak during the regular season and reached base in 55 of the Falcons’ 56 games.

Kulasingam was named to the All-Mountain West first team alongside senior second baseman Trayden Tamiya and junior third baseman Jay Thomason. Senior pitcher Jacob Sansing and sophomore pitcher Sawyer Hawks were named to the all-conference second team.

Kulasingam also broke Air Force’s single-season record for most walks with 45. That record was previously held by Falcons head coach Mike Kazlauksy.

In the Mountain West tournament, Air Force, the reigning conference tournament champ, will play the winner between No. 1 seed San Jose State and No. 4 seed Fresno State. The semifinal is 7 p.m. Friday.

(“Colorado Sunshine” celebrates the good news in sports. Suggestions encouraged through Denver Gazette sports editor Paul Klee at paul.klee@gazette.com.)

Air Force slugger Sam Kulasingam.

Carson Field, The GazetteCarsonFieldcarson.field@gazette.com
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