The hits just keep on coming for the Air Force baseball program.

On Friday afternoon, shortly before the Falcons lost their fifth straight game – to San Diego State, 14-9, in 10 innings at Falcon Field – the academy issued a release announcing that seven players had been suspended indefinitely from the team for violations of academy standards.

Two of those players – senior pitcher Michael Ruvolo and sophomore outfielder Blair Kessler – were kicked off the team more than two weeks ago. The Gazette confirmed their removal from the roster with baseball coach Mike Hutcheon on March 26.

They were included in the release, however, because the incidents that led to their dismissals were related to the suspensions of the other five players: senior first baseman Addison Gentry and four freshmen – outfielder John Bramble, catcher Travis Lane and infielders Ethan Loosen and Caleb Spengler.

Citing the Privacy Act of 1974, Air Force’s release stated no academy personnel would comment on the specifics of the suspensions and The Gazette could not get an on-the-record explanation.

The disciplinary actions provided yet another distraction for Hutcheon’s troubled program, which again is struggling. With their loss Friday, the Falcons fell to 7-22, including 1-5 in Mountain West Conference play. In seven seasons under Hutcheon, Air Force is 72-267 and 13-141 in the MWC.

Roster upheaval is nothing new for the program. Upon his arrival prior to the 2004 season, Hutcheon was given instructions by athletic director Hans Mueh to clean house, and The Gazette identified 31 players from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 teams who either quit or were cut by Hutcheon.

But the turnover has continued in recent years.

In 2009 a pair of former starters – then-sophomore Vai Schierholtz and then-junior Daniel Walker – left the team during the season, and after the season four more players were cut. Then in August, two juniors decided to stop playing. Their departures left Air Force with just one junior on its roster – and there had been 14 members of the Class of 2011 on the roster when they were freshmen.

The Falcons lost a pair of key contributors in Ruvolo and Gentry. Ruvolo had pitched in seven games this season, giving him 92 career appearances – an Air Force record – and Gentry was leading the team in home runs (eight) and RBIs (42) heading into Friday’s game.

Lane had batted .310 in 16 games (including 13 starts), while Loosen had batted .233 in 17 games (14 starts). Bramble (.125 batting average) and Spengler (.263) had appeared in 12 and 10 games, respectively, and each started four. Kessler (.143) had played in just six games and had seven at-bats.

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