Jay Thomason celebrated his record-breaking home run for Air Force in the most unusual of ways — a trip to the emergency room.

Thomason’s 51st home run came Tuesday in the first inning at Northern Colorado, coming in his first game after tying Nic Ready’s program record.

Having committed to the Falcons in the fall of 2018, Thomason closely followed Ready during his final season in the spring of 2019 at Air Force and knew all about the record he had set.

“I looked at Nic Ready and Tyler Jones as role models,” Thomason said. “And to set goals to make an impact at Air Force and see those dreams coming to fruition, I’d say it’s very special. … It means a lot.”

But those good feelings didn’t last long.

Assuming the culprit was a pregame sandwich from a national chain, Thomason started feeling uneasy midway through the game. Around the eighth inning, the second basemen told fellow infielders Sam Kulasingam and Aerik Joe that he thought he was going to throw up.

And that’s what he did the entire bus ride home from Greeley, prompting a visit to the ER to receive fluids.

“After he broke the record he was bedridden for a few days,” coach Mike Kazlausky said.

Thomason returned on Friday, cranking a double and a fly out to the wall in a victory over Nevada. The teams were supposed to play Saturday, but weather forced a postponement and a doubleheader set for Sunday.

The record was something Thomason knew was a possibility, as he entered the season needing 14 home runs after he had averaged 18.5 over the past two seasons. He said it was something he tried not to make a focus, though he clearly wanted it.

“He was happy to have had it over with,” said Kulasingam, part of a legendary recruiting class for the Falcons that includes Thomason (the program’s new all-time home run recordholder), Paul Skenes (last year’s No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft after transferring to LSU and himself (a two-time Tony Gwynn Mountain West Player of the Year). “I’m sure he had heard all the comments about how he had tied it. Now that he’s got it done, he can go hit five to 10 more over the last few weeks.”

Thomason, at 6-foot, 185 pounds, isn’t the size of the typical power hitter. Ready, by contrast, was 6-3, 240. But Kazlausky saw there was something special in his left-handed bat from the beginning.

“We knew Thomason had some bat speed, and we knew he was going to be able to hit,” Kazlausky said. “What he’s been able to do has been outstanding, and he’s been fun to watch. He hit some balls where I probably couldn’t hit it twice and reach that far.”

Thomason’s ability to play second base, coupled with a prodigious power bat that saw him lead the Mountain West in home runs last season (26) and again so far this year (14), could make him an intriguing pro prospect.

“I’ve definitely had those conversations,” said Thomason, who is slashing .342/.449/.690 through 41 games for the Falcons, who are currently sitting in second place in the conference. “It’s one of those things where, if that opportunity comes up after the season I’d be more than willing to chase that opportunity and pursue it. I’ve had a couple conversations with a couple of scouts over the course of the season.”