Staff writer
The Tabor College baseball team made history last week, winning its first NAIA World Series games ever. Their 1-0 win against Southern Polytechnic State University also was the first World Series win by a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference team.
In the game, starting pitcher Junior Mustain went 7 1/3 innings scoreless, striking out five and allowing five hits and three walks. Tabor scored its only run on a fielder’s choice at shortstop when junior Pete Lelich scored Kevin Seeger from third.
A complete game for KCAC Pitcher of the Year Jacob Webb in the next game would not help the Bluejays Saturday against the tournament’s top seed, Oklahoma Baptist University. Webb only gave up one earned run and struck out six in the game, but outfield errors hurt Tabor, and the team lost 3-1.
Facing elimination Monday morning against Georgia Gwinnett College, Tabor pulled off a ninth-inning rally to keep their championship hopes alive. Tied at four in the sixth inning, the Grizzlies hit a home run, taking a 5-4 lead to the final inning.
A double hit by Grant Silva was mishandled by a Gwinnett outfielder, scoring pinch-runner Ryan Neufeld. Silva stole third on the next pitch.
With only one out, the Grizzlies chose to intentionally walk Gadiel Baez and Kirk Rocha, loading the bases. Seeger hit a sacrifice fly in the next at-bat, securing a 6-5 win for the Bluejays.
Tabor plays at 5 p.m. Tuesday. POSSIBLE ELIMINATION GAME.
Bluejays find success at national meet
Garrett Daugherty earned his second All-American finish Saturday at the NAIA national outdoor meet in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Competing in the 800-meter race preliminaries, he broke the school record in 1 minute, 52.33 seconds. In the finals, he held on for a third place finish, re-breaking his record in 1:51.41. Daugherty also finished as an All-American in the indoor 1,000-meter race.
Hannah Homes broke the Tabor school record in the marathon in 3 hours, 23 minutes, and 4.2 seconds. Holmes placed 13th, followed by Brielle Lund in 17th, 3:25.18.70.
Thursday, Alex Grier again improved on his school-record 200-meter dash time at 21.52. He placed ninth in the prelims, missing the finals by one spot.
“We had just a great weekend both on and off the track,” coach Dave Kroeker said. “Three school records were broken and the kids all competed extremely well on the biggest stage of the year.”