ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DON RATZLAFF
Unfortunately, playing close doesn’t count for much in the KCAC baseball standings.
The Bluejays came within a play or two of beating Kansas Wesleyan and Friends last week, but all the Bluejays have to show for it is an 0-8 start in the conference and a 6-13 mark overall.
KWU-The Bluejays lost a pair of games to the Coyotes, 5-4 and 9-1, Wednesday in Salina.
The Coyotes were undefeated in KCAC play, but Tabor led 4-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh. Jerrod Ryherd’s home run in the first inning had given the Bluejays an early 3-0 advantage.
But KWU’s Cornley led off the home half of the seventh with a home run to tie the game. Lohmeyer followed with a double and scored on a one-out single by Sloan to win the game.
“Graig Carlson had pitched a great game until that time,” Myers said. “They beat us by hitting the ball. We didn’t give them anything.”
In the nightcap, the Coyotes jumped on Tabor pitcher Kyle Thomas for eight runs in the first three innings to take command early.
“The second game reflected a little bit of a letdown in not winning that first game,” Myers said. “Emotionally and mentally we were not as up for it as we probably should have been.”
Friends-Saturday’s games at home against Friends had a similar theme. Tabor tied the opening game in the bottom of the seventh inning, but lost 5-4 after the first extra inning.
The Falcons prevailed in the second game, 12-9, after jumping to a 9-1 lead after three innings.
In the first game, the Bluejays were one out away from getting out of the eighth inning when right fielder Chris Hill dropped a high fly ball to right-center that allowed the Falcons to score the go-ahead run. Hill responded with a diving catch against the next hitter to end the inning.
“He’s played well all year in the field,” Myers said of Hill. “He’s going to make that catch nine times out of 10 and maybe more than that.”
Myers said the dropped ball
wasn’t the reason Tabor lost.
“We had other opportunities where we had men on base, but weren’t able to get them home,” he said.
In the second game, Tabor rallied from the huge early deficit and had the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning, but fell short.
“I was pleased with the way we battled back,” Myers said.
He took the blame for the Falcons’ success against Bluejay starter Carlson early in the game.
“He had thrown 98 pitches against Wesleyan, so I probably tried to bring him back a day too soon,” Myers said.
Chris Stucky homered for Tabor in the second game.
Barclay-Tabor started the week with a pair of easy wins at home over Barclay College of Haviland, 23-1 and 12-0.
“We did play good baseball against Barclay, but they’re not very strong,” said Myers. “We beat them probably the way we should have. I don’t think we had an error in either game. I felt pretty good about that.”
Carlson hit two home runs in the first game and Tyler Marsh added a third. Marsh hit his second homer of the night in the second game and Jess Tracy knocked one out, too.
Todd Trullinger gave up one run in four innings and got the win. Austin Frantz pitched the final two innings in relief.
Mike Feltman pitched all five innings of the second game to record his first win of the season against one loss and his first shutout.
Myers said his team is playing decent baseball, but it hasn’t been quite enough to push them into the win column in the conference.
“We’ve played some teams pretty tough and we’re right on the verge of winning,” he said. “But we’ve got to get some wins to keep the kids from getting too discouraged.”
Tabor was to host Bethany on Tuesday. The Jays are scheduled for a doubleheader against Central Christian College at 5 p.m., Thursday, in McPherson, then will travel to Ottawa on Friday for a pair of games starting a 1 p.m.
