ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TOM STOPPEL
The Tabor College baseball team had a relatively quiet week, playing only a doubleheader with Ottawa.
Unfortunately, the results were similar to their other recent outings as Tabor was swept at home on Wednesday by scores of 7-4 and 13-7.
“I’m to the point that I really don’t know what to say,” coach John Sparks said. “We gave the guys four days off here for Easter. We just hope we can come back and make a run toward the end of the season and make the post-season playoffs.”
In the opener, Jeremy Sneed got the start and lasted 42⁄3 innings, allowing 11 hits and five earned runs.
Tabor led 3-1 after three innings thanks in part to a home run by Kevin Peterson.
But in the top of the fourth, Ottawa loaded the bases before Sneed surrendered a grand slam home run over the short right field fence for a 6-3 lead.
Sneed took the loss with relief help from Nick Villalovos. The Bluejays committed six errors.
“You won’t win many games committing six errors,” Sparks said.
Tabor managed eight hits in the contest with Peterson and Tyson Bauerle each picking up two. Peterson and Chance Miles both drove in a pair of runs.
In Game 2, Tabor sent Phil Unruh to the mound, but the Peabody native was unable to record an out. He allowed two hits and six earned runs, but hurt himself with four walks.
The result was an 11-0 Ottawa lead after 11⁄2 innings. Tabor never recovered as the Braves racked up 14 hits in the game.
“We just gave them too many freebies,” Sparks said. “Then they compounded that by hitting the ball well, too.
“We just have to be consistent,” he added. “But (Casey) Hillman was hurt, so our whole infield was out of position and that doesn’t help us because our guys just aren’t used to working with each other.”
Tabor played errorless ball in the second game while coming up with 11 hits. Travis Schafer, Eric LiCalsi, Miles and J.D. Poplin each had two hits. Schafer and Jeremy Ball each drove in two runs for the Bluejays.
“That’s been the crux of the matter all year,” Sparks said. “We put together about one good game defensively in each four games, but we just aren’t able to remain consistent.”
With the losses, Tabor falls to 14-22 overall and 4-12 in KCAC play.
Coming- The Bluejays resume their hectic schedule with a pair of games in Hillsboro on Tuesday against Sterling, a road trip to Lawrence to play the No. 23-ranked Kansas Jayhawks on Wednesday and then a pair of games in Leavenworth on Saturday with the University of Saint Mary.
