Tabor 2-2 in World Series debut

Gadiel Baez attempts to turn a double play during the first inning against Oklahoma Wesleyan Tuesday. Tabor lost the game, 10-9, in 12 innings, concluding its play in the NAIA Baseball World Series with a 2-2 record.The Tabor College baseball team?s historic run in the program?s first NAIA World Series appearance ended last Tuesday with a heartbreaking 10-9 loss to No. 3 Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 12 innings.

?It was a tough, tough loss,? coach Mark Standiford said. ?A game we all felt we should?ve won. We felt we played better than them and really kind of deserved it. It just didn?t happen.?

The lead changed hands multiple times. Tabor led 3-1 after three innings, but trailed 6-4 after six. The Bluejays scored a run in the seventh and added four in the eighth to claim a 9-6 advantage. But OWU tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the 12th inning when the Eagles? Jeff Butler drove in the winning run with his sixth hit of the day, tying a World Series record for hits.

?It was back and forth,? Standiford said. ?Their hits seemed to find holes, and the balls we put in play seemed to find mitts.?

Tabor missed a scoring opportunity in the top of the 10th inning, loading the bases but unable to capitalize. CJ DeDeaux led off with a single, Grant Silva bunted and reached base on an error. The Eagles intentionally walked Gadiel Baez, loading the bases with nobody out. However, a fly out followed by a double play ended threat.

OWU scored the winning run in the bottom of the 12th. Following a ground out to start the inning, a Tabor throwing error allowed the second Eagle batter to reach base and advance to second.

Tabor gained a second out when Kevin Seeger made a diving catch along the first base line. But consecutive singles gave OWU enough to score the winning run.

Tabor got off to a fast start offensively. After an inning-opening walk, Gadiel Baez hit an RBI double to get the Bluejays on the board. One out later, Seeger drove in a run with a single to give Tabor a 2-0 lead.

OWU came right back, scoring one run on two hits and two errors in the bottom of the inning.

The Bluejays added to their lead in the third inning on a Torres RBI double that scored Seeger, who had previously hit a two-out single.

Momentum shifted to OWU in the bottom of the fourth. After a leadoff walk and two singles sandwiching a strikeout, the bases were loaded. Back-to-back singles tied the game at 3.

The Eagles scored three more runs after a fielder?s choice and a two-run single. Suddenly, the Eagles led, 6-3.

Tabor continued to battle, scoring one run in the top of the sixth when DeDeaux drove in a run, then adding another in the top of the seventh when Kirk Rocha scored on a throwing error.

That brought Tabor within 6-5. The Bluejays retired the next three Eagles in order, leading up to a four-run eighth inning.

Working with two outs, Shaun Reid singled and DeDeaux was hit by a pitch. Silva walked to load the bases. Baez then hit a three-RBI double deep down the left-field line. Rocha drove in another run with a single, putting Tabor in front, 9-6.

But OWU used three hits and an error to score three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Tabor went three up, three down in the top of the ninth, and the Eagles left one on base in the bottom of the inning, setting up the extra innings.

?That?s probably the part that hurts the most?to give up five earned runs total when we scored nine, and to lose,??Standiford said. ?It?s been our struggle all year. We have not played very good defense, and eventually it?s going to catch up to you, and it did that game.

?We had some errors. We gave them some gifts, but again, I can?t fault anybody. You can?t say it?s just defense that did it, because everybody on the team had a chance to come through at some time and it just didn?t happen.?

Tabor concluded its play in the World Series with a 2-2 record.

?I think nine of the 10 teams that were there were ranked in the Top 10, so that?s probably one of the most difficult World Series that there?s been in a long time,??Standiford said. ?We felt like we had the team to win it this year. I firmly believe that we did have the talent, the team to do it.?

Despite the outcome, Standiford said Tabor?s first appearance in the World Series was a good one.

?The experience was great,??he said. ?It was everything we expected, and it makes you want to get back (to the World Series).?

Tabor finished the season with a record of 51-13.

Standiford said senior leadership and team chemistry were contributing factors to Tabor?s success.

?You can have a lot of talent, and if the guys don?t get along, especially at this level, it?s going to show on the field,??he said. ?We?re very fortunate to have leadership, team chemistry and everyone being a good teammate to each other. I think that?s very important.?

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