The Tabor baseball team ran into a roadblock this past week on its quest for the KCAC title, going 1-3 against top-ranked defending champion Kansas Wesleyan University.
The losses come after a doubleheader sweep of Baker University April 10, and put the Bluejays at 32-8 overall and 16-4 in conference play.
The Bluejays, who were ranked 17th nationally before falling to KWU, continue to have players garnering attention. Tabor?s Brian Kowal and Art Corona swept KCAC Player of the Week honors for their play April 2-8 against Ottawa University.
Corona earned his second Player of the Week recognition by compiling eight hits, a home run, four runs-batted-in and five runs scored in 18 at-bats. He is fourth in the KCAC in batting average with 0.409.
Kowal returns to the Player of the Week podium after pitching three of four games against Ottawa and earning the save in Game 1.
He posted an earned run average of 1.04 against the Braves.
Kansas Wesleyan ?Tabor was bit hard by the Coyotes in its home doubleheader Friday, giving up a sweep.
In Game 1, KWU edged Tabor, 13-12, with four runs scored in the seventh inning.
Brian Kowal (6-3) closed for the Bluejays and absorbed the loss, striking out no one in 1/5 inning pitched, but holding KWU to no hits or runs to give Tabor a chance to rally.
The loss came despite a strong effort at the plate from Koby Temple, who drove in four runs, including a home run. Colby Tessendorf had two homers and Tyler Kozolowski added one as well.
For the second game, the Coyotes won a 7-4 decision on a five-run third inning.
David Ormiston (6-2) took the loss for Tabor on the mound, striking out just four in seven innings.
Adam McCormick led the offense with two RBIs.
In Saturday?s road doubleheader, the Bluejays rallied for a win before losing the four-game series.
Tabor earned a 5-2 victory in Game 1, boosted by three runs in the first inning that gave them an early lead.
Kowal claimed the win for the Bluejays, pitching all seven innings and allowing just two runs.
Temple and Matt Cardona shared the honors at the plate, each hitting in two runs.
Tabor lost a five-inning shut-out to Kansas Wesleyan in Game 2 on the road, 8-0.
Baker ?Tabor cruised past Baker in its April 10 road double-header.
The Bluejays won a 10-3 contest in Game 1, scoring five runs in the seventh inning.
Colby Tessendorf led for Tabor with three runs-batted-in.
Tabor won Game 2 in an 11-4 decision, going up 8-0 in the first three innings.
Cody Wheeler had three RBIs for the Bluejays, with a multitude of Tabor pitchers sharing the mound.
Coming ?Tabor was scheduled to host Friends University Thursday before traveling to Friends?Saturday.
