The Tabor College softball team won two games in walk-off fashion over Mid-America Christian Saturday.
Tabor won Game 1, 3-2, despite falling behind early when the Evangels scored both of their runs off two hits in the top of the first inning, which included an RBI triple.
Tabor’s bats remained silent, however, with the Bluejays managing just two hits through six scoreless innings.
The Bluejay offense came to life in the bottom of the seventh inning, recording four hits in the frame. Stephanie Vejar hit a leadoff single, then Araselly Vargas worked a walk. Kaylie Felix drove in Tabor’s first run with an RBI single, then Brittany Vankonynenburg reached via intentional walk to load the bases. Shanae Strate hit an RBI single to tie the game. After that, Devon Fisk-Aguilar hit a walk-off RBI single to give the Bluejays the victory.
Six Bluejays recorded a hit: Madison Byrd, Kerrigan Travens, Vejar, Felix, Strate and Fisk-Aguilar. Felix, Strate and Fisk-Aguilar each had one RBI.
Byrd (9-3) earned the pitching win. She scattered four hits over seven innings of work, giving up just two hits in the final six innings. She surrendered two earned runs and walked one batter while striking out 10.
Tabor won Game 2 in eight innings, 4-3.
After the Evangels scored two runs off three hits in the top of the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie, Tabor responded by scoring three runs off three hits and an error in the bottom half of the inning. Araselly Vargas keyed the frame with a two-run double.
Mid-America Christian, however, tied the game in the top of the seventh, and the game went to extra innings.
The Evangels left two on base in the top of the eighth. A Bluejay ground out by Raegan Ternes to start the bottom half of the inning advanced Tabor’s base-runner to third, and a walk-off RBI single by Vargas scored the winning run.
Vargas was 3-for-4 at-bat and had three RBIs.
Madison Byrd (10-3) was the winning pitcher in one scoreless inning of relief, she gave up no hits, walked no one and struck out one batter.
Coming—Tabor (13-10) will kick off KCAC play by hosting Ottawa (17-12) today in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. The Bluejays will host Sterling (11-11) Saturday at 1 p.m.
