The Tabor College softball team defeated the Saint Mary 9-4 on May 1, the first day of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference post-season softball tournament, which had been delayed by rain and then moved from Ottawa to Lindsborg.
But at the hands of eventual champion Friends, the Bluejays were less successful, losing 8-2 before falling out of the double-elimination tournament with a 4-1 loss to Sterling.
Saint Mary?Trailing 4-3 heading into the sixth inning, Tabor used a three-run homer by freshman Danielle Cronauer to take a 7-4 lead. The Bluejays tacked on two more in the seventh and Cronauer completed the program?s first post-season win since 2003.
In addition to pitching seven solid innings, Cronauer led the Bluejays offensively with a 4-for-5 morning the plate that totaled four runs batted in and a run scored.
In addition to Cronauer?s work as a one-woman wrecking crew, Jessica Klose notched three hits, an RBI and a run scored and Aubrey Whitehorn posted a single, a double, an RBI and a run scored.
Kezia Cabrera scored twice.
Friends?Tied 1-1 heading into the fourth inning, Tabor took a short-lived lead when Alyssia Voth’s single scored Roxanne Rodriguez. Friends answered with a four-run fifth inning and a three-run sixth inning, and Falcons pitcher Stephanie McCarthy did not crack in the late innings.
McCarthy allowed five hits, four of which came off the bats of Dorene Dodson and Jolynn Padilla, who both went 2-for-3.
Danielle Cronauer started the game and lasted five innings, allowing three earned runs on 10 hits while striking out one.
Sterling?Playing their third game of the day on account of a schedule condensed by foul weather, Tabor fell behind early before mounting a late charge.
Sterling scored single runs in each of the first four innings, leading 3-0 through three.
The Bluejay offense came to life in the top of the fourth, but Sterling?s run in the bottom half made it 4-1. Tabor closed the gap to 4-2 in the top of the fifth, but did not sustain the rally and ended up stranding nine runners on base.
Roxanne Rodriguez had three singles but did not produce a run, while Kezia Cabrera and Megan Wedal each scored once.
Danielle Cronauer, starting pitcher for the third time Friday, did not record an out while allowing a run with two walks. Dorene Dodson relieved and limited Sterling to three runs despite allowing eight hits and three walks over six innings.
Tabor?s 2009 final record is 2-14 in conference play, 6-35 overall.
