Jays win 4 to end regular season, finish fourth in KCAC campaign

The Tabor College softball team wrapped up the regular season with a pair of wins over Central Chris?tian Saturday on Senior Day.

?We made more pitching changes and things than I had planned,? coach Suzanne Unruh said. ?It didn?t work out as planned, but we still came up with some wins, just with some clutch hits and some base plays on the defense.?

Tabor won Game 1, 8-6.

The Bluejays plated their first run in the opening inning and took a 3-0 lead by scoring two more in the bottom of the second. In that inning, Madison Tracy led off with a single, then Sara Vela hit an RBI double. Lauren Massey hit a single, giving Tabor three hits for the inning.

Central Christian tied the game with three runs off four hits in the top of the third, and took the lead by plating three more runs off five hits in the fourth.

Tabor tied the game, 6-6, with three runs off three hits in the bottom of the fourth. Tracy led off with a double, and Vela brought her home with a double. Yasnaya Susoeff later reached base on the fielder?s choice, and Bailey Burnett cleared the bases with a two-run shot.

The Bluejays broke the tie by plating two runs in the sixth inning. Tracy hit her second double of the game to lead off the inning, and Massey hit a one-out, two-run home run to put Tabor in front.

Tracy was 3-for-3. Burnett led the team with three RBIs.

Marilee Burge earned the pitching win. In 31?3 innings pitched to close the game, she gave up two hits and no runs. She walked one batter and struck out four.

Unruh said she was planning to save Burge to start Game 2, but things worked out in the end.

?I think it was good for her to finish that game and then start the second just to get more innings so she might be better prepared for this week?s tournament,? Unruh said. ?She?s going to be throwing a lot of innings back to back, so that might?ve been a blessing in disguise, just to have her arm ready to go for more than just seven innings.?

Tabor completed the sweep with a 5-4 walk-off victory in eight innings in Game 2.

Burge (15-10) pitched the complete game to earn the win. She gave up nine hits and four runs (two earned) while walking two batters and striking out seven.

Central Christian built a 4-2 lead through three innings. Tabor scored its first two runs in the second inning off two hits and an error.

After two scoreless innings, Tabor tied the game, 4-4, with a pair of runs in the sixth. After Tracy led off with a double, Vela hit a two-run home run to clear the bases.

Neither team scored in the seventh. Burge gave up a two-out walk but struck out the next batter to end the half inning.

Tabor left three on base in the bottom of the seventh but could not get any runs across.

Central Christian stranded one on base in the top of the eighth but did not score.

In the bottom half of the inning, Ashton Bowen hit a walk-off RBI single to win the game.

Vela and Bowen were each 3-for-4 at-bat. Each had two RBIs.

Bethel?Tabor swept its final two regular season conference games Tuesday.

Tabor won Game 1, 6-3.

The Bluejays scored four runs off two hits and an error in the first inning. Kellyn Holt reached base on a misplayed grounder. With one out, Araselly Vargas was walked, then Jordan Haney hit an RBI single. Madison Tracy followed with a three-run home run to complete scoring for the inning.

Bethel closed the gap by scoring three runs off three hits in the fourth inning, but Tabor gained distance by scoring one run in both the fifth and the sixth innings to claim the win.

Bethel made four errors in the game.

Tracy was 2-for-3 at-bat and had four RBIs.

Marilee Burge (13-10) went the distance to earn the pitching win. She gave up four hits and three runs (all earned) in seven innings on the mound, while walking one batter and striking out seven.

Tabor completed the sweep by winning Game 2, 7-0.

This time, Tabor scored four runs off three hits and an error in the second inning. Tabor added a run off one hit in the fifth inning, and solidified the win with two more off three hits in the sixth.

Burnett and Fisk-Aguilar were both 2-for-3 at-bat. Both hit a double, as did Sara Vela. Stormie Bush led the team with three RBIs on 1-for-4 hitting.

Starter Tristen Hall (4-4) earned the pitching win. She scattered three hits over four innings of work. She walked one batter and struck out no one.

Sterling? As a result of rain, Tabor and Sterling were only able to complete Game 1 of a doubleheader April 18. The Bluejays lost a no-hitter, 1-0, in that game.

Game 2 was suspended after the first half-inning, and the teams picked up where they left off Monday, with Sterling gaining the victory, 8-3.

Sterling scored first, scoring five runs off five hits in the bottom of the second inning. The Warriors added a run in the fourth inning before Tabor countered with one run in the top of the fifth, thanks to Stormie Bush?s RBI single.

The Bluejays collected a second run in the sixth when Sara Vela drove in a run with a single, but Sterling added two more runs off one hit in the bottom half of the inning.

Tabor managed a final run in the seventh, but the effort fell short.

Vela was 1-for-2 at-bat and had one RBI. Raegan Ternes hit a double.

Tristen Hall absorbed the pitching loss. In 11?3 innings, she gave up four hits and five runs (all earned). She walked two batters and struck out no one.

Coming?Tabor completed the regular season with an 11-7 KCAC record, 22-22 overall. The Bluejays are the No. 4 seed in the tournament, which will be played at the Great Bend Sports Complex this week. Tabor will face No. 5 Beth?any (10-8, 25-23) today at 4 p.m. The Bluejays split a doubleheader with the Swedes at the end of March, winning Game 1, 17-5, and losing Game 2, 9-2.

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