The Bluejays enjoyed their best offensive game of the tournaA historic season came to a close on May 27 at Harris Field in ment despite being outhit by the count of 16-11. Both teams left 11 Lewiston, Idaho, as the Bluejays were eliminated from the Avistarunners on base with Wesleyan committing three errors as well. NAIA World Series in heartbreaking fashion. The Bluejays finished No. 6 in the 2014 NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Tabor, which was making its first ever appearance at the Series, Postseason Top 25 Poll, the highest fell to third-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan University by the score of ranking in Tabor College history. 10-9 in 12 innings. The loss put an end to an incredible season that not only saw the Bluejays in the World Series for the first time, but also was the first Tabor team, in the history of the college, to eclipse the 50-win mark, finishing with a 51-13 record overall. The four-hour marathon ended in the bottom of the 12th as Eagles batter Jeff Butler delivered a two-out single, scoring Gunner Joyce from third. The Bluejays were not without chances themselves as they tried to secure their spot in the final four of the tournament. The Bluejays took a three-run lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, while also having bases loaded and no Troy Torres and outs in the top of the 10th. CJ DeDeaux Tabor was able to capitalize in neither situation, as Wesleyan tied the score in the bottom of the eighth, and got an infield pop-up and a double play to end the threat in the 10th. Pete Lelich The Bluejays were their own worst enemy in the field— Junior Mustain committing four costly errors that led to five unearned runs. Wesleyan’s last five runs of the game all came unearned. Results from Avista-NAIA World Series Tabor, which had struggled to score runs in its first three games of the tournament, wasted little time getting on the board early. Game 1 on May 23 – (9) Tabor 1, (8) University of After a leadoff walk, junior Gadiel Baez drove in Grant Silva from Southern Polytechnic State University 0 first with an RBI double to the gap in left center field. Two batters Game 2 on May 24 – (1) Oklahoma Baptist 3, (9) Tabor 1 later Kevin Seeger would bring Baez home with an RBI single up Game 3 on May 26 – (9) Tabor 6, (6) Georgia the middle, giving the Bluejays a quick 2-0 lead after the first halfGwinnett 5 inning of play. Game 4 on May 27 – (3) Oklahoma Wesleyan 10, Wesleyan would get a run back in the bottom half of the inning (9) Tabor 9 (12 innings) with the help of two Bluejay errors—an error on a pick-off attempt and one on a wild throw at first trying to turn two—allowed the For more information on all Tabor Athletics, visit run to score. www.taborbluejays.com. But Tabor would get that run back in the top of the third, as senior Troy Torres delivered a two-out RBI double to the deepest part of the park, scoring Seeger from first base. A five-run fourth inning by Wesleyan however would end Bluejays starter Junior Mustain’s day. The Eagles got a leadoff walk and five hits in the inning to take their first lead of the game at 6-3. Tabor began to chip away at the Eagles lead in the sixth on an RBI single by senior CJ DeDeaux. The lead would be cut to one in the seventh, thanks to a throwing error at first base that allowed Kirk Rocha to score from second. The Bluejays would reclaim the lead in the eighth with a twoout rally that scored four runs in the inning, giving Tabor a 9-6 advantage. A single by Shaun Reid, followed by DeDeaux being hit by a pitch, a wild pitch and a walk by Silva, loaded the bases for Tabor. Baez would clear the bases with an RBI double down the left field line and would score on a single by Rocha. The momentum, however, would swing in the bottom of the inning as Wesleyan capitalized on a leadoff double, a Bluejay error, two walks (one intentional) and two singles to tie the score at 9-9. Both teams would go scoreless over the next three innings before Wesleyan’s game winner in the 12th. Baez led the Bluejays at the plate going 2-6 with four RBIs and On June 7, RHP Jacob Webb was drafted in the 18th two runs scored. Rocha, Seeger, Torres and DeDeaux each recorded round, 553rd overall, by the Atlanta Braves. a pair of hits, while Silva walked twice and scored a pair of runs.
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