Lubbock, Texas – The Tabor College baseball team picked up a huge victory over the nationally ranked Chaparrals of Lubbock Christian University this past Friday and Saturday in Lubbock, Texas.

The Bluejays and the Chaparrals matched up three times over the two days with Lubbock Christian, with the host team taking two of three over the Bluejays. Tabor's two losses came by a combined two runs as the Bluejays fell just one run short in both contests.

In game one on Friday, a Tabor come-from-behind victory fell just one run short as the Bluejays fell to Lubbock Christian University by the score of 6-5. 

Trailing 5-1 after four innings of play the Bluejays rallied behind a three-run fifth inning to pull within a run at 5-4. Lubbock Christian would answer with a run in the bottom half of the inning to extend its lead back to 6-4.

After a scoreless sixth inning the Bluejays pulled within one in the top of the seventh on an infield single by senior Adam McCormick to make the score 6-5. Lubbock Christian would end the Bluejays rally on a groundout two batters later to take game one of the series.

Senior Matt Weger and junior Paul Sciacca each recorded two hits in the game while McCormick added a team-high two RBIs. Five other Bluejays recorded a hit as both teams finished with nine hits for the game.

Senior David Ormiston got the start and pitched five innings, allowing six earned runs on nine hits while striking out six.

In game two the Bluejays would score runs in each of the final four innings to defeat the Chaparrals by the score of 8-6 to even the series at a game apiece.

The Bluejays would take advantage of two Lubbock Christian errors in the first inning to help jump out to an early 2-0 lead. The Chaparrals would answer the Bluejay's start in the bottom half of the inning scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead.

Both teams would remain scoreless until the fourth inning where the Bluejays scored three more times to retake the lead at 5-3. Just like the first inning, the Chaparrals answered back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs to tie the game back up at five all.

Despite letting the lead slip away for the second time in the game, the Bluejays rallied scoring a run in each of the next three innings to help build and 8-5 lead. Lubbock Christian would score a run in the bottom of the seventh with one out to pull within two, but that's as close as the Chaparrals would get. Tabor would record the final two outs in the inning to come away with the two-run victory.

Senior Andrew Perez and junior Art Corona recorded an RBI and had two hits apiece to help pace the Bluejay's offensive attack. Sciacca led Tabor with two runs scored as nine Bluejays pounded out 11 hits on the Chaparrals.

Junior Anthony Mendoza got the start and picked up the complete game win allowing six earned runs on seven hits while striking out four

On Saturday in the final game of the series the Bluejays nearly erased a three-run deficit before falling to the Chaparrals by the score of 3-2 in a nine-inning game.

Trailing 3-0 heading into the seventh the Bluejays finally broke through on an RBI from senior Cody Wheeler to pull Tabor within two at 3-1. Wheeler would pull the Bluejays within one on his second RBI single of the game in the top of the ninth inning to make the score 3-2. Lubbock Christian would cut the Bluejays rally short as they recorded the final out of the inning to take the game and the series over the Bluejays.

Corona, Perez, Sciacca, and McCormick each recorded two hits apiece, while Wheeler added the Bluejays only two RBIs on the day.

Junior Brian Kowal got the start and pitched five and two thirds innings allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out three.

Tabor (4-3 Overall) will return home for a three-game set against Morningside College beginning Friday Feb. 25 in one, nine-inning game. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. The Bluejays will play a double-header on Saturday with game one set to begin at 1 p.m.