STERLING, Kan.  – On Wednesday afternoon, the Lady Bluejays hit the road to take on KCAC rival Sterling College for an intense doubleheader in the back end of the season. Their senior day sweep over top-ranked OKWU had the Bluejays looking for yet another upset this week, as the Warriors rank No. 11 in the NAIA in batting average. 
 
Going into the doubleheader with the Warriors, Tabor had an 20-16 overall record and a 11-9 record in KCAC play. Sterling boasted an overall record of 27-13 and a conference record of 14-6 on the season. Prior to Wednesday's doubleheader, the Bluejays held a 13-game win streak dating all the way back to 2017. 
 
GAME ONE: W, 7-2
 
In the opening game of the doubleheader, Tabor established an early lead against Sterling, scoring a run in the first inning thanks to an RBI single from Darcy Gillen after Reyna Enriquez reached base and stole second. Although the next few innings were quiet offensively for both teams, Tabor's defense and pitching kept Sterling scoreless despite a few hits and fielding errors. Sterling struggled to capitalize on their opportunities, leaving several runners on base and committing errors that would later cost them.

Tabor added another run in the fifth inning when Megan Buerger, running for Mylee Milne, stole second and was brought home by Reese Hefley's single up the middle. The game broke open in the top of the seventh when Tabor strung together five hits, including a clutch two-RBI single from Cheyenne Washington and a sacrifice fly by Candince Moreno-Hairabedian. This explosive inning pushed their lead to 7-0, giving them a strong cushion heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Sterling showed some life in their final at-bat, managing to score two runs after a pair of Tabor fielding errors and a two-RBI single. However, their rally fell short, as Tabor closed out the inning without further damage. Marisa Carranza's consistent pitching, the team's timely offensive hitting, and capitalizing on Sterling's mistakes secured the Bluejays a solid 7-2 victory in the first game of the series.

GAME TWO: L, 1-3
 
In game two, Tabor started strong with an early run in the first inning. Payten Staley singled and later scored on a double from Cheyenne Washington, giving the Bluejays an early 1-0 lead. Despite additional base runners in the early innings, including another hit by Staley in the third and a single from Moreno-Hairabedian in the fourth, Tabor couldn't capitalize further, leaving runners stranded. Sterling responded quickly in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Kelly Hirlas, tying the game at 1-1.

The turning point came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sterling drew a walk, stole second, and then scored on a triple by Mariah Cunnigham, who was awarded another run due to a Tabor error. That two-run sequence gave Sterling a 3-1 advantage. Tabor struggled to respond offensively in the later innings. Although they managed a few baserunners—including a double by Lauren Roberts in the seventh—they were unable to generate the hits needed to close the gap.

Sterling's defense and pitching held firm, shutting Tabor down over the final six innings. Ultimately, the Bluejays were limited to just one run on five hits, while Sterling capitalized on timely hitting and Tabor's defensive miscue to take the 3-1 victory and earn the split in the doubleheader.

Looking ahead to this weekend as the regular season continues to come to a close, the Lady Bluejays will be on the road once again to face the Lady Braves of Ottawa University on Friday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Dick Peters Sports Complex with game two following shortly after around 3 p.m. Tabor will enter the doubleheader with a 21-16 overall record and a 12-10 record in KCAC play. The Braves will enter the contest with an overall record of 25-19 and a conference record of 15-7 on the season. 

Be sure to stay up to date with all information regarding Bluejay Athletics by following us on X at @gotaborbluejays, on Instagram and Facebook @taborbluejays, and on our official athletic website, taborbluejays.com.
 
Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).