WOODWARD, Okla. - Panhandle State baseball traveled to Fuller Park to take on the Tabor College (Kan.) Bluejays for a three-game series after having been delayed due to the weather. The Bluejays would secure a series win on day one of the series beating the Aggies 11-1 and 16-9.

The Aggie and Bluejay series has become a staple for the two teams since Panhandle State entered the NAIA in 2018. The Bluejays would take last year's series three games to one. The Aggies would win game one of the series 18-13. A night highlighted by senior Jonathan Applebury who capped off the game with a three-for-five outing with a home run and five RBIs. 

Strikeouts would plague the Aggie offense on the day. Combining for eighteen strikeouts in both games on the day. While the Aggie hitters struggled against Tabor's pitching, the Bluejays knocked around the Aggie starters and the bullpen in both games. The Aggies would show sparks of life here and there in both games, but it seemed that the offensive onslaught from the Bluejays completely shut out the Aggie dugout. 

The Aggies look to salvage a game and find some momentum going into Tuesday's game. Head Coach Shawn Joy would comment "we're not playing with a lot of confidence right now. Once we get back to that we'll start playing better"

Game 1

Both the Bluejays and the Aggies would have an uncharacteristic quiet first inning. As neither team would notch a run in the first frame. The Bluejays would be the first to make up for it with a three-run second inning. The powerhouse pitching staff of Tabor was more than enough to contain the emaciated Aggie offense. An offense that would strike out ten times in the game and only manage four hits.

After a long break between games, the Aggie offense was starstruck by the Bluejay pitchers. Ethan Hunt, Lane Field, Manrique Mora, and Luis Dermas would be the only Aggies to notch a hit. 

Senior RHP Austin Jacobs (1-1) would designate his third start of the season. Jacobs would not be a stranger to the Bluejays after having faced them in the Aggies' 2021 season. Coming out of his outing without allowing a single run and striking out one. Jacobs would pass the centennial mark in pitches in his game one outing. Going six and a third with seven earned runs on six hits. 

Jacobs would make way for Jostynn Mieses to close the game for the Aggies. Mieses would struggle with the strike zone in his two-thirds innings of work.

After dropping their series to the USW Mustangs due to too many strikeouts the Aggie offense looked to improve on that portion of the game against the Bluejays. However, Austin Seidel would have other plans. Fanning ten Aggies in the game. Although the Bluejays would come out with an early lead off some big hits Jacobs would limit the damage capabilities of his opponent by keeping them off balance. Hoping his offense would back him up. 

Unable to back up their pitcher the Aggie offense would nearly be shut out. Managing only a single run in the sixth inning off an RBI double by Lane Field. The bottom half of the lineup would be unable to keep the ball rolling after scoring their first run of the game before the last out would be made. 

Game 2

Coming into the second game of the day the Aggies looked to make up for their lackluster performance in game one. Although the Aggies would come up short in the game they did make strides in improving their offensive performance. More than doubling their hit total in the second game. 

The Aggies' lone LHP Colton Anderson (1-1) would also notch his third start of the year. Earning his second loss of the season. Anderson would only making it through three innings of work after allowing seven earned runs on ten hits before making way for the Aggie bullpen.

Joaqin Carlos and Braeden LeJarraga would come out of the pen in game two. Carlos would make his first appearance as an Aggie. Working through three innings of work and allowing another seven runs to the Bluejays. LeJarraga would be the last Aggie pitcher the Bluejays would see in the game.

The Aggie offense looked to make up for their poor performance in game one. Tabor would put a quick four spot in the top of the first, but the Aggies would answer with a quick two runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Aggies would improve at the plate in game two but the Bluejays would just be better. Out hitting the Aggies nineteen to ten. 
Eight of the nine Aggies in the starting lineup would get a hit in the game. Lane Field and Jhonn Cabrera would be the only ones to have a multi-hit game. The offense still struggled with strikeouts in the second game with eight. A bright spot for the Aggies so far this season has been senior second baseman Luis Dermas. Who has now reached base safely in all the Aggie games of the season. 

The Aggies head back to Fuller Park for the series finale against the Tabor Bluejays Monday, February 21st at noon.