The No. 2 seeded Central Methodist Eagles fell to the Tabor Blue Jays 5-2 in the opening round of the NAIA Championship tournament Monday night. 

The Jays got off to an early lead in the top of the first when first baseman Cody Moore hammered a Nick Merkel pitch out of the ballpark near the left-field foul pole to give Tabor a 1-0 lead. 

The score remained there until the top of the fourth when Tabor struck again, this time courtesy of a single, a hit by pitch, a walk, and a sacrifice fly, making the score 2-0.

Central would finally cross the plate in the bottom of the seventh when freshman Tanner Sears launched a home run to right field cutting the Blue Jay lead in half.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, junior Robbie Merced would breathe life into the Eagles with  a single up the middle. That brought Tanner Sears to the plate. Merced stole second then Sears reached first on an error by the Tabor shortstop. Merced scored on the error, tying the game 2-2 and sending it into extra innings.

In the top of the 10th, sophomore Sebastian Escobar came on in relief.  After recording two quick outs, Escobar gave up a single up the middle, then unleashed a wild pitch to allow the Tabor runner to advance to second. Cody Moore, who had already reached base three times, was issued an intentional walk to put runners at first and second.

The next batter, Miguel Ramos then singled to right, driving in a run and putting runners at first and third. 

That brought shortstop Victor Sanchez to the plate looking to avenge his earlier error. Sanchez doubled to left-center, driving in two more and giving the Jays a 5-2 lead.

In the bottom of the 10th, sophomore Josh Green pinch hit for sophomore DH Khalil Thrasher and delivered with a single to right with two outs before junior Logan McDonald struck out to end the inning and the game with the score 5-2 in favor of the Blue Jays.

Senior Nick Merkel took the mound for the Eagles and pitched the way to which Central fans have grown accustomed, throwing eight full innings. He struck out nine while giving up only five hits and two runs.

Merkel gave way to junior Ryan Jeffers who pitched the ninth inning, striking out one and giving up no hits.

Jeffers was followed on the mound by Escobar who gave up three hits and three earned runs in the losing effort. The loss took Escobar’s record to 9-2 on the year.

Central bats were kept quiet during the game as Tabor’s pitchers held Central to only six hits, the biggest being a home run off the bat of freshman Tanner Sears. Sophomore Bobby Nichols gathered a single as did  Merced, senior Jeff Vance, Thrasher, and Green.   

With the loss, CMU was set to play Concordia (Nebraska) in hopes of fighting back through the loser’s bracket for a chance to advance.