Panthers take out Cowboys, twice

RBC I

On Saturday, the Meeker baseball team played what was supposed to be the first home games of the season against the Rangley Panthers, but the games were moved to Rangley after the Meeker fields were subject to rain and snow.
The first game was played by Meeker starters Alex Smith, Tanner Matrisciano, Jeremy Musgrave, Ben Fitzgibbons, Scott Smith, Dylan Mobley, Matt Frantz, Chevy Mohr and Kenny Kohls against the starters for the Panthers: Kelton Elam, Chad Bolding, Cameron Enterline, Tobie Gasper, Bryson Palacios, Gabe Garcia, Jessy Powell, Kaulan Brady, Josh Bolding and Layne Mecham.
Game one began with a run by Meeker’s Alex Smith in the first inning and another by Mobley, who was brought in by an RBI by Kohls in the second, along with two runs by Gasper and Powell for the Panthers.
The third inning brought in five runs for Rangley, scored by Elam, Chad Bolding, Gasper, Palacios and Garcia. The fourth, fifth and sixth innings all went by with no runs made by either team. The seventh inning closed out the game with one more run by Rangley’s Enterline, ending the game with Rangely winning 6-2.
Game two took on a much faster pace, with Meeker’s Scott Smith getting two RBIs, which brought in Alex Smith and Musgrave in the first inning; four runs were scored by Elam, Bolding, Enterline and Gasper for the Panthers.
In the second inning, Bolding, Palacios and Garcia brought in three more runs for the Panthers. Bolding, Palacios and Enterline made another three runs in the third inning.
In the fourth inning, Gasper hit a home run to bring in Elam and Bolding for another three runs for Rangley.
The fifth inning gave the Cowboys one last chance to get in some runs before the mercy rule was called.
When they thought all hope was lost, Meeker Cowboy Matrisciano’s RBI brought in runner Kohls. A few batters later, senior Fitzgibbons was at the plate with three balls, two strikes and two outs. He got a hit, triggering two RBIs and runs by Musgrave and Alex Smith. Scott Smith then got another run for Meeker after an RBI by Mobley.
The sixth inning saw Bolding score one more run for Rangley, then the energy at the field changed entirely.
Senior Wyatt Rowlett, after he was put in for Chevy Mohr, took a great hit to the fence and scored a run for Meeker. Scott Smith then got three RBIs, bringing home Musgrave, Matrisciano and Alex Smith and then brought in a run himself.
Rowlett then hit another ball all the way to the fence, bringing in Matt Frantz and Mobley.
In the seventh inning, Bolding and Mecham brought in Rangley’s final two runs, leaving the final score at 16-13.
Meeker was supposed to host Basalt Tuesday but the game will be rescheduled due to inclement weather. A doubleheader against Hotchkiss will be played this Saturday on a Canyon View field in Grand Junction instead of Meeker. The first game will start at 11 a.m.
The Panthers are scheduled to play a doubleheader in Paonia Saturday.