RBC baseball teams play doubleheader in Meeker

RBC I The two Rio Blanco County high school baseball teams met in Meeker one week ago today for a doubleheader. Rangely returned west with two more victories.
The Panthers are currently 6-5 overall and 4-4 in the West Slope League, while Meeker is still looking for its first WSL win and will host Grand Valley tonight at Paintbrush Park.
The Panthers won the first game 15-10 and the second 8-7, and, in both games, Meeker had rallies to make the games exciting.

“We are young this year and tend to try and get complacent in the latter half of the game,” Rangely head coach Paul Fortunato said. “Overall, I was proud of the boys to come away with two wins. Meeker is always tough at home and their boys came to play. Some timely hits by some of their guys was almost enough to come back and beat us in the second game.
Meeker led 3-2 after three innings of play in the first game before the Panthers scored 12 runs in two innings to lead 13-4 at the end of five. The Cowboys held the Panthers scoreless in the top of the sixth, then rallied to score five runs while only scoring one run in the bottom of the seventh. They needed six to win after Rangely scored two in the top of the final inning.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Cowboys trailed 4-8 in the bottom of the seventh, when they started another rally, which came up short again, this time by one run.
“We managed to load the bases with one out,” Meeker head coach Jason Browning said. “Hunter Garcia doubled to drive in three runs to make it 8-7, then Dylan (Mobley) hit a fly ball to center, which was caught for out No. 2, advancing Hunter to third — or so I thought.”
Coach Browning said Rangely appealed, arguing Garcia left second early and the umpire agreed, calling Garcia out.
“Game over,” Browning said. “It was the second time we lost 8-7 to them. The season has been difficult, but the boys have stayed positive and continue to work hard in practice.”
Coach Fortunato was appreciative of his team’s effort this season too.
“I am proud of my guys for continuing to push forward and work hard for me in practice,” Fortunato said. “We have had some ups and downs, but the guys are continuing to do what it takes to put themselves in good situations to win.”