MEEKER | A wintry start to the 2019 baseball season found the first games of the year moved and finally canceled. In his first year as head coach for the Meeker Cowboys baseball program, Donald Blazon was “disappointed” by the beginning. Unable to yet even practice outside on the field as it is covered in snow, Saturday’s games turned into conditioning and practice indoors instead of traveling to Rifle for a series of three games.
Senior Eli Hanks came in early to hit a few balls in the batting cage set up in the auxiliary gym of the high school, and was ready for the season to begin, as he had to sit out his junior year due to a shoulder injury following the football season.
Coaching this year with Blazon is Cody Smith. He worked with the Cowboys last year, joining the staff halfway through the year, but this will be his first full season. Smith is the P.E. teacher at the elementary school and volunteers his time coaching on other city teams. Previous head coach Brian Merrifield can still be found around the fields, volunteering his time to help coach alongside another volunteer Ron Kelly Crawford. Also assisting Blazon are managers Macey Ridgeway and Makayla Wille.
“We have four seniors this year,” said Blazon, “we will be preaching fundamentals and after these cancellations, the kids are going to be hungry going into the first game.” Right now the first game is scheduled in Paonia, Colo., where the Cowboys will have a double-header against Nucla followed by Dove Creek on March 29.
By Tiffany Jehorek | Special to the Herald Times
