10U baseball team rebounds to 2-2 record

MEEKER — Meeker’s 10-and-under baseball team has played four games so far this season and are currently 2-2. Meeker beat Parachute in the season opener, then lost a doubleheader to Rangely before beating New Castle.
“We were down 0-5 in the fifth inning against Parachute and needed a big inning,” coach Clinton Kilduff said of his team’s first game.
Caleb Bradford hit a double, and Eli Newman took one for the team when he was hit in the helmet by a pitch before Chase Rule, T.J. Shelton and Darian Dade all walked. Zach Dinwiddie also walked to score a run. Hunter Garcia ended the game with a base clearing double to shallow right, according to Kilduff.
“That was a great game for me and the kids,” Kilduff said.
Meeker played Rangely for a doubleheader and lost both.
“In the first game, we struggled hitting their star pitcher but Sam Nieslanik pitched well for us,” Kilduff said. “We were down 0-5 entering the bottom of the fourth and I believed a comeback was possible when the bases were loaded and Hunter stepped to the plate. He hit the ball hard to the third baseman, the run scored and all were safe after it rolled through the legs of the third baseman. But the inning was cut short with two strikeouts and the bats went silent in the last inning.”
Kilduff said a lack of pitching hurt the team in the second game, where Meeker lost 0-16.
“That was a tough night on the boys and me because it was the last game for teammate Sam Stranathan (who is moving to Kansas) and we couldn’t hit,” Kilduff said.
Nieslanik did a good job on the mound against New Castle and according to Kilduff, the bats appeared again for his young players.
“We gathered eight hits and a lot of walks on the way to a 7-0 lead, going into the top of the fifth,” Kilduff said.
“Everyone is having fun and that’s all that matters with this age group,” Kilduff said. “Having fun and learning is what we are doing.”