BY TIFFANY JEHOREK
Special to the Herald Times
MEEKER I After a long bus ride, the first game got off to a bit of a rocky start but the girls were able to flip the switch and get the job done and come away with two wins.
“Both wins were great team wins with everyone doing their job defensively and at the plate,” commented head coach Kendal Bergman.
In game one, Brea Garcia pitched a complete game, keeping the Gunnison Cowboys off balance.
“Some of the best pitching I’ve seen out of Brea and she worked so hard and got better and never gave up,” said Bergman.
Garcia threw 167 pitches, allowed 10 hits, struck out three, and only walked one.
At catcher, “Ryann Mergelman performed very well behind the plate and had some help from great defensive plays,” commented Bergman.
Gunnison took a small but early lead at the end of the first inning which was matched by the Cowboys in the second to tie the game 7-all, but in the fifth inning the Cowboys jumped up four and held Gunnison to only one for the last five innings. Final score of 12-9, and the game went to Meeker.
It was “solid defense all around that worked very well together,” began Bergman. “Reagan Hafey had an amazing diving catch behind third base while playing shortstop, Hailey Knowles had two solid catches in left field that could have been extra base hits for the other team, and amazing stretches and snags by Macy Ridgeway at first base to solidify outs.”
Offensively Kastyn Dembowski hit a triple, Knowles hit a double to right field along with a few other hits during the game, and Mykayla Wille had another successful day up to bat with multiple solid hits to score runs and keep innings alive.
“A huge note from the first game was most of our runs were scored on two outs; we are the two out rally team,” wrapped up Bergman about game one,
Game two was not as high scoring as game one, the Cowboys held Gunnison from scoring until the sixth inning; final 7-4.
Knowles pitched the whole game throwing 119 pitches, only allowing five hits, striking out seven, and only walking one, and she did so with Athena Lyon, in her first varsity start, behind the plate
“Athena did extremely well,” said Bergman, “Hailey went right at each batter and kept the ball low to get a bunch of ground ball outs with the defense working well behind her.”
“Macy was solid once again at first base making stellar catches for outs, Reagan had another diving catch for an out at second base, and Kastyn with a great catch near the fence out in center to end the game.”
Hits with runners in scoring position were crucial this game and Meeker got hits when they mattered most.
“The whole team did amazing once again up to bat with multiple hits from everyone,” commented Bergman.
Hafey came in clutch with a double, Ridgeway hitting solid hits to center field, Vivian Brown made solid contact again with a hit to right field, Dembowski had another double in the second game and Mergelman made solid contact for hits.
“Base running really improved during these games and Wagner Brown and Kassidy Wille both stepped up and helped run bases for pitchers and catchers, each scoring runs,” said Bergman; “great games out of the Meeker Cowboys and we look forward to continuing this win streak next weekend.”
This week the Cowboys host Cedaredge at home on Thursday, then Durango and Cortez away Friday and Saturday. All days are varsity double headers, Thursday they begin at 4 pm, Friday at 1 p.m., and Saturday at 11 a.m.
“These will be tough six games in a row but as long as we work hard as a team and have each others’ backs defensively and up to bat, then we’ll come away with the wins again,” wrapped up Bergman.
