MEEKER | The Meeker High School baseball team wrapped up its 2025 season last week with two road losses, falling 11-5 to Basalt and 13-1 to Steamboat Springs on back-to-back days.
Despite the tough end to the season, first-year head coach James Romansky said the team battled through a demanding final stretch.
“Having games the last four or five days of the season isn’t ideal,” Romansky said. “We were tired going into the last two games. We played Basalt well; they just had more runners on when their timely hitting came through. We came out a bit flat against Steamboat and battled to play them even in the mid-game and late game, but by then momentum wasn’t ours. Our young squad played well. We didn’t hang our heads. Defeat teaches lessons, and we learned a lot in that last game.”
Meeker last faced Basalt in March 2024, dropping that contest 7-3. This time, the Cowboys were hoping to avenge that loss, but the Longhorns again came out on top.
With the defeat, Meeker dropped its second straight game and fell to 7-15 on the season.
Despite the loss, Romansky highlighted the team’s development over the course of the year.
“I’m pleased that we ended up settling down on defense and finding a lot of really great young players that would get the job done,” he said. “Also, that our bats came alive — the second half of the season was full of line drives and quality at-bats.”
Sophomore Cade Mills continued to be a bright spot for Meeker. On the mound, he pitched one scoreless inning without allowing a hit or an earned run — his first clean outing since April. At the plate, he went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored.
Sophomore Said Rodriguez also stood out that evening, going 1-for-3 with two runs and a stolen base.
The following day, the Cowboys traveled to Steamboat Springs for their final game of the season. The two teams met just two weeks prior at Paintbrush Park, where the Sailors edged Meeker 5-4. But this time, the Cowboys couldn’t keep it close and fell 13-1.
Mills was one of five Cowboys to record a hit, as he went 1-for-2 with a double. The team struggled offensively against Steamboat junior pitcher Fred Lohne, who threw a complete game, allowing just four hits and one earned run while striking out 12 of the Cowboys batters that evening.
After the game, Romansky outlined his plans for building the program in the offseason.
“I plan on providing as much assistance in the offseason as I am allowed,” he said. “Summer is big for slowing things down, getting training in, and having the time to get better, which isn’t easy to achieve in the high school season. We’ll get quality games in with those who wish to continue to pursue baseball over the summer. I want to provide as much opportunity to improve and build to those looking for it.”
Meeker’s defense was tested by Steamboat sophomore Jude Fesperman, who reached base in all four plate appearances, scoring two runs with a triple and an RBI. Freshman Johnathan Nicoles also went 2-for-4 with two runs, a stolen base and two RBIs.
With the loss, Meeker finished the season with a 7-16 overall record and a 5-5 mark in the 2A Western Slope League — good for third place.
Romansky reflected on his first year at the helm and praised the team’s response to adversity.
“I see this as a very strong beginning to a new system,” he said. “The team really took well to the new program. The staff was motivated and felt appreciated by the players, community, and parents. It would have been easy early on for the team to turn on itself and not battle their way back, but the guys worked through and we turned it around. We have quality in Meeker, and these players are among the best.”
Meeker’s season is over, but the program showed growth and potential for the future. Congratulations to the Cowboys’ seniors, who will graduate from Meeker High School on May 24.
By JARED HENDERSON |
