MEEKER | Cowboy softball was busy last week with three days of away games. The Meeker varsity softball team started off in Basalt on Thursday. The team pulled ahead 5-0 in the top of the first inning just before a lightning delay. After a 30 minute delay and tons of rain, the game was canceled.
Next up for the softball team was Battle Mountain. Both varsity and JV teams traveled to Eagle to compete. Freshman Kailynn Watson pitched a full game for JV and held the Huskies to only five runs.
Watson had great support from her team offensively during the game with Meeker freshman Kayla Castillo having two great hits and Craig junior Kylie Jaburg hitting two doubles.
“The entire lineup had a great offensive game and along with heads up baserunning,” commented head coach Kendal Bergman.
The Cowboys accumulated 24 runs to win the game.
Varsity took the field with sophomore Addie Knowles pitching two innings and held the Huskies at bay allowing no runs. Knowles also shined up to bat by hitting her first home run of the season.
Rangely junior Miley Chism joined the home run club hitting one of her own, her first of the season as well.
After two innings of work, Knowles was switched out with Chism on the mound who recorded her first strikeout of the season.
“Chism pitched her first inning of the season and performed excellently,” said Bergman.
Getting the job done at the plate, both Kastyn Dembowski and Miah Wren batted 1.00 to reach base each at bat. Jade Miller and Ashlynn Ducey had great success as well throughout the game with two hits for Miller and a .500 average for Ducey.
For the final games of the week the JV team traveled to Rifle on Saturday morning for a doubleheader. The first meeting of these teams had Rifle with a dominant win but the Meeker Cowboys were much tougher competition during this next meeting.
The Rifle Bears scored early and kept a lead for most of the game leading 9-5 in the sixth.
“The girls stormed back with great hits from Jaburg (two RBI double), Autumn Stallings (two RBI double), Teryn Carter, Hayden Garcia, Watson, Vanessa Herrera, and Dayonna Traubado and pulled away 13-9,” commented Bergman.
After a few defensive miscues and the Bears fighting back, the Cowboys lost 14-13.
“The girls worked very hard throughout the game but a few things need to be cleaned up for us to pull out the win next time,” said Bergman.
The Cowboys stepped back on the field for game two with more great hits from Carter, Stallings, Trabaudo and Jaburg to keep the game close.
Along with great defense from catcher Carter and a diving shortstop Jaburg, Stallings turned a double play on her own with a popup catch and caught the runner at first without tagging up. Herrera had a good outing on the mound and always came back stronger each inning. The Cowboys had the chance to win the second game as well but a few late game errors let the Bears take the lead and keep it.
“The girls need to keep their heads up and know that our work is paying off,” said Bergman. “We just need to tidy up a few things and we hope to come away with the wins when we face Rifle again next Wednesday. We are definitely getting better and it’s so great to see the improvement from the girls.”
The Cowboys hit the road this weekend with double header varsity games Friday in Delta beginning at 2 p.m. and Saturday in Cortez beginning at 11 a.m.
