MEEKER | Spring baseball in western Colorado is more like baseball in less winter. The Cowboys traveled to the banana belt of the region Tuesday to take on the North Fork Miners, a traditional powerhouse in the sport that was once in the same class, the Miners have moved up to 3A. The game was originally scheduled to be in Hotchkiss but the snow and mud and rain moved it to Grand Junction Central.
The MHS Cowboys took to the field against North Fork at Grand Junction Central, losing to their 3A opponents 3-8. | RICH KLINZMANN PHOTO
The Cowboys schedule is packed with 3A teams for at least the next six games, but the increased competition helps improve both offense and defense.
After the first two games and wins of the season the Cowboys received some votes in the coaches poll for moving up in the rankings, and are looking to win to make some moves up the ranking so that at the end of the season they are in prime territory to make regionals on the road to state.
Cowboys batted first and they worked through six batters, scoring two runs by Ethan Quinn and Jake Blazon before the first out was called, and the score stood going into the bottom of the first.
Carson Klinzmann took the mound to start off the defense with Blazon behind the plate. North Fork hit a two RBI base hit to tie the game early in the first and brought in one more to go up 3-2 at the end of the first.
The next two innings went scoreless when in the bottom of the fourth the Miners scored two more before the Cowboys answered at the top of the sixth, their final run of the game.
The Miners scored three more the next inning for a final score of 3-8 North Fork.
The Cowboys are still on the road and have just over a week before their first home game while the field melts and dries. This Friday and Saturday they will travel to Buena Vista for a tournament where they will have three games and play Bayfield, Buena Vista, and Monte Vista.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK – Special to the Herald Times
