MEEKER | Softball kicked off a big week against the Grand Junction Tigers. The Cowboys struck first with a lead off single by Miah Wren who stole second and third and then scored off a hard hit grounder from Ryann Mergelman. Emma Bauer continued the streak of hard hits with a laser line drive but right at the second baseman unfortunately to end the top of the first inning. At the bottom of the first, freshman Kailynn Watson took the mound for the Cowboys and held the Tigers to only two runs after pitching a ground out and two fly outs.
The Cowboys kept fighting in the field and made some great plays to keep the Tigers close. Miley Chism, behind the plate, caught the runner stealing third with a great throw to Jade Miller at third base for the tag out. Chism also made a pick throw to Bauer at first but the runner took off to second base, Bauer made the clean throw to Mergelman covering second base to get the runner out there to end the inning.
“The outfielders also were tough, making great catches during the game and testing their range,” commented head coach Kendal Bergman.
The Tiger’s pitcher kept the Cowboys’ bats quiet for most of the game until the fifth inning.
Addie Knowles went in for Watson on the mound in the fourth inning.
“She got a great single base hit in her first at bat in the fifth inning to get a rally started,” said Bergman.
Knowles was able to score and the Cowboys sat with bases loaded and two outs with Autumn Stallings on third, Kastyn Dembowski on second, and Ashlynn Ducey on first. Mergelman was up to bat and made solid contact but the shortstop was able to make the play for the last out. “Although the score was 12-2 I had full confidence that the girls could storm back, and they were showing so much fight all the way to the end,” commented Bergman. “The Tigers played a great clean game and kept us on our toes and we showed great heart to keep fighting.”
The busy week continued with the JV softball team heading to Rifle on Wednesday for a doubleheader. After competing with this team three previous times and suffering losses, the Cowboys fought tooth and nail and came out victorious in both games. Winning game one 14-12 and game two 6-2. Vanessa Herrera and Watson took wins from the mound for the Cowboys.
“Both pitchers performed very well and it was awesome to see the defense working so well together and making tremendous plays,” said Bergman. “Those wins were huge for us and it shows how much we’ve all improved so far this season.”
The week culminated on the road beginning in Delta for a varsity doubleheader on Friday.
“The first game was a difficult battle and we struggled against Delta’s 0.28 ERA pitcher,” commented Bergman.
Junior Wren had the only hit for the Cowboys but other players were seeing the ball well and made solid contact, but right at Delta’s defenders.
“Although the offense struggled, the defense laid it all on the line,” said Bergman.
Bauer had a diving catch in foul territory, as did Kayla Castillo in right field, and Dembowski had a running catch in left field to steal a double from their best hitter.
“Sophomore Knowles pitched one heck of a game holding the Delta Panthers to only four runs into the fourth inning,” commented Bergman.
After a few defensive miscues, the Panthers pulled ahead further in the fourth and added on four more runs. The Cowboys lost 0-10.
The second game started off better for the Cowboys as they tacked on two runs in the first inning. Wren started off the game showing off her speed by beating out a throw from the shortstop. Ducey followed by hitting a double to score Wren all the way from first base. Then Mergelman smoked a ball to center field to score Ducey with a sac fly.
On the mound freshman Watson got the start for the Cowboys in the second game and held the Panthers to only one run through three innings.
“A very impressive outing by Watson,” commented Bergman. “Knowles cannot pitch every ball of every inning as she will max out her pitches and innings according to CHSAA before the end of the year. As a team it is great to have another pitcher and soon one more that is coming along so each can get all their arms the rest that is needed.”
The offense played strong with a triple from Dembowski in the fourth inning but was left on base at the end of the inning.
The Panthers tacked on five runs in the fourth inning but the Cowboys came storming back scoring five runs of their own. Teryn Carter put down a stellar bunt and beat out the throw and then proceeded to steal second third bases. Ducey followed up with a base hit and Mergelman with another double to score two runs.
The score was 7-6 in the fifth inning with the Cowboys leading.
The Cowboys held off the Panthers but with runners left on base at the top of the seventh they went into the bottom with only a one-run lead. After two quick outs, great catches by Dembowski in left and Wren in center, the Panthers came storming back to secure the 8-7 win with two doubles and a few defensive miscues.
“The loss was a heartbreaker for us but it definitely proved that we can compete with any team,” commented Bergman. “The team stuck together through the ups and downs and we can only get better from here.”
Continuing the road weekend at Montezuma-Cortez the Cowboys allowed MC to stay close all the way to the fourth inning until their bats came alive and scored four runs.
Ducey put down a great bunt and beat out the throw, Dembowski did the same and was safe at first, Ducey and Dembowski advanced on a passed ball, Mergelman came through with a ripped grounder through the 5-6 hole to score Ducey, Bauer hit a ball back at the pitcher to score Dembowski, and Knowles added more runs for her team with a great single up the first base line to score two more runs.
“Knowles pitched the entire game and did an amazing job for the Cowboys,” commented Bergman.
The game continued to stay close, the Cowboys led 5-2, until the seventh, when once again the bats came alive.
The defense clinched the win beginning with a great catch by Kayla Castillo in right field.
“That was the best team win so far this season with every single player contributing both on defense and offense,” Bergman said.
Final score of game one was 10-2.
The Cowboys were ready for game two and put up three runs in the first. The Cortez Panthers came storming back with three runs of their own.
In the third the score was 4-8 with the Panthers ahead but the Cowboys tacked on six more runs with a double from Mergelman, Bauer getting to second on an overthrow, Miley Chism with a line drive single, Jade Miller with a single followed by a two-RBI single from Stallings, Wren with a single, and Dembowski with a two-RBI single.
The defense struck back with a great three up three down outing that included a strikeout from Knowles.
The Cowboys took the games into their own hands and added on four more runs to pull away to a score of 19-9.
“It is so true what they said about hitting being contagious and this game truly showed that,” said Bergman. “Everyone made each at bat count and they did a great job at passing the bat and keeping pressure on Cortez’s defense.”
The game ended with a solid three up three down outing again with a fly out to Wren in center, pop out to Dembowski in left, and a strikeout from Knowles.
“We did an extraordinary job keeping their heads up and not losing faith even when the score wasn’t in our favor,” said Bergman. “They played together so well and secured two huge wins in the process.”
