Last week was a big test for Cowboy Softball in their second game of the year when they took on yet another solid 4A team in Rifle. The final score was 17-3.
TIFFANY JEHOREK PHOTO
“The Rifle Bears are always tough competition but the girls keep getting better and better each time we play them,” commented head coach Kendal Bergman.
The first inning started off with Miah Wren getting on base early and stealing second base to put herself in scoring position. Ryann Mergelman hit an RBI single to score Wren, followed up by another single by Athena Lyon. Now with Mergelman in scoring position, Emma Bauer got the job done at the plate with a single to push another run across.
In the second the Cowboys had some more excitement with Mergelman getting on base with a fielder’s choice and Bauer once again getting her job done and hitting another RBI single. “Freshman Bauer shows such composure at the plate and also has had some outstanding saves at first base so far this year,” said Bergman.
Brea Garcia pitched the entire game to Mergelman behind the plate and “both put in great effort to keep the Cowboys in the game” , commented Bergman.
“Garcia will never surrender out there on the mound and gives everything she has each pitch, we’ll tighten up our defense moving forward to take some pressure off our senior pitcher,” said Bergman.
Both the Cowboy softball teams fell to Rifle but they will have another chance as they will be playing them again later this season in a JV doubleheader. In the varsity game Wren scored one and Mergelman the other two and at the mound Garcia pitched an entire game throwing 82 pitches.
Tuesday night in front of a great home crowd the Cowboys took Eagle Valley 8-7. Up by fivebat the bottom of the second, the Cowboys allowed EV to inch back closer before finally sealing the win. Opening the game on the plate was senior Regan Hafey who threw 72 pitches before Garcia came in to finish it off. Bauer, Garcia and Hafey led the team, each scoring two runs.
This weekend before the team travels to Limon to take on the Badgers, they have a game against Alameda in Denver at 4 p.m. The Limon games will begin at 9 a.m. with JV.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK – Special to the Herald Times
