Damik Chintala | BOBBY GUTIERREZ PHOTO
MEEKER | Meeker baseball matched up against its toughest opponent of the year last Friday. Cedaredge, number one in the league, came to Meeker for a Cowboy-Bruin double header and the teams went 1-1 on the night.
In game one the Bruins had a “tough pitcher and they hit the ball and got a lot of hits,” commented head coach Donald Blazon. The Cowboys worked through the roster with John Hampton Hightower, Jonathan Fitzgibbons, Josh Murphy and Ryan Phelan all seeing time on the mound trying to stop the Bruins.
Scoring in game one was Hightower, Murphy, Liam Deming and Peter Hanks. Only five hits by the Cowboys out of the 95 pitches by Geyer.
“The first game was a good lesson which we were able to apply for the second game,” said Blazon.
Brayden Garcia | TIFFANY JEHOREK PHOTO
In game two Deming and Garcia took the mound, each striking out three; Deming threw 100 pitches over his four innings only allowing five hits.
Offensively “it came down to clutch hitting,” commented Blazon, “In the seventh inning Liam and Jacob both got singles and Peter walked, we were down two in the bottom half and Sullivan hit a single right at the second baseman bringing in the two winning runs.”
“Ultimately it was timely hitting and the boys stuck with it,” said Blazon, “Game one was the first lesson with the big loss and an eye opener but the boys picked themselves up and came out like champions.”
“Our boys played with class, their shortstop had the play of the year off of hit from Phelan and our boys stood up and showed their support,” wrapped up Blazon.
Liam Deming | TIFFANY JEHOREK PHOTO
The Cowboys play in Hotchkiss Wednesday beginning at 1 p.m., results to follow next week. Meeker is now 9-3 overall and 3-2 in the 2A Western Slope League, and after the win against the ninth ranked Cedaredge Bruins the Cowboys moved up two spots to number 19 in the state according to the RPI.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK – Special to the Herald Times
