Cowboy boasts a big roster this year. Seniors include Liam Deming, Zach Simonsen, Peter Hanks, Ty Goedert, Hamp Hightower and Damik Chintala, along with 23 other players. | RICH KLINZMANN PHOTO
MEEKER I Cowboy baseball is finally back to a normal schedule. In 2020 they were able to play one game before the season shut down, last year it started late, but it is finally back on schedule.
This year coaching for the Cowboys once again is head coach Donald Blazon and assistants Dylan Mobley and Cody Smith. The trio coaches one of the biggest rosters they have had including seniors Liam Deming, Zach Simonsen, Peter Hanks, Ty Goedert, John Hampton Hightower, and Damik Chintala. There are 23 additional Cowboys that join the seniors.
“Most of our games are away for the first month,” commented Mobley. “The weather needs to get better and we have only been in the gym as the field is still too snowy and muddy.”
“Our program is only going to continue to get better. We lost a little bit of hitting from last year with the seniors that graduated but if we have solid defense and improve as the year goes in our defense and hitting we should do well. There are quite a few pitchers and catchers returning which is nice, so we should be able to rotate them out,” said Mobley. “Donald and Cody have done a great job with the summer program of scrimmages and practices and they have been doing preseason skills to get the boys ready.”
The Cowboys opened their season to the Miners of North Fork Tuesday, a team that returned nearly all of their returning starters and have been historically strong. No longer in Meeker’s league for 2022, it was a tough game to open with and the Cowboys had a hard time getting their bats going.
Opening on the mound, Demming pitched the first four innings and Johnathon Fitzgibbon’s finished it out.
Ethan Quinn opened the game with a double down the left field line, but the Cowboys struggled to catch up to the pitch.
Chintala made a diving catch in left to keep at least two runs from scoring, but the final score was 13-0, the Miners.
Saturday the teams travel to Delta for a game against Gunnison. The games will be live streamed on Coffee With Coaches.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK – Special to the Herald Times
