RANGELY | The Rangely Panthers baseball team enjoyed a 2-1 mark on their season last week. The Panthers fell to the Meeker Cowboys 10-1 on Thursday and had to turn around and play the Cedaredge Bruins on Saturday. The doubleheader against the Bruins was originally scheduled to be played in Rangely, but due to an official shortage, the games had to be moved to Cedaredge.
In game one against the Bruins, the Panthers used back-to-back big innings in the second and fourth innings to take a 10-6 lead over the Bruins. he Bruins fought back and tied the game 10-10 at the end of the fifth inning. The Panthers then responded with a nine-run inning in the top of the sixth inning and three runs in the top of the seventh inning to score 23 runs total. The Bruins plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning before the Panthers secured the third out and ended the game at 23-12. The win was the eighth win for the Panthers and their overall record stood at 8-7 overall and 2-2 in Western Slope League play.
Offensively the Panthers were led by senior Drake Miller who had four hits, one for a double, while driving in six RBIs. Miller has really been swinging the bat well for the Panthers and has been a great spark in the middle of the lineup for the Panthers. Sophomore Marcos Quintana also went 4-4 in the game at the plate with a double and three singles. Quintana drove in two RBIs for his 18th and 19th of the season. Junior Kobey Chism also had a great day at the plate with two hits and three walks as he drove in four RBIs. Overall, the Panthers had 20 hits in the game, nine walks, and eight hit-by-pitches.
Defensively, the Panthers were led by Marcos Quintana and sophomore Landon Carlson on the mound. Carlson picked up his second win of the season as he was pitching when Quintana was on the no-decision end when the Bruins tied the game up at 10 runs. Carlson went three innings and gave up 10 runs while walking four and striking out five.
In game two, the Panthers found themselves down in the early innings 7-3. The Panthers re-took the lead with a six-run fourth inning to bring the game to 9-7. The Bruins plated one run in the bottom of the fourth bringing the game to 9-8 in favor of the Panthers. The Panthers scored seven runs over the last three innings to the Bruins five to take game two 16-13.
Drake Miller continued to be a force at the plate as he batted in five more RBIs to have nine on the day. Seniors Luis Quintana and Drake Miller led the Panthers in hitting with three hits each in the game. Sophomore Tristan Scott recorded two hits along with senior Kevin Wren and junior Kobey Chism. The Panthers hitting totals in game two were 16 runs on 15 hits, 14 walks, two hit-by-pitches and five strikeouts.
Tristan Scott led the Panthers on the mound as he picked up his second win of the season. Scott threw five great innings for the Panthers. In those five innings he gave up 10 runs (six earned runs), while only walking one hit and striking out four. Luis Quintana came in to relieve Scott and closed the game to earn the save. Quintana gave up three runs on six hits while not walking any Bruin hitters and striking out one.
The Panthers have positioned themselves to make the 2A CHSAA state baseball tournament starting on Saturday, March 20. The Panthers currently sit in the #23 spot and the top 32 teams make the tournament. The Panthers will have to travel to a host site but they are excited and will look to continue to focus their efforts on making the tournament.
Special to the Herald Times
