The Durango High School baseball team prepared all offseason to try to achieve mid-season for by the time the season started. It has paid off.
The Demons improved to 5-0 overall and opened the 5A/4A Southwestern League with a doubleheader sweep of Grand Junction (2-5, 0-3 SWL) with wins of 16-4 and 10-0.
“Our hitters swung the bat well, and our pitchers threw strikes,” said DHS head coach Rob Coddington. “It’s always good to go to Grand Junction and win a game. To win two is a bonus.”
Elias Fiddler belted a home run in each game, and eight-hole hitter Ty Martinez combined to go 5-for-8 at the plate with a triple and two doubles, three runs scored and four runs batted in in the two games.
“Elias really swung the bat well. He’s matured into a very focused hitter, and he never seems like he’s in any kind of spot where he’s panicked,” said Coddington. “Even with two strikes, he battles away. You can say that about a lot of guys on our team right now.
“Ty really kept the lineup going and had a great performance. Our whole bottom of the order with Jack Benner, Ty Martinez and Ben Finneseth were all tough outs all day.”
Gage Mestas was the winning pitcher in Game 1 for DHS. He went five innings and struck out 10. He walked three and allowed only one hit. Jordan Stanley pitched the sixth inning and gave up four runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out one.
The winning pitcher in Game 2 was Niko Mestas. In the five-inning game, he went the entire way and struck out two and walked one. He allowed only two hits.
“Gage did a real nice job and worked a real nice tempo,” Coddington said. “He came after guys all the way until his last pitch. It was fun to watch him work today in a full outing.
“Niko also works at a fast pace and just pumps strikes. He brings an intensity and lets the defense make plays behind him. He’s never rattled and is just a competitor.”
Gage Mestas also went 2-for-4 with a run and four RBIs in the Game 1 win. Cal Walsh was 2-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs. Fiddler was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and his first homer of the day. Niko Mestas also went 2-for-4 and scored twice, Chase Robertson was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs, Finneseth went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs and Benner went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs.
In Game 2, Fiddler went 3-for-4 with a homer and a double to drive in three runs and score twice. Stanley was 2-for-3 with two runs on a single and a double. Walsh added another 2-for-4 showing, too.
“Guys maintained their approach all day, even when we had a couple of things here and there not go our way,” Coddington said. “Guys kept even keel and stayed in a spot where we kept pressuring the other team.”
DHS was down to only nine varsity players for the trip, and Coddington was pleased with the way the available players rallied together.
The Demons will have more players available when they host cross-county rival Bayfield (5-1) at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
