Elias Fiddler was in tune all afternoon Wednesday against a mighty Piedra Vista baseball team.
The Durango High School senior was the winning pitcher in six innings of work and also belted a key home run in the Demons’ 6-2 win Wednesday in a game played in Farmington.
“It was great. We love playing PV because we grew up with all those guys,” Fiddler said. “We always have a big rivalry with them, and I am happy we got the chance to beat them after a few years of losing to them.”
Fiddler went six innings on the mound in his start Wednesday at the Farmington Sports Complex. After giving up one run in the first inning, he settled in and didn’t allow another. He struck out five, issued three walks and surrendered five hits.
At the plate, Fiddler was 2-for-4 with the two-run home run.
“It was a real big day for Elias,” DHS head coach Rob Coddington said. “He did a great job competing for us.”
Fiddler, who is the regular catcher this season for DHS (3-0), said he doesn’t pitch often, but his experience behind the plate has helped him work effectively on the mound.
“I’m not a pitcher, and it’s not what I am going to do in college, but we had a lot of younger guys step up today behind me and especially behind the plate calling the game for me,” Fiddler said. “Shout out Tanner Coddington for playing a great game at catcher”
It was Tanner Coddington’s first varsity game at catcher. The sophomore teamed with Fiddler for a big second inning defensively for the Demons. DHS made two strong defensive plays behind Fiddler for two outs, and Coddington threw out a runner trying to steal second to get Fiddler out of the inning in only six pitches.
To lead off the third, Gage Mestas hit his second triple in as many days, and he would score on the Fiddler homer two batters later to give DHS a 3-1 lead.
"My first at-bat, their pitcher started me with a fastball and then a curve and then came back with another curve,“ FIddler said. ”I figured my second at-bat that I would sit fastball first pitch. I got it, and I didn’t miss.“
Mestas was 3-for-4 in the game with a run batted in, two runs scored and a stolen base.
DHS added a run in the sixth on a monster solo homer from junior Jordan Stanley who went 2-for-4 at the plate.
“Jordan Stanley broke out real nice today,” coach Coddington said. “That homer was a monster shot into the wind, and he did a real nice job playing center field for us, too.”
The Demons added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh, as Ben Finneseth doubled off the top of the wall before a Mestas RBI single and then a sacrifice fly by Cal Walsh scored another run.
That allowed Niko Mestas to pitch a comfortable seventh inning to close out the victory against the Panthers (3-5).
“It always feels good to compete in Farmington,” coach Coddington said. “Somebody told me a few months ago that Durango baseball couldn’t compete with some of the local teams down here. That’s something I think, not just me but when I told the kids that, there’s really good baseball from Grand Junction all the way down to Farmington, and we have a lot of respect for everybody and all the talent and how hard everyone competes. For us, it’s not as enjoyable when you’re not out there competing and able to put pressure on those teams.”
Now, DHS will prepare for the 5A/4A Southwestern League opener Saturday at Grand Junction. Many expect the matchup between the Tigers and Demons to determine the league title chase.
DHS will have all pitchers available, including both Mestas boys.
“We’re really confident having Gage and Niko ready to go on the mound,” Fiddler said. “It’s a confidence booster for our team. Today was a good win that has us feeling good going into it.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
