‘All horses come home’: Pueblo County baseball on the brink of history

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- “All horses come home.”

It’s a phrase that echoes throughout Pueblo County baseball, even if no one can quite pin down exactly what it means. The saying started with former Hornet Pat Noga, and over time it has become something of a rallying cry for the program.

Why? It's a mystery.

Some possible translations could mean it symbolizes tradition; once a Hornet, always a Hornet. Or it could mean that no matter the journey, Pueblo County always finds itself in contention when it matters most.

And once again, the Hornets have done just that.

On Saturday, Pueblo County will have a chance to capture the program’s first-ever state championship, an opportunity that carries weight not just for the current roster, but for generations of players who helped build the culture.

“One of those guys on those team said all horses come home," Head Coach Matt Eades said. "So these guys are excited to try and finish the job that those guys started a couple years ago.”

That unfinished business dates back to 2024, when the Hornets reached the state title game but fell just short. Many of today’s players were part of that run, watching and learning as younger teammates.

Now, they’re the ones in position to finish it.

“When we were younger, we were just watching from the dugout, learning from the older guys,” senior Fonzie Maes said. “Everyone before us… it means a lot to us, the community, all the guys before us, our coaches, everybody.”

Leading the charge is pitcher Blake Swift, who knows the job isn’t done yet. Even with momentum on their side, the Hornets are staying grounded.

“To always just stay on the course and be looking ahead and be smiling,” Swift said. “Just because you won the first game, you’ve got to win the second, and the third, and the fourth one.”

That steady mindset has been tested this season.

Despite entering the year with high expectations, after being ranked No. 1 last season, the Hornets hit a rough stretch midway through, losing five of six games. For many teams, that kind of skid could derail confidence.

Instead, it helped reset them.

“All the pressure at the beginning of the season… there was a lot of pressure,” senior Jonathan Hernandez explained. “And I think going on that losing streak, losing a couple games, it just took all that pressure off of us.”

Since then, Pueblo County has played with a renewed sense of freedom.

Now, with 13 seniors leading the way, the Hornets are just seven innings away from making history.

Still, they know nothing will come easy.

“The way the format’s set up, it’s a grind,” Eades said. “You don’t know if it’s going to be a shootout or a pitcher’s duel.”

But when Pueblo County is at its best, they believe no challenge is too big.

“When we’re at our best, we can beat anybody," Hernandez said.

Whether “all horses come home” is a funny quip or a motivational mantra, one thing is clear: the Hornets are right where they want to be, with a chance to finally bring a state championship home.

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