Lady Tigers beat Caldwell, Skyview

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers improved to 3-1 in league softball, getting wins over Caldwell and Skyview last week before dropping a non-conference game at Borah.

Mountain Home 4

Caldwell 3

Ashley Kipp doubled home two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Mountain Home Lady Tigers a 4-3 win over Caldwell last Tuesday in Mountain Home.

Caldwell took advantage of some wildness by Ali Hillman in the second inning, as Hillman walked two and hit one, and the Lady Cougars scored two runs to go up, 2-0.

Back came the Lady Tigers in the bottom of the second. After Krista Gillaspy reached on an error, Brei Draper tripled her home, and then scored on Breann Christiansen's sacrifice to tie the game at 2-2.

A Mountain Home fielding error helped lead to a Caldwell run in the third, as they led 3-2.

It looked like Mountain Home was gong to open it up in the bottom of the third, as Liz Griffeath walked and Ashley Kipp singled with nobody out, but Caldwell's pitcher Ashley Wolff struck out Ali Hillman, Sammy Dodge and Krista Gillaspy to end the threat and the inning.

The score stayed at 3-2, Caldwell, going into the bottom of the seventh, and Lady Cougar pitcher Ashley Wolff had retired nine in a row before Breann Christiansen singled with one out. Kim Hamilton followed with a single, and after Liz Griffeath popped up to the catcher for the second out, Ashley Kipp ripped the ball to deep center, scoring Christiansen and Hamilton to give the Lady Tigers the 4-3 win.

Mountain Home Lady Tiger head softball coach Joy Memmelaar was proud of the way her girls hung in and battled back.

"They stayed in it the whole game and had the confidence to know that they could come through when we needed it. We were just telling them that in different games, different kids have come through for us, so it just proves that they all can do it, and when one group is struggling, the others seem to come through, and it's a great team to have."

Coach Memmelaar also praised Ali Hillman for her pitching performance.

"Ali pitched a fantastic game. She kept her head in there and was pitching where she needed to pitch. She got a lot of strikeouts in strategic areas of the game. She did a great job out there tonight."

Hillman gave up just four hits while striking out 10 and walking just three. She improved to 3-2 on the season.

Ashley Kipp led the Lady Tigers at the plate, picking up three hits including the game-winning two-run double. Brei Draper cracked a triple, and Kim Hamilton and Breann Christiansen also had hits.

Mountain Home 3

Skyview 0

Ali Hillman pitched her first shutout of the season last Thursday when the Lady Tigers downed Skyview, 3-0, at Skyview. Hillman struck out eight and walked three while holding the Lady Hawks to just two hits. She also scored Mountain Home's first run, tripling in the fifth inning and coming home on a past ball.

Breann Christiansen and Kim Hamilton drove in runs in the sixth.

"It was a very nice win," said Coach Memmelaar. "It was a tight game all the way up to the fifth. We kept telling them we were leaving too many runners on base and needed to get some across the plate. Ali came up with a nice hit and we were able to get two more the next inning. The girls played a solid game today."

Ali Hillman and Ashley Kipp both had two hits for the Lady Tigers. Krista Gillaspy, Brei Draper, Sheena Nelson and Breann Christiansen also had hits.

Borah 5

Mountain Home 0

The Lady Tigers were held to just four hits by Borah pitcher Nikki Harrigfeld last Friday when they were shutout, 5-0. Borah's five runs all came in the third inning off Ali Hillman.

"We got some hits, we just couldn't put any together to get any runs across the plate," said Coach Memmelaar.

"Not too bad a showing against Borah, but it could have been a little better. We made a couple errors here and there and they strung four hits together and that made all the difference."

Ali Hillman had two of the four hits, including a double. Kim Hamilton, and Sheena Nelson had the other two hits. Hillman fell to 4-3 on the season with the loss, striking out three and walking five.

The loss dropped the Lady Tigers to 5-3 on the season.

Mountain Home hosted Capital yesterday (Tuesday), and plays at Glenns Ferry tomorrow (Thursday). Both games are non-conference games.