Tigers split with Falcons

The Mountain Home Tigers dropped an extra-inning contest to Vallivue Friday as they split their conference series with the Falcons after a loss to Capital.

Capital 11

Mountain Home 2

The Tigers dropped an 11-2 non-conference game to the Capital Eagles last Tuesday at Mountain Home.

The Tigers started well, scoring twice in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead, but Capital scored five runs in the third and sixth innings to pull away.

Mountain Home had only three hits off the Eagles' pitching -- a double by Chris Rau, a triple by Brett Grodi and a single by Bret Young. Rau and Grodi both had RBIs.

It all came in the first inning as the Tigers were blanked the rest of the way.

The Tigers used three pitchers in the game. Chris Rau, who pitched the first three innings, suffered the loss, even though just two of the five runs he gave up were earned.

"We just didn't seem ready to play," said Tiger assistant coach Brent Keener. "We played well in the first and had three hits and scored two runs, but we didn't get a hit the rest of the game, so that kind of kills you."

Mountain Home 3

Vallivue 1

Mountain Home's Michael DesPres and Vallivue's Tyler Dickerson were involved in a pitching duel last Thursday at Vallivue.

The Falcons scored in the first, after Dave Cushing was hit by a pitch. He then came in on a triple by Gary Sundwall. The Tigers scored twice in the second inning without the benefit of a hit. Michael DesPres reached on an error and Chris Rau was awarded first base after catcher interference. Dave Anderson's sacrifice bunt moved them to third and second. Michael DesPres came home on a passed ball, and Chris Rau scored on a wild pitch as the Tigers went up, 2-1.

The score stayed at 2-1 until the sixth, when Alex Hoffman tripled with one out -- the Tigers' only hit of the game. Hoffman scored an out later on a throwing error on a play at first base that kept the inning alive.

Michael DesPres improved to 4-0 on the season, scattering three hits while striking out nine batters.

"We just need to get our bats going," said DesPres. "We had great 'D (defense).' I just had to adjust to that mound. I was forced to stand up a lot, and after the first inning I got used to it and I dug in a little bit and got in my groove."

"It wasn't pretty, but a win's a win," said Coach Keener after the game. "I think what we do is rely too much on DesPres. He's a great pitcher and they know he's not going to give up many runs, which he's not, but at the same time, we should put a lot of runs on the board. Their pitcher was really tired late in the game, but we didn't take advantage of it. We played a little better on the bases, and that was key."

Vallivue 5

Mountain Home 4

(8 innings)

The Falcons scored twice off errors in the top of the eighth inning and threw out the tying run at the plate to end the ball game in the bottom of the eighth to edge the Tigers 5-4 Friday night at Mountain Home.

The Tigers had the winning run thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the seventh after the Tigers had scored one to tie the game at 3-3.

Vallivue went up, 5-3, in the top of the eighth, taking advantage of a couple fielding errors. The Tigers scored one in their half of the eighth, but the tying run was cut down at the plate to end the ball game.

"We certainly had our opportunities to win the game," said Tiger head coach Travis DeVore, who was in attendance at the game after missing the last few games with back problems. "We actually had some real clutch hitting down the stretch from Joe Poseley off the bench and T.J. Miller's first swing of the game was a single that cold have tied the game up for us in extra innings, but Vallivue, you've got to tip your hat to them, they came up with big throws to end the seventh and eighth to get runners out at the plate, so if anything, it was a hard-fought game on both sides.

"Certainly there were things we could have done better. Our pitchers, between Bret Young, Jeff Vogl and Chris Rau, certainly threw well enough to get a victory for us."

Bret Young threw four innings, giving up three runs on four hits, with just one of the runs earned, while striking out three and walking just one. Jeff Vogl threw three scoreless innings, striking out four and giving up just one hit. Chris Rau pitched the eighth inning, and gave up two unearned runs on one hit.

The Tigers actually out-hit the Falcons, 11-6. Alex Hoffman had three hits, Aaron Swartz had two. Michael DesPres, T.J. Miller, Jake Hiler and Joe Poseley all had hits and RBIs, and Bret Young and Tyson Sessions also had hits.

The loss dropped the Tigers to 5-10 on the season and 4-6 in conference play.

The Tigers had games against Preston and Wood River last Saturday at Wood River washed out by rain.

Mountain Home was at Borah yesterday (Tuesday), and has their conference series with Kuna this week, going to Kuna to face the Kavemen tomorrow (Thursday), and hosting the Kavemen on Friday.

The Tigers close out their regular season schedule next week with Nampa, hosting the Bulldogs on April 27 and traveling to Nampa on April 28.

"We've really got to get some stuff figured out in a hurry," said Coach DeVore. "It's amazing how you work this hard for this many months, including the winter months, and the next thing you know, you're down to your last four games of the season.

"I would say in our conference, BK (Bishop Kelly) is obviously up on top of everyone else, but you go two through seven and anyone's capable of beating anyone on any given day, and everyone's got a pitcher or two that can get it done as well, so it's just using these next two weeks to try amd hopefully get the guys fired up and ready for district."