Lady Tigers beat Kuna, Nampa

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers picked up wins over Nampa and Kuna last week to stay just a game back of Bishop Kelly in the SIC 4A conference standings as they look towards their April 24 re-match with the Lady Knights.

Mtn. Home 3

Nampa 2

(8 innings)

The Lady Tigers needed an extra inning but came through with a 3-2 conference softball win at Nampa last Tuesday.

Both teams scored runs in the third inning, and Nickayla Skinner doubled in Ashley Kipp in the top of the sixth to give Mountain Home a 2-1 lead. Kipp had reached on an error. Nampa tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh to send it to extra innings.

The Lady Tigers went up 3-2 with Ashley Christiansen's single in the top of the eighth. Mountain Home completed a double play in the bottom of the eighth to retire Nampa and win the game, 3-2.

"It was a scary win," said Mountain Home Lady Tiger softball coach Joy Memmelaar. "We came through with the hits when we needed them. I don't know where they were all game. We still need to make things a little crisper and a little quicker on the bat, but they managed to hang on and stay in there."

Kim Hamilton continued her hot hitting with two hits. Ashley Christiansen, subbing for Sammy Dodge who was home sick with bronchitis and pneumonia, had a hit and two RBIs. Nickayla Skinner had an RBI-double, and Tawni Downen and Liz Griffeath also had hits.

Skinner went the distance for the win, holding Nampa to just three hits while striking out five.

Mtn. Home 9

Kuna 7

The Lady Tigers built up a 9-3 lead and hung on in Kuna's last at bat to win, 9-7 Friday afternoon at Kuna.

Kuna struck for two runs in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Mountain Home came back with four runs in the fourth to go up 4-2. A five-run sixth made it 9-3, Mountain Home. Kuna scored once in the bottom of the sixth to make it 9-4, and scored three more in the bottom of the seventh before the final out.

"We gave up a couple walks and errors and then the one girl got a crushing hit to right center and scored the three runs, but we maintained our composure and we were able to get the last out and win 9-7," said Coach Memmelaar. "It speaks well for the girls. They were really hanging in there and doing their jobs. They hit well today, too."

Ashley Christiansen and Sammy Dodge had two hits, Dodge had a triple and two RBIs, Ashley Kipp had a hit and two RBIs, Krista Gillaspy had a hit and RBI, and Kim Hamilton, Kelsey Hopkins and Sheena Nelsen also had hits. Nickayla Skinner had two RBIs, and went the distance for the win, striking out four and walking three.

The win improved the Lady Tigers to 11-4 overall, and 7-1 in conference play.

* * *

The Lady Tigers put on a skills clinic for the younger kids on Saturday. Coach Memmelaar said putting on the clinic helps her players.

"It's always a fun day. The kids have a good time and the girls learn a lot by teaching the game, as opposed to being just a player. They are coaching, so they get to see what that's like, which is good, and they all enjoy it."

Mountain Home hosted Columbia yesterday and has road games at Skyview on Thursday and Wood River on Saturday.

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