Tiger nine starting to score some victories

The Mountain Home Tigers are finally starting to play to their potential. A sweep of Kuna last week ran their win streak to four games.

Mtn. Home 3

Kuna 2

Mountain Home's Chris Rau and Kuna's Devin Thorton were involved in a great pitching duel last Thursday in Mountain Home, with the Tigers taking it when Jake Hiler singled in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The game was scoreless until the fourth, when Kuna managed to score a run. The Tigers tied the score in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI-single by Cal Vivier.

Mountain Home scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth to go up, 2-1, but the Kavemen scored on an error in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the seventh, Cal Vivier and Jordan Cisna led off the inning with singles. Alex Hoffman walked to load the bases. Chris Rau then popped up to the first baseman in foul territory for the first out of the inning. Jake Hiler than singled in Vivier to end the ball game.

"We're starting to put it together a little bit," said Tiger baseball coach Travis DeVore after the game. "There are still obviously some things we've got to get better at. There were some at bats early in the game with runners in scoring position that I certainly would have liked to see us jump out with a lead there, but Jake gets the game-winning hit and Chris Rau threw an absolute gem for us, so things are starting to come around.

"Jordan Cisna chipping away with a couple of hits, Cal Viv getting on base for us when we needed him on base -- there's definitely some guys that are stepping up, and that's all we ask at this point -- continue to get better."

Cal Vivier and Jake Hiler both had two hits and and RBI, and Jordan Cisna and Chris Rau also had two hits, Rau, a double. Rau went the distance for the win, his first in four decisions. He struck out eight and gave up just six hits.

Tigers 9

Kuna 4

Jake Hiler pitched a three-hitter and had three hits and three RBIs as the Tigers downed Kuna, 9-4, Friday at Kuna. Mountain Home took advantage of their scoring opportunities early to build up an 8-0 lead. Kuna got two of their three hits in the fifth, when they scored one run. They added three unearned runs in the sixth to cut the lead to 8-4. The Tigers added a run in the ninth to make it a 9-4 final.

"We did have the RBIs early, and that certainly was something that we focused on," said Coach DeVore. "It was a good victory and Jake continues to throw well, but we've got to learn how to finish games.

"I want perfection out of our guys. We've got to learn how to slide at home, we've got to do the small things, that, if the game is close, that's really going to make the difference.

"But otherwise, John Murdorf's first homer, that's something he'll never forget, and Ricky Lee, on that two-strike pitch, going the other way, he has progressed so much, using the entire field.

"Jake Hiler continues to hit well and pitch well, Chris Rau hit well for us today, Zane Bundy hit the ball hard for us. Up and down the lineup, I'm happy with that, but there's just two or three things we've just got to get better at."

Jake Hiler led a 12-hit attack with three hits, including a double and three RBIs. John Murdorf and Chris Rau both had two hits, Murdorf, a solo home run, Rau, a double. Ricky Lee had a two-run single, Joe Poseley and Zane Bundy had doubles, Cal Vivier had a hit and RBI, and Alex Hoffman also had a hit.

Hiler improved to 3-2 on the season, striking out nine batters.

The Tigers improved to 5-12 on the season, and 3-5 in conference play. They hosted Vallivue in a non-conference game on Tuesday, and return to conference action Thursday and Friday of this week, hosting Middleton on Thursday, and facing the Vikings Friday at Middleton.