Lady Tigers earn season's first win

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers picked up their first win of the young softball season, downing Nampa 10-6 Thursday at Nampa.

Earlier in the week they dropped a 5-4 contest at Columbia.

Columbia 5, Mountain Home 4

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers battled back from a 3-0 deficit at Columbia last Tuesday to take the lead, but could not hold on to it, as they lost to the Lady Wildcats 5-4.

Columbia, last year's state runners-up, jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead, which held up until the fifth, when Mountain Home scored two runs.

The Lady Tigers took the lead, 4-3, on a two-run double by Heather Adams in the top of the sixth, but Columbia rallied for two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead, 5-4.

Mountain Home had the bases loaded with two out in the top of the seventh but failed to score and Columbia hung on for the win.

"Heather (Adams) pitched well enough to win this ball game," said Lady Tigers coach Ron Nicolosi.

"Defensively, we're still coming along. We made a few mistakes today, but... one thing I think they found today was their heart -- that desire to compete and that desire to be better, and that desire to be at the next level. We're going to keep improving."

Heather Adams and Taylor Reed and Maeghan Pomerantz each had two hits for Mountain Home. Adams had two doubles and two RBIs. Morgan Vivier had an RBI-double and Kelly Elliott also knocked in a run.

Adams suffered the loss, although just two of the five runs were earned. She struck out five batters.

Mountain Home 10, Nampa 6

Mountain Home jumped out early on Nampa and led all the way in a 10-6 win at Nampa on Thursday.

The Lady Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first and led 7-2 after four.

"We came out strong and started on top and scored runs early," the coach said. The whole dynamic of the team was just incredible to see. They've come a long way in such a short time."

Taylor Reed had three of Mountain Home's ten hits, including a double and triple, and drove in two runs. Maeghan Pomerantz and Madi Karst both had two hits. Karst had two doubles and four RBIs and Pomerantz also knocked in a run. Kelly Elliott and Heather Adams also had hits and RBI. Adams had a double. Morgan Vivier had a hit and scored two runs.

Adams picked up the win to improve to 1-2, struck out two, and gave up just one earned run.

The Lady Tigers have four home games this week. They were home Tuesday against Caldwell, home today, March 20, against Skyview, and host Jerome in a doubleheader on Saturday with the first game starting at 11 a.m.

"The girls will be ready to go," the coach said. "I think things are just getting better. We keep moving forward and the coaching staff is completely encouraged by their work, their desire to be on the field, and the team unity we see."