Lady Tigers rebound after Kuna loss

After seeing their win streak snapped at 10 by Kuna on Tuesday, the Lady Tigers returned to the win column with a win at Columbia and a doubleheader sweep of Burley at home.

The win streak ended at 10 for the Mountain Home Lady Tigers when they dropped a 4-0 S.I.C. 4A conference softball game to Kuna Tuesday night at Eastside Park in Mountain Home.

After dropping their season opener to Timberline, 1-0, in eight innings, Mountain Home had won 10 straight ball games going into the Kuna game.

The defensive focus seemed to be missing for Mountain Home right from the get-go as the lead-off batter for Kuna wound up on third base after sloppy fielding of a single to center.

A late throw to the plate on a bunt allowed Kuna to go up, 1-0, in the first inning.

Kuna added another run -- the only earned run of the game -- in the third when Brittany Hughes sent a Nickayla Skinner fastball over the centerfield fence for a solo home run.

The score stayed at 2-0 until the top of the seventh, when Kuna took advantage of poor defense to score twice more.

Mountain Home's focus at the plate was also lacking, as Brianne Dixon no-hit the Lady Tigers. Dixon struck out seven and walked four.

It looked like Mountain Home might break it open in their fourth, as Arlene Futch drew a walk and Kelsey Hopkins reached on an error. The two moved up a base to second and third on a wild pitch.

Nickalyla Skinner then popped up to shortstop for the first out of the inning. Arlene Futch came home on Ashley Christiansen's ground-out to short, but the umpire ruled runner interference on Kelsey Hopkins on the play, and Hopkins was ruled out. Futch had to go back to third and Ashley Christiansen was safe at first. Breann Christiansen then grounded out to end the inning.

"We didn't come to play and let them burn us on three runs on squeeze bunts," said Mountain Home softball coach Chris Asbury after the game.

"I hate the cliche` that a loss is good sometimes, because I hate losing, but it's a reality check. Some of the girls needed to be shown that we're not as good as we think we are.

"We've got to patch some holes in our defense and have an attitude adjustment and we'll be coming out fired up and ready to avenge our first conference loss."

Nickayla Skinner suffered the loss, just her second against nine wins. She gave up four hits while striking out nine and hitting one batter.

Mtn. Home 5

Columbia 0

The Lady Tigers returned to the win column Thursday at Columbia, downing the Lady Wildcats, 5-0.

Nickayla Skinner limited Columbia to just two hits while striking out 15, winning her 10th game of the season.

Breann Christiansen had three hits for Mountain Home, Charde Huntington, two. Lindsey Sessions and Megan Kelly both had hits and RBIs.

"It's definitely good to get back on the winning side of things," said Coach Asbury after the game.

"We've got a pretty good stretch here where we can rally up some wins in the next couple weeks, but we've got some improving to do at the plate."

Mtn. Home 4, 13

Burley 0, 1

The Lady Tigers hosted Burley for a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday and came away with two wins.

In the first game, Mountain Home's Nickayla Skinner outpitched Burley's Molly Mills, throwing a no-hit shutout while striking out 16.

Skinner helped herself out at the plate with a solo home run and an RBI single.

Kelsie Hopkins and Tawni Downen both had two hits, including a double each, Megan Kelly had a double and Charde Huntington had a single and an RBI.

In the second game the Lady Tigers pounded out 13 hits, led by Charde Huntington, who smacked two three-run home runs for six RBIs, as the Lady Tigers won 13-1 in five innings. Blas Lord, in her first game up from the JV squad, had three hits and an RBI. Krista Gillaspy and Nickayla Skinner both had two hits, Gillaspy had an RBI.

Kelsey Hopkins had a two-run double, Ashley Christiansen had a hit and two RBIs, and Lindsey Sessions and Breann Christiansen also had hits.

Breann Christiansen picked up the win in her first outing of the season, scattering three hits.

Mountain Home softball coach Chris Asbury was pleased with the sweep.

"We played very well! Nick (Skinner) pitched well in the first game and Wee Man (Breann Christiansen) came in and threw a heck of a second game and the bats came alive, so hopefully the confidence is returned and we continue."

The Burley sweep improved the Lady Tigers to 13-2 overall. They take a 9-1 conference mark into this week's games. They hosted Skyview Tuesday, travel to Bishop Kelly on Thursday, and step back out of conference play on Friday, hosting another Great Basin West team in Minico.