State title dreams end for Lady Tigers after district finish

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers will not be in Coeur d'Alene this week to defend their state 4A softball title.

The Lady Tigers ended up going 2-2 at district, losing the third-place game to Columbia.

Mountain Home, 11, Bishop Kelly 3

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers shot out to a big lead to down Bishop Kelly 11-3, in the District Softball Tournament opener last Monday at Memmelaar Field in Mountain Home.

The Lady Tigers struck for four runs in the first and third innings to build up an 8-0 lead.

Courtney Christiansen led the way at the plate with three hits, including a triple, a home run and two RBIs.

Madison Siefferman and Krissy Elliott both had two hits. Siefferman had a double and two RBI and Elliott knocked in one run.

Caitlyn Sheehy and Brittney Karst both had doubles. Sheehy had an RBI. Rachel Warila, Morgan Vivier, Madi Karst and Heather Adams also had hits. Warila's was a solo home run. Vivier had an RBI.

Heather Adams scattered six hits while striking out six batters. The three runs off her were unearned.

Mountain Home Lady Tiger coach Chris Asbury said after the game he was pleased with the win.

"We really focus on coming out and getting on them early and we sure did. We were shooting for that shutout, but aside from one miscue or two in the field there, that was one of our most solid efforts in a couple of weeks, so that feels good going into tomorrow."

Emmett 10, Mountain Home 2

The Lady Tigers faced Emmett in the semi-finals of the district tourney last Tuesday at Memmelaar Field in Mountain Home. It was anybody's ball game in four innings, but the Lady Huskies struck for five runs in the fifth and added three more in the sixth on their way to a 10-2 win over Mountain Home.

Mountain Home managed just seven hits in the game, led by Madison Siefferman with two. Courtney Christiansen had a triple, Ashley Sessions and Morgan Vivier both had doubles and Krissy Elliott had an RBI-single.

Emmett got to Heather Adams for 13 hits, including three doubles, a triple and a home run, as she fell to 16-5 on the season.

"It comes down to this point where some days the better team comes out on top, and today, it was obvious that Emmett was better than us -- today," said Coach Asbury. "I don't think they're a better team, but today was their day and it wasn't ours, and they put it to us. I give them all the credit, we just didn't get our jobs done."

Mountain Home 8, Kuna 4

The Emmett loss put the Lady Tigers in the consolation bracket against Kuna last Wednesday at Columbia, where Mountain Home bounced back from a 4-2 deficit to down the Lady Kavemen 8-4.

Mountain Home struck for two runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead, but Kuna scored four unearned runs in the second to go up 4-2.

The Lady Tigers tied it with two runs in the third, and scored four in the fourth inning to take an 8-4 lead.

That would be all the scoring on the day,as the Lady Tigers kept their season alive.

"We get the bases loaded and nobody out and can't produce a run (in the sixth). Those are two instances that can cost you the game this time of year, so we're very fortunate to come out of here with the win," said Coach Asbury. "We got down and we could have folded like lawn chairs, but we came back and fought through adversity."

Krissy Elliott had three hits and an RBI and scored three runs. Courtney Christiansen had two doubles and four RBI, Morgan Vivier had two hits and an RBI and Madison Siefferman, Rachel Warila and Brittney Karst also had hits.

Heather Adams scattered six hits and struck out three to improve to 17-5 on the season.

Columbia 14, Mountain Home 7

A seven-run fifth inning for Columbia proved to be the difference last Thursday as the Lady Wildcats downed Mountain Home 14-7 in the third-place game at Columbia.

There was plenty of scoring early, as Columbia scored a run in the top of the first and Mountain Home answered with two in the bottom half of the inning to go up 2-1.

Columbia scored three in the top of the second to go up 4-2, and the Lady Tigers responded with four in the bottom half to go up 6-4.

Both teams scored a run in the third to make it 7-5, Mountain Home.

Then came the disastrous fourth when Columbia combined five hits with a couple errors to plate seven runs before the Lady Tigers could end it. The Lady Wildcats were suddenly up 12-7.

Mountain Home was not able to score again and the Lady Wildcats added a couple more to make it a 14-7 final.

Caitlyn Sheehy, Courtney Christiansen and Morgan Vivier each had two hits. Christiansen had two RBI and Sheehy one.

Rachel Warila and Madi Karst both had two-run singles, Madison Siefferman had an RBI-double and Brittney Karst also had a hit and scored two runs.

Heather Adams gave up just seven earned runs, but suffered the loss to finish the season 17-6.

"That one big inning when they scored seven, we certainly didn't help ourselves with some some shaky defense, but Heather threw lights out for four games, what more can you ask for a young kid stepping in," Asbury said. "She won 17 ball games for us this year, and four games in a row. There's not too many kids that understand what that it feels like to go out and do that."

For a team that came into the season with four freshmen, four sophomores, three juniors and a senior to tie for first in conference and go 17-9 overall, "it was a great season," Asbury said. "Our expectations were high, but I think a lot of people might have overlooked us and we jumped up and bit 'em, and to finish tied for the conference lead. This hurts right now, but it's good motivation for the winter and we'll be back in those batting cages next fall getting better."