Anderson throws no-hitter for only win of the week

The Mountain Home Tigers came away with just one win in four games last week, but that one win was a no-hit gem by Gabe Anderson.

Spartans, 3, 7

Tigers 2, 3

The Tigers hosted Minico in a non-conference baseball doubleheader last Monday in Mountain Home, and lost two close games to the Spartans, 3-2, and 7-3.

The Spartans, who came into the doubleheader on a seven-game winning streak, scored two unearned runs in the second, and added another run in the fifth inning. Mountain Home got single runs in the second and sixth, but managed just four hits in the game.

It was a tough loss for Trevor Woodruff, who scattered five hits and struck out five and hit four batters. Ricky Baker had two of the Tigers' four hits, a triple and an RBI double. Ricky Lee and Brock Morris had the other hits.

The Tigers scored three runs in the fourth inning of the second game to tie the game at 3-3, but Minico scored a single run in the fifth, and three more in the sixth to pull away for the 7-3 win, their ninth straight.

Brock Morris had two hits and an RBI for the Tigers in the second game. Trevor Woodruff had an RBI single, and Ricky Lee, Gabe Anderson, Eric Christiansen and Jake Hennessey also had hits. Alex Rodriguez suffered the loss, despite giving up just three earned runs in five-plus innings of work.

Gabe Anderson relieved him in the sixth and Anthony Castillo pitched a scoreless seventh.

"They put a clinic on tonight in terms of just working breaking ball after breaking ball on us," said Tiger baseball coach Travis DeVore after the games.

Mtn. Home 4, 4

Middleton 10, 0

The Tigers came back with a win on Friday to earn a conference split with the Middleton Vikings, losing 10-4 at home on Thursday, but winning 4-0 at Middleton on Friday.

Errors did the Tigers in Thursday night at home against the Vikings, as six Tiger errors led to eight unearned runs in a 10-4 loss.

"Eric Christiansen pitched a decent game for us, he struck out eight -- he probably didn't have his best stuff, but struck out eight -- but we didn't play defense at all behind him," said Coach DeVore. "We had six errors that helped lead to eight unearned runs, and it's tough to win when you dig yourself that big of a hole."

Gabe Anderson had three hits in Thursday's game, including a triple, and knocked in a run. Trevor Woodruff had two hits, Ricky Lee, Ricky Baker, Tom Hennessey, Jake Hennessey and Brock Morris also had hits, Logan Monasterio had an RBI.

Eric Christiansen suffered the loss to fall to 2-3, but only one of the eight runs he gave up were earned, as he struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings. Tom Hennessey closed out the game for the Tigers, who dropped to 3-6 in conference and 6-15 overall.

Friday at Middleton saw Gabe Anderson put on a pitching clinic, working his breaking ball for 14 strikeouts, and not allowing a hit.

Ben Shuey lined an apparent double down the left field line, but the Tigers appealed that he missed touching first base as he rounded first for second, and he was ruled out, wiping out the hit.

"It felt good tonight -- that's the best I've felt all season -- I really had my stuff working and able to locate, and had my defense behind me, too," said a happy Anderson after the game.

"Gabe had a great effort tonight," said Coach DeVore. "It was an unorthodox no-hitter, but Gabe earned it, he threw an outstanding game and got a lot of ground balls."

Anderson helped himself out at the plate, getting two RBI singles.

Ricky Lee and Brock Morris also had two hits, Lee scored two runs and Morris knocked in a run. Trevor Woodruff and Tom Hennessey also had hits, and Jake Hennessey had an RBI.

The win improved the Tigers to 4-6 in conference, and 7-15 overall.

Mountain Home traveled to Nampa to face the Bulldogs yesterday, and host the Bulldogs today in conference play.