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Mountain Home News

Tiger boys pick up 3 more wins, falter against Columbia

Friday, April 23, 2010

The Mountain Home Tigers came away with three wins in four baseball games last week.

Mountain Home 12, Kuna 3

Mountain Home continued its mastery of Kuna, downing the Kavemen 12-3 last Monday at Kuna in a non-conference game.

The Tigers built up a 9-0 lead on their way to a 12-3 victory over the Kavemen, getting 12 hits in the win.

Brock Morris, David Bitrick, Jake Hennessey, Kevin Anderson and Anthony Castillo each had two hits, Anderson and Castillo had RBIs and Anderson had a double. Trevor Woodruff and Tucker Martin also had hits. Woodruff had an RBI, as did Eric Christian.

Alex Rodriguez picked up the win, improving to 4-0 on the season, with relief help from Jared Day.

"The kids hit the ball well and our pitchers threw well for us, and defensively we played well as well," said Tiger baseball coach Travis DeVore of the Kuna win.

Columbia 10, Mountain Home 0

The Tigers hosted the Columbia Wildcats Thursday in their conference series, but could not get their hits together to score any runs, losing in five to the Wildcats, 10-0.

The Wildcats scored two runs in the first inning, three in the second and erupted for five runs in the third.

"It just seemed like Columbia did the little things right in terms of fighting off two-strike pitches and having good at-bats," said Coach DeVore. "It's not that they hit the ball that hard, but they put it in play, and when you put the ball in play, good things are going to happen."

The Tigers managed just five hits in the game off Columbia pitcher Ryan Romero. Tom Hennessey had two of them, while Brock Morris, Eric Christiansen and Skyler Podesek had the other hits.

Eric Christiansen suffered the loss, his second against one win. Tom Hennessey pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

Mountain Home 6, Columbia 5

The Tigers gained a split with the Columbia, edging the Wildcats 6-5 in a game called after six because of lightning.

Both teams scored a run in the second inning. Mountain Home added two in the top of the third, but Columbia struck back with four to take a 5-3 lead.

The Tigers added another run in the fourth to make it 5-4 and then took the lead in the top of the sixth on a two-run single by Jake Hennessey.

Mountain Home pulled away in the top of the seventh and extended the lead to 11-5. The Tigers were still batting when lightening struck near the field. The game was halted, and when the rains came, the game was called after six with Mountain Home winning 6-5.

Coach DeVore was pleased with the way his team battled back to win.

"I was proud of the job Trevor and Alex did on the bump, and we got some huge hits down the stretch that got us back in the game. Alex comes off the bench then and gets a big hit for us.

The coach admits his team needs "to get some wins in conference and get some confidence, and today was a big step forward for that."

Brock Morris, Tom Hennessey and Skyler Podesek each had two hits for the Tigers. Hennessey and Podesek both had RBIs and Podesek had a double. Jake Hennessey had a hit and drove in three runs, Anthony Castillo had an RBI-triple and Eric Christiansen and Alex Rodriguez also had hits.

Trevor Woodruff replaced Alex Rodriguez on the mound in the fourth inning and pitched scoreless ball the rest of way to pick up his first win of the season against three losses.

Tigers 5, Buhl 4

Mountain Home completed its busy week of games Saturday with a 5-4 win at Buhl against the Indians.

Buhl jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning but the Tigers put four runs on the board in the second. The Indians tied it with two runs in the fifth but Mountain Home scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the sixth.

"I'm proud of the effort, especially by the pitchers," said Coach DeVore after the game. "Jon McCabe started for us and threw well, and Tom Hennessey pitched well, even through he ran into some trouble, and Trevor Woodruff came on and shut them down and picked up his second win in two days.

"I was really proud of that effort, and the guys responded and scored some runs when we needed them."

Brock Morris, David Bitrick, Skyler Podesek, Tom Hennessey and Trevor Woodruff had hits for the Tigers. Bitrick knocked in two runs, including what proved to be the game-winner. Jake Hennessey also had an RBI. Trevor Woodruff got the win in relief to improve to 2-3 on the season.

The win improved the Tigers to 12-5 on the season.

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  • The JV team could use a boost in their confidence! Bringing their confidence up by having varsity players play for them is not the way to do it. The JV boys all practice hard everyday, and to have someone else from the varsity play their postition just doesn't seem right and the boys know it. They get frustrated enough to think about quitting. Coach let them play their own postitions! Warming the bench and not letting them play will only hurt them in the long run. If my son were to play on the JV team, and the coach didn't let him play because he wanted to use Varsity boys, then I would pull him from the team. Just my 2 cents...

    -- Posted by Tufftoy on Fri, Apr 23, 2010, at 8:09 AM

  • Tufftoy

    I feel your pain, however. It is building a program. The young men at the JV level is there to help the varsity team in positions and help improve the player for the next year. JV is about helping and playing,and a learning process. Just think next year your son will be up there at the varsity level and doing the same thing. All the young men on both teams practice hard everyday. One thing about quitting. Quiters NEVER WIN!! I have raised my three kids and always taught them DO NOT start something you are not going to finish. They respect the words to this day. Kids coming up from the lower levels of the game, chances are they do not know that level (they may think they do). The varsity is a much advanced level from the JV as well. I would ask please be patient. If you love the game you are there for the love of it. If you are out there to think you look good or to impress the girls you are out there for the wrong reason. If the player is concerned like all coaches ask the players and the parents is to go talk to them. They will explain what they are doing. Coach Devore is a very smart man and he does have a outstanding coaching staff that knows the game and alot of years behind them combined in knowing the game of baseball. All I ask is contact them if you and your son is concerned. Baseball is Americas game and lets see JV and the Varsity get along and play the game and take a state title. In fact i have talked to a parent that likes 3 of the varsity players coming down and playing for the jv in certain games. I would have my son work a little harder if his position is being taken by another player. Hard work pays off!! And you are rewarded. The level in high school is not Cal Ripken Babe Ruth any longer. In High School it is the W :)

    -- Posted by rocknroller on Fri, Apr 23, 2010, at 8:25 AM
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