Tigers break into win column after Buhl victory

The Mountain Home Tigers picked up their first wins of the young baseball season last week with a doubleheader sweep at Buhl. For the week, the Tigers went 2-2.

Wood River 4, Mountain Home 2

Despite a complete-game effort by Mountain Home pitcher Jesse Cobos, the Tigers fell to the Wood River Wolverines, 4-2, last Tuesday at Tiger Field.

Jesse Cobos gave up just three hits while striking out 10 in going the distance against the Wolverines. But eight walks figured in as Wood River scored two runs in the second and fifth innings for their 4-2 win.

Mountain Home scored its two runs in the third inning as Jesse Cobos tripled in Curran Price, who had singled, and Tyler McCall singled in Cobos.

The Tigers threatened in the bottom of the seventh as Curran Price singled and went to third on Zach Petersen's double. But Mountain Home was unable to score and lost, 4-2, despite outhitting the Wolverines, 6-3.

"We played a good Wood River club," said Tigers baseball coach Matt Bundy. "The game was tight the whole way, and we played a pretty clean game. Cobos pitched great and our defense was pretty tight. We just need to keep playing solid baseball and the wins will be there."

Mountain Home 33, Buhl 5

Mountain Home 24, Buhl 8

The bats came alive at Buhl Thursday as Mountain Home beat the Indians, 33-5, and 24-8, in non-conference baseball.

The Tigers scored nine runs in the first inning of the first game; five each in the second, third and fourth; and nine more in the fifth as they routed the Indian, 33-5.

Mountain Home had 14 hits and were helped out by 18 walks and seven hit batters.

Tyler McCall, Zach Petersen and David Welle all had three hit in the first game. McCall had two doubles and drove in eight runs, Petersen scored four runs and knocked in five and Welle had a double, scored three runs and three RBI.

Cody Blakemore had two hits including double and drove in two runs, Bailey Miller-Hodge had a triple and scored seven runs. Curran Price and Kyle Accaregui both had a hit, two RBI and each scored five times. Jesse Cobos scored three runs and drove in four, and Hunter Ralphs also scored three run.

Cody Blakemore went all five innings, scattering seven hits while striking out three and walking three to get the win.

"We jumped out to an early lead and went on from there," Coach Bundy said. "All players reached base and scored in the game. Curran Price continues to do well at the plate and David Welle is coming back strong from an injury. Bailey Miller-Hodge is a great defensive leader and leadoff hitter. It's nice to get that first win under our belts."

A 12-run sixth inning for Mountain Home was the big difference in the second game with the Tigers leading, 12-8, going into the sixth as they won, 24-8, after six innings.

Cody Blakemore and Zach Petersen both had three hits in the second game. Blakemore had a double and knocked in five runs, Petersen had a triple, scored three runs and drove in three.

Jesse Cobos, Curran Price, David Welle and Kai Corbett each had two hits, Cobos had a home run, scored four runs and drove in three, Welle had two RBIs and Corbett drove in one run and scored three. Bailey Miller-Hodge and Tyler McCall also had hits and RBI, Miller-Hodge had a double.

Tyler McCall went five innings for the Tigers, giving up five earned runs on six hits, striking out 10 and walking six. Jesse Cobos closed out the game, striking out tree in one inning of work.

"Tyler McCall threw a gem for the win, and Jesse Cobos threw one inning of relief," Coach Bundy said. "The bats were hot again, led by Jesse Cobos who hit a home run that was a monster hit. Zachary Petersen continues to hit with power for extra bases and Cody Blakemore added some key hits. Hunter Ralphs and Kyle Accaregui provided good support in the outfield and gave us solid plate appearances."

Filer 14, Mountain Home 13

(eight innings)

The Tigers hosted Filer on Friday and rallied to send the game into extra innings but lost by one after eight innings.

Mountain Home scored twice in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead, but the Wildcats came back with two in the top of the third to lead by one and added another in the top of the fourth to go up, 4-2. The Tigers tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, but Filer scored nine runs in the top of the fifth to take a 13-4 lead.

Mountain Home fought back, scoring seven in the sixth and two more in the seventh to tie the game at 13 and force the extra innings.

Filer got back-to-back hits in the top of the eighth to regain the lead, 14-13. The Tigers got the tying run on base in the bottom of the eighth, but the next three batters were retired, and the Wildcats prevailed.

"We had some good and we had some bad," Coach Bundy said. "We fell down by nine runs and we get 'em back. We showed some heart and put some runs across, We had kids hitting all over the place. Kai Corbett did a great job, Zach (Petersen) hit it great, and (Jesse) Cobos comes in there and throws well.

"Bailey (Miller-Hodge) got some calls that I'd like to take another look at, but overall, it was one of those games," the coach added. "You walk out of a one-run game and there's one or two plays that could go either way and either team wins, and we need to get those one-run wins. This is our third close one in a row, and we need to get them."

Bailey Miller-Hodge, Zach Petersen, Cody Blakemore and Kai Corbett each had two hits and two RBI, Petersen had a double. Jesse Cobos also had a hit and an RBI, Tyler McCall scored three runs and Hunter Ralphs had an RBI.

The Tigers, 2-4 on the season, are on spring break this week. They return to action Tuesday when they open conference play at home against Caldwell. The tennis team plays at Skyview on April 2 and hosts Skyview the following day. All games start at 5 p.m.