MOUNT SHASTA – A much improved Mt. Shasta Lady Bears team hosted the Etna Lady Lions yesterday in double-header action for both teams’ Shasta Cascade League opener. Etna took game-one 7-4, in eight innings, and also won game-two 8-4. Etna had pounded Mt. Shasta 16-9, less than a week earlier in the season.

Beth Langford reached on an error to lead off the game, for Etna, but was caught stealing on a throw by Lady Bear catcher Emma Taylor. Ashley Parry singled and stole second with one out, but the Lady Lions were unable to bring her home. Valerie Hougan singled to open the bottom half, for Mt. Shasta, but was called out for removing her helmet on the field of play. The game was scoreless after one inning.

Etna had their lead off hitter on base again in the second inning, when Nicole Luiz walked. Elli Pynes singled, and Luiz moved to second. A passed ball allowed Luiz to advance to third, and Pynes to second. Paige Finley struck out, but a dropped third strike required a throw to first base, allowing Luiz to score from third and Pynes to move to third. Kacey Munson then singled to drive in Pynes and give Etna a 2-0 lead. Finely whiffed the first two Lady Bear batters in the bottom of the inning, and Mt. Shasta went down in order.

With one out in the top of the third inning, Etna’s Tracy Thackeray doubled. Chloe Papazian also doubled, and Thackeray moved to third base. Luiz picked up an infield hit, and an RBI, scoring Thackeray from third, to give Etna a 3-0 advantage. Lady Bear pitcher Lauren McCurrey got the next batter to fly out, and struck out the final Etna batter looking.

Cynthia Laiacona led off the bottom of the third for Mt. Shasta with a double. Donetta Young took a walk, and the Lady Bears had runners on first and second. The next batter fanned, but Hougan singled to knock in Laiacona, making it 3-1 after three innings.

Etna failed to score in the top of the fourth inning. With one out in the bottom half, Sammy Reed walked. Jackie Degray then doubled, and Reed moved to third base. Laiacona singled to score Reed, and Degray moved to third. Laiacona stole second, but the next batter struck out. Kayla Emerson hit a grounder back to the Etna pitcher, but instead of throwing to first for the third out, the pitcher threw home, and Degray slid under the tag to tie the game 3-3, after four innings.

Thackeray singled with one out in the top of the fifth. The next batter, Papazian, hit a ball towards the right field line that looked like it would go for extra bases, but Amber Butts came up with a nice grab. Luiz then reached on an error, which also moved Thackeray to second. Pynes also reached on an error, and Thackeray scored from second to give Etna the lead back 4-3. Mt. Shasta went down in order in the bottom half.

Etna had a base runner in the sixth, but Taylor threw her out trying to steal second for the second time in the game. Laiacona singled and stole second for the Lady Bears, with two out, but did not score. Etna didn’t threaten in the top of the seventh.

Things looked bleak for the Lady Bears in the bottom half, when the first two batters failed to reach base. Butts, however, came up with a huge triple to give the Lady Bears hope. Taylor, who had been a defensive standout all game, flashed some offense with an RBI single to drive in Butts, and tie the game 4-4. Taylor also stole second, but Finley was able to strike out the next Mt. Shasta batter to send the game into an extra inning.

Pynes led off the top of the eighth for the Lady Lions with a single, and stole second. Finley doubled to drive in Pynes, and give the Lions the lead 5-4. Munson singled and Finley moved to third. Etna attempted a double steal, but Finley was thrown out at home. Munson advanced to second on the play. Brittney Potter singled for Etna, moving Munson to third base. Potter then stole second. Langford picked up an RBI, when she grounded out, scoring Munson from third base, and moving Potter to third. Parry reached on an error, and Potter scored to give Etna a 7-4 lead.

With two out in the bottom of the seventh, Laiacona reached on an infield hit for Mt. Shasta, but the next batter grounded out to first base to end the game.

Pynes led Etna, going 2-4, with two runs and two steals. Thackeray went 2-5, with a double, and two runs. Luiz was 1-3, with a walk, a run, an RBI, and two steals. Langford went 2-5, with an RBI. Finley recorded the complete game win (8IP, 4R, 8H, 2BB, 10K).

Laiacona led the Lady Bears’ offense, going 3-4, with a double, a run, an RBI, and a steal. Hougan went 2-4 with an RBI. Butts tripled, scored a run, and went 1-4.Young was 1-4, with a double and a run. McCurrey started and was tagged with the loss (8IP, 7R, 12H, BB, 4K).

The Lady Lions also won game two, 8-4. Ashley Page was the winning pitcher.

Etna starts the SCL season 2-0 (10-5), and will host Trinity (3-3 overall) on April 4, for a double-header starting at 2:00 pm. Mt. Shasta begins the SCL 0-2 (4-9), and will host Burney (1-1, 7-4-2) on April 1, for a double-header starting at 2:00 pm.

Game-two stats will be posted, when available.