ShawneeDispatch.com

The Mill Valley baseball team moved to 11-1 on the season after they swept two doubleheaders at Tonganoxie on Thursday and at Piper on Monday.

Tyson Corley started the first game of the doubleheader at Tongy and pitched one of his best games all year. The flame-throwing senior pitched five innings of shutout baseball along with eight strikeouts to lead the Jags to an 11-0 victory.

"He wasn't trying to do to much on the mound," Mill Valley coach Carl Garrett said. "He was having to just go out and pitch and as for hitting his spots in the zone. He didn't have his best velocity but he had his best start."

Bob Farrell went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and two stolen bases, and senior Rickey Wilson also had a superb all around game. Wilson went 1-for-2 with four stolen bases.

"Rickey ran the bases really well for us today," Garrett said.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Andy Marquez had a six-inning six-strikeout performance on the mound. The senior also gave up only five hits.

"He was right around the zone and did a nice job for us," Garrett said. "He is so valuable for us and has some great tools to be a starting pitcher."

Conner Koch closed out the game and the Jags took care of the Chieftains 5-1.

On Monday the Mill Valley boys were put to the test against a solid Piper team. In the first game, the Jags bolted out to an early 4-0 lead. The Jags built on their lead in the later innings to lead 11-0 after six. Piper's Aaron Dulaney broke up Tommy Fitzgerald's shutout with a home run to left field.

Fitzgerald finished Piper off after Dulaney's dinger and finished with a complete game four-hit, four-strikeout performance, and the Jags won 11-1.

"I didn't have the same control that I usually have today," Fitzgerald said. "My velocity was there but I need to do a better job with my control."

Andy Marquez swung the big stick in the first game for the Jags. Marquez went 3-for-4 with a whopping five RBIs, but not to be outdone was the stellar play of Rickey Wilson on defense. The senior shortstop made an incredible play in the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners at first and third with one out, the runner at first tried to steal second. Jags catcher Ryan Gracy fired the ball to second and it appeared the throw would sail into center, but a diving Wilson stuck his glove out, made the catch, and in the samemotion tagged out the runner trying to steal.

"I didn't think I could get to it but I did," Wilson said.

In game two, with the score knotted a one a piece in the bottom of the fifth inning, Piper's bats came alive against Mill Valley starter Daniel Wheat. Piper had the bases loaded with one out when the Pirates hit a run-scoring double to take their first lead at 2-1. The Pirates would add two more in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead going into the top half of the sixth inning.

With the Mill Valley fans uneasy and the Piper fans feeling like this game was wrapped up, the Jags rallied once again. Gracy led things off for the Jags with a one out single. Turner followed with a single to move pinch runner Bob Farrell to second. Farrell would advanced to third and score on a wild pitch to cut the Piper lead to 4-2.

With the bases loaded and one out, Marquez hit what looked like an easy double play ball but the Piper second baseman booted the ground ball and Turner scored to cut the lead to 4-3. Rickey Wilson then advanced home on a wild pitch to tie the game at 4-4.

Koch came in to pitch for Mill Valley to try to hold on, but Piper's Dulaney came up big again. The senior doubled to left to score a run and the Pirates took a 5-4 lead. Koch eventually shut the Pirates down and the freshman got his revenge in the seventh.

In the top of the seventh frame, Conner Koch led off with a clutch double down the left field line.

"I felt a little nervous out on the mound, this was the biggest game I have ever pitched," Koch said. "I just took the fastball and did what I could with hit."

Koch advance to third on a bunt and Turner stepped up to single to right to score him.

With the ballgame tied at 5-5 and runners at first and third for the Jags, Wilson attempted a steal to second. The Piper catcher fired the ball down to second and the pitcher tried to cut the throw off and the ball nicked his glove and sailed to into left field. Mill Valley Sean McDonald scored from third and the Jags took the lead for good 6-5.

Tyson Corley came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and struck out the side to move the Jags to 11-1.

"When the chips were down, we found a way to come through and that's what you want to see out of a group of kids like this," Garrett said. "Piper gave us a lot of opportunities and we redeemed ourselves. Hopefully that's what people will say about Mill Valley, when we make some mistakes, you better watch out because we are going to take care of business our next opportunity."