ShawneeDispatch.com

Last Thursday against a young Tonganoxie team that had won three straight games, Mill Valley struggled offensively, but played opportunistic baseball and was able to get the sweep.

The Jaguars (9-1) beat the Chieftains 6-2 in the first game and came from behind in the second game to win 3-2. Of their nine runs scored against the Chieftains, only two runs were earned.

"That's what we're doing right now. Other teams have made some mistakes in the last week and our guys have done a good job of taking advantage," coach Carl Garrett said.

In the second game, it was Tonganoxie who opened the game taking advantage of Mill Valley's mistakes. After junior Shawn Moore gave up two straight walks to start the game, he got two straight outs on an infield pop out and a strikeout.

On the third strike of the strikeout, the Chieftains sent both their runners. Senior catcher Matt Westin overthrew senior third baseman Joe Garrett and Tonganoxie took a 1-0 lead.

Tonganoxie scored again in the second inning and Mill Valley struggled at the plate. Senior second baseman Brent Ogden's leadoff bunt single to start the game was the Jags' only hit in the first three innings.

Junior centerfielder Connor Koch ended the hitless streak in the fourth inning when he doubled off the wall. Garrett hit a two-out single to score Koch, which would be the only earned run for Mill Valley in the game.

Mill Valley scored twice in the fifth inning on two overthrows by the Chieftains. The 3-2 lead proved to be enough for senior pitcher Jake Roach, who took over for Moore to pitch the final four innings. Roach gave up only one hit. He only had one strikeout, but the Mill Valley defense played well behind him.

"I'm real pleased with all our guys on the mound. We've progressed," Garrett said. "If we wouldn't have pitched well today, they would have beaten us."

Trey Scott pitched 6 1/3 innings in the first game, giving up one earned run and one unearned. Mill Valley took advantage of Tonganoxie's mistakes in the field and scored five unearned runs, which was more than enough thanks to Scott's pitching.

Mill Valley only had six hits in the second game -- two of which were bunt singles by Ogden. Ogden went 3-4 in the game. Garrett said his players are pressing offensively and they need to change their approach.

"They're getting up to the plate and out thinking themselves," Garrett said. "Baseball is a simple game if you make it a simple. We've got to get back to attacking the baseball."