ShawneeDispatch.com

The Mill Valley softball team had a perfect day for the first time this season.

After four straight doubleheader splits, Wednesday went entirely the Lady Jaguars' way.

One game. One victory.

Mill Valley 2, Bishop Ward 0.

"We struggled a little bit getting sacrifice bunts down or we probably could've scored a few more runs, but it was the best defensive game we've played all year," Mill Valley coach Heather Whitcomb said.

The Lady Jags jumped on the Cyclones quickly. Sophomore Katelyn Appleby was hit by a pitch in the second inning. She advanced to second on a sacrifice by junior Sydnie Gerber. Appleby then scored on junior Emily Crady's slap hit.

They extended the lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning when Gerber scored on a hit by sophomore Ariel Mull.

The defense took care of the rest. Senior pitcher Ashley Jones struck out seven, and the rest of the Lady Jags played made all of the routine plays to put the game away. The Cyclones mustered just three hits.

Prior to the Mill Valley-Bishop Ward game, Ward played a single game against Lansing and won, 5-4.

The Lady Jags were playing close attention. They play Lansing at 4:30 p.m. today at the 3&2 West Complex in a doubleheader.

"They've got the momentum going in, and then it'll be Senior Night, so they've got that too," Whitcomb said of her squad's excitement.

A pair of victories could be big for Mill Valley as far as regional seedings are concerned. The Wednesday victory improved the Lady Jags' record to 5-9, and a few more victories could help their seeding in a regional that includes state power St. Thomas Aquinas (15-5), Pittsburg (9-7), Bishop Miege (9-9), Gardner-Edgerton, Schlagle, Sumner Academy and Washington.

For her part, Whitcomb said she's not at all concerned with seeding. She just wants her team to go into the postseason playing its best softball of the season.

"I'm not stressing about anything, because I think we have a good team," she said. "Seeding's just a number. Any team can be beat on any day, and we all know that, so we've just got to come out ready to play."

Mill Valley's regular season finale will take place at 4 p.m. Thursday against Shawnee Heights at Lake Shawnee in Topeka.