ShawneeDispatch.com

After two straight days of playing their best ball of the season, the Mill Valley softball team ran out of gas Thursday evening in a doubleheader against Shawnee Heights at Lake Shawnee.

The Lady Jaguars beat Bishop Ward on Tuesday and then swept Lansing on Wednesday. Shawnee Heights was the hardest hitting opponent Mill Valley has faced this season, however, and the Lady Jags countered with a bit of fatigue while falling 3-1 and 11-1.

“I think we were just tired, and it’s bound to happen,” Mill Valley coach Heather Whitcomb said. “Ashley (Jones) can’t pitch back-to-back-to-back days, and she had to do that.”

The initial season schedule didn’t have games slated so close together, but Mill Valley had four of its first seven doubleheaders of the season rained out. In fact, all of this week’s games were make-ups from rainouts.

Mill Valley hung around throughout the first game thanks to a gritty effort by Jones and some solid defense — something that has been a trend during the Lady Jags’ recent hot streak. The offense faltered, however.

“We just weren’t hitting well, and I don’t know if it’s just because our timing was off or because we’ve been facing faster pitchers,” Whitcomb said.

Heights’ bats took charge early in game two.

“They’re a good hitting team,” Whitcomb said of Heights. “And when we’re not hitting the ball well, we don’t give ourselves a chance.”

Mill Valley ends the regular season with a 7-11 record. It will find out who, when and where it will play in the Class 5A regional tournament when the seeding meeting takes place Saturday morning. Mill Valley likely will be either the fourth, fifth or sixth seed in the regional tournament.

No matter who the Lady Jags play, Whitcomb said her team will be ready after taking a few days to rest up.

“I think we have potential to go down there and do what we need to do,” she said. “We just need a little rest, then we’ll come out ready to go.”

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