When it rains it pours, and no one knows that more than Valley Center. Off to an
ominous 0-6 start on the season, Valley Center ran into an Andover Central team that was set to avenge their recent losses to Maize South. It was mistake after
mistake that helped the Jaguars make Valley Center earn the record
of 0-8 on the year.
To start the game, the Jaguars would send sophomore Lucas Milner to the hill, and
Hill would not disappoint. Through the first four innings, Milner had not allowed a
hit, simply dominating his way through the Valley Center lineup. Milner
showed poise and stature that would help him, even after having a terrible fifth
inning.
“I tried to keep that [the no hitter] out of my mind, but I had a guy break it up so I
knew that it was gone, but I just tried to get the win after that,” said Milner.
In the fifth inning, Milner gave up four runs on five hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Had it not been for poor base running by Valley Center, the Jaguars starter may
have been in more trouble than he expected. In the inning, Milner picked off Valley
Center freshman right fielder, Blake Crager, at second for the second out of the
inning. Milner had two pickoffs at second base and his catcher, senior Tanner
Crouch, added a third pickoff on his snap throw to first base in the third. The
mishaps on the base paths would prove to be detrimental and squashed any hope
of a Hornet rally.
With their first inning blowout, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring five
runs on two hits, two walks and three Valley Center errors, the Jaguars were in the
driver seat the remainder of the game.
“We don’t want to take anyone lightly so we wanted to go out and approach
everyone the same way. We wanted to go out and play our best,” said Milner. “I had
some great defense behind me today. I didn’t have great stuff, but we tried to do the
best we could.”
Game 2
It was more of the same from Valley Center in Game 2 of the double header. Base
running blunders squashed any hope for momentum. The Jaguars once again sent
nine men to the plate in the first inning and opened the game with a commanding
4-0 lead. From there the Jaguars never looked back piling on ten more runs in
the next three innings. The Jaguars would capitalize on errors from Valley Center
outfielders and their careless base running. The mercy rule would be applied as the
Jaguars beat Valley Center 14-0. In the fourth inning, the Jaguars would send eleven
men to the plate while scoring seven runs on five hits, two walk,s two strikeouts and
an eror.
