Bouchard Pitches Mill Valley to Junior Division title

Gabe Bouchard was nearly perfect Monday night. Just like the Mill Valley Junior Division All-Stars have been for almost three weeks.

Mill Valley’s 13- and 14-year-olds capped an unbeaten run through the District 3 competition with an 8-0 shellacking of Dixie-Terra Linda in the tournament finals at Alto Field in Mill Valley, riding Bouchard’s arm to the impressive victory.

"Gabe Bouchard was the star tonight, but all of these players have performed excellently all tournament,” gushed Mill Valley manager Ken Praszker. “We allowed a total of five runs over six games, and only committed five errors and averaged over eight hits a game. That is pretty good balance.”

Mill Valley moves on to the Section 1 tournament in Benicia. Its first game will be Saturday at 6 p.m. against the District 4 champ from the East Bay.

Bouchard had a game to remember Monday, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning and finishing the game with 14 strikeouts while allowing only one hit. He also went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs, highlighting a Mill Valley attack that featured 13 hits from nine different players.

Bouchard provided himself the only support he would need in the bottom of the first inning when he drove home Will Banks.

Patrick Shore’s sacrifice fly scored Angelo DeLorenzi to make it 2-0 in the second inning, before Mill Valley put the game away with a five-run third, sending nine guys to the plate.

Shortstop Jack Elias went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI for Mill Valley.

Praszker took time to praise the opponent after the game.

“Dixie is a fine team that has blown away several teams in this tournament,” he noted. “Andrew Licht knows how to pitch and threw hard, but today was just our day. In my opinion, he has a bright future ahead of him.

“Congratulations to Chuck (Rosso) and all the Dixie coaches for a class act on the field.”

Mill Valley's other team in action Monday night -- the 9-10 All-Stars -- wasn't as fortunate. It suffered a season-ending 9-8 loss to San Francisco National at Boyle Park in Mill Valley.