Monday, the Chieftains had another difficult task — battle league-leading Santa Fe Trail.

In both games, Tonganoxie showed it could play with SFT.

In the first game, Tonganoxie tied the game at one in the top of the fourth, but Santa Fe Trial scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth and took a 5-1 lead. The Chieftains again battled back, scoring two of their own runs in the top of the fifth as the game was a bit closer at 5-3. Another four-running inning, however, in the bottom of the fifth, sealed Tonganoxie’s fate. The Chargers won, 9-3.

In the second game, THS scored first with two runs in the first.

Unfortunately for THS, the lead was short-lived. After two-run first and second innings, SFT held a 4-2 lead and brought in two more in the bottom of the fourth. Again, Tonganoxie started to rally with two runs in the top of the fifth and, like the first game, the Chieftains trailed by just two. The Chargers would have an answer. SFT scored a single run in the fifth and sixth innings and prevailed, 9-4.

“A couple of little things here, couple little things there and it turns into a snowball,” THS coach Phil Loomis said. “It makes it tough to stay even.”

Tonganoxie dropped to 3-11, while Santa Fe Trail improved to 12-2.

Although Tonganoxie lost another doubleheader, Loomis said his team made improvements, especially in the top of the batting order. Keith Wentz-Hall, Todd Brown and Daniel Volk each went 3-for-8 in the doubleheader.

The Chieftains will play Perry-Lecompton on Thursday at home and head Monday to Lansing to play the Lions.

“I don’t know a whole lot about them,” Loomis said, referring to PLHS. “They haven’t been beating people really handily, so hopefully we’ll be competitive there.”

P. Ridge 14-6, Tonganoxie 2-2

Tonganoxie played a non-conference doubleheader against Pleasant Ridge last week, but the visiting Rams proved too much for the Chieftains.

Pleasant Ridge won the first game, 14-2, and held on in the second game for a 6-2 victory.

After playing good baseball against Mill Valley, THS coach Phil Loomis said the team didn’t perform as well against Pleasant Ridge.

“We took steps backwards,” Loomis said.

The THS coach said the Chieftains also faced a pretty good Pleasant Ridge team.

“They’re not 7-1 for no reason,” Loomis said.

Linescores

Tonganoxie vs. Santa Fe Trail

Game 1

Tonganoxie 000 120 0 — 3 6 4
Santa Fe Trail 001 440 x — 9 10 4

Game 2

Tonganoxie 200 020 0 — 4 9 2
Santa Fe Trail 220 212 x — 9 8 1

Tonganoxie vs. Pleasant Ridge

Game 1

Pleasant Ridge 035 60 — 14 10 0
Tonganoxie 002 00 — 2 4 3

Game 2

Pleasant Ridge 310 010 1 — 6 9 1
Tonganoxie 000 002 0 — 2 7 0