MENDOTA – Mendota enjoyed winning its first-ever regional softball tournament title last year so much that it thought it would do it again this year. So, the Lady Trojans came back from a three-run deficit with a late-inning charge to take out the Orion Chargers, 8-4, to claim the Mendota Class 2A Regional Softball title on May 20 at the MHS field. The win propelled the Lady Trojans into the Orion Sectional.

Mendota grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Paige Manning walked, stole second and scored on a single by Jenna O’Donnell.

Orion responded with a two-spot in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by Tori Werkheiser and a run-scoring single by Grace Kerker.

The Chargers added to their lead in the third when Kerker ripped a two-run single.

But as it turned out, that would conclude the scoring for Orion and the Lady Trojans’ bats came alive.

Mendota climbed a run closer in the fourth. It loaded the bases with nobody out on a lead-off single by Jenna O’Donnell, a walk to Emma Boatman and a hard-hit single by Reiss Buettner. It looked like Orion pitcher Jenna Drish might wiggle out of the jam unscathed, but the Lady Trojans managed one run on a ground out by Eve Herbert.

Mendota climbed over the hump in the fifth when it batted around and scored four runs. After one out, five straight batters reached base and four of them scored. Alex Barrera got things started with a walk. Manning followed with a ringing triple to the wall in right-center to drive in Barrera. Jenna O’Donnell coaxed a walk on a ball-four wild pitch that allowed Manning to score and saw O’Donnell cruise all the way to second base.

The inning continued when Boatman drove in O’Donnell with a loud single and Buettner followed with a single to put two runners on. After a strikeout, Eve Herbert singled to left to plate courtesy runner Emily Elwell.

The Lady Trojans padded their lead with two more runs in the sixth. Barrera drew a one-out walk and was forced out at second on a Manning grounder. Jenna O’Donnell kept the inning alive with her third single of the contest, then Boatman delivered a huge two-run single down the left field line to increase Mendota’s lead to 8-4.

Mary DeFore got the start in the circle for the Lady Trojans and settled down to blank Orion over the final four innings. Although the Chargers collected eight hits off of DeFore, she only allowed one Orion (17-10) baserunner to reach third base in the final four frames.

Mendota (14-16) ended with 10 hits, including three singles each by Jenna O’Donnell and Buettner. Boatman added a pair of singles.