The Mendota Lady Trojans could also be called the cardiac kids, as once again they waited until the late innings of a game to make a comeback. This time the victim was Winnebago, as Mendota rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh to claim a 6-5 win in a Big Northern Conference battle on May 9 at Winnebago.

The Lady Trojans entered the top of the seventh trailing 5-4. Larkin O’Donnell started the inning with a single and then Alex Barrera delivered a clutch two-run home run to put Mendota on top. Winnebago got two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, but could not score.

The game was tied 3-3 through four innings, with Mendota scoring twice in the first and once in the second. Winnebago scored three times in the bottom of the first.

Morgan Marquis led off the top of the first with a single and was sacrificed to second by Ryann Avery. One out later, Reiss Buettner laced a run-scoring double, and then she later scored on an error.

Winnebago took the lead in the bottom of the first when it scored three unearned runs, but Mendota quickly tied the score in the second on a solo home run by Eve Herbert.

The game remained deadlocked until the fifth when Alex Barrera led off with a double and raced home on a single by Avery.

Winnebago responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead before Mendota’s heroics in the seventh.

The Lady Trojans had 12 hits, led by Alex Barrera with a single, double and home run. Herbert provided a single in addition to her round-tripper, while Buettner (single, double) and Rylee Klema (two singles) added to the attack.

Avery pitched the first five innings, while Klema finished off the game and got the win.

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Mendota doubled up Dixon, 10-5, in a BNC contest on May 11 at Dixon.

The Lady Trojans led from start to finish as they plated three runs in the first inning. Klema had a two-run single in the frame.

Buettner singled in a run in the third, while Marquis had an RBI single as part of a two-run fourth inning.

Mendota built its margin to 9-1 in the fifth with a three-run uprising after the first two batters were retired. Hope McDowell kept the inning alive with a single and Kathryn McNally walked ahead of a two-run single by Haylie Barrera. O’Donnell singled in the other run.

Dixon scored four times in the bottom of the fifth and Mendota added a run in the sixth on a run-scoring single by Herbert.

Mendota put together a 12-hit attack, with Marquis, McNally and O’Donnell getting two apiece.

Avery pitched 4 1/3 innings and was credited with the win. Klema came on to put out a fire in the fifth and then blanked Dixon the rest of the way.

* * *

Mendota held a precarious one-run lead through five innings, but could not make it last as Oregon rallied in the final two frames to seize a 4-1 victory in the BNC and regular season finale for the Lady Trojans.

MHS took a quick 1-0 lead in the first when Marquis was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, stole second, and scored on two passed balls.

That turned out to be Mendota’s only run of the game. The Lady Trojans had only two hits – singles by O’Donnell and Klema. They did not get a baserunner past second over the final six innings.

Klema, who started in the circle, had just one inning over the first five that she was in trouble, but she managed to wiggle out of a bases loaded situation in the fourth. Her luck ran out in the sixth when Oregon took the lead with two unearned runs without a hit. Two MHS errors led to the Oregon tallies.

The Lady Hawks added two more runs in the seventh to seal the win.

Klema allowed four hits and struck out six. She did not issue a walk.

Mendota concluded the regular season at 15-14 and the BNC campaign at 12-8.