Mendota’s Anna Bokus slides toward second base on a steal attempt as Rockford Lutheran shortstop Missmyrror Dismuke awaits the throw from the catcher on April 12. Bokus was safe and the Lady Trojans won, 10-0. (Reporter photo)

Mendota took the long journey to North Boone and made the trip a happy one with a 17-1, five-inning triumph in Big Northern Conference softball action on April 10 at Poplar Grove.

The Lady Trojans lashed out 13 hits, including two home runs, and two Mendota pitchers held North Boone to just one hit.

Mendota scored three runs in the first and three more in the second to take control. Emma Boatman, Anna Bokus and Larkin O’Donnell drove in runs in the first, while Rylee Klema slugged a three-run homer in the second.

The Lady Trojans continued to build on their lead when they sent 11 batters to the plate in the third and six of them scored. Eve Herbert had an RBI double, Morgan Marquis had a run-scoring single and O’Donnell delivered a two-run triple in the frame.

Mendota’s scoring machine added five more runs in the fourth inning with Bokus walloping a three-run homer.

Having a multi-hit game for the Lady Trojans were Brittany Menzel (two singles, double, one RBI), O’Donnell (single, triple, three RBI), Klema (home run, single, two RBI) and Alex Barrera (two singles).

Klema got the start in the circle and allowed just one hit and one unearned run. She struck out six and did not issue a walk in picking up the victory. Boatman fanned all three batters she faced in the fifth.

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The Lady Trojans suffered their first conference loss of the season, a 5-4 contest to Genoa-Kingston that took nine innings to decide on April 11 at Genoa.

Mendota opened the scoring with a run in the first. After the first two batters were retired, Klema kept the inning alive with a double. Boatman followed with a run-scoring single.

Genoa-Kingston took the lead with two runs in the third, but Mendota regained the advantage with two in the top of the fifth. Menzel and Barrera started the rally with consecutive singles. Menzel came in to score on an error and then Barrera scampered home on a single by Klema.

The lead was short-lived, however, when the Lady Cogs responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. But Mendota quickly knotted the game at 4-4 in the sixth when Reiss Buettner reached on an error and later came around the score.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth when Genoa-Kingston nudged across the winning run on a double, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.

Mendota finished with nine hits, led by Klema (single, double) and Boatman (two singles). Buettner added a double.

Klema was the losing pitcher, going the distance and allowing nine hits and three earned runs. She walked one and struck out nine.

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Mendota won another game by the 10-run rule, this time a 10-0, six-inning shutout over Rockford Lutheran in conference play on April 12 at the MHS field. Mendota is 5-1 in league games.

Boatman held the Lutheran offense to just three hits to pick up the pitching win. She struck out six and walked one, and only allowed one baserunner to reach third base.

The Lady Trojan offense had six hits and benefited from 11 walks. Kassidy Barkman, Jenna O’Donnell, Paityn Barkman and Buettner each had RBI singles. Brandy Delao added a double.

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Despite wintry-like conditions, Mendota played two games in the Seneca Tournament on April 14.

The Lady Trojans opened up with a 5-4 loss to Seneca.

Mendota trailed 4-0 until the top of the sixth when it tied the game on a bases-loaded three-run double by Buettner. But Seneca pushed across the deciding run in the bottom of the sixth on a bases loaded walk.

The Lady Trojans had just three hits, while Seneca had seven hits off of Boatman, who took the loss. Only one of the five runs scored against her was earned. She walked three and struck out seven.

Mendota was a 6-3 winner over Hall in game two of the tournament.

The Lady Trojans took a 2-1 lead in the second and were never headed. They had nine hits in the contest, while Klema limited Hall to just five hits and one earned run. She recorded 10 strikeouts and walked one.

Marquis (single, double) and Jenna O’Donnell (two singles) had a multi-hit game for Mendota, which improved to 10-3. Barrera, Bokus and Mary DeFore each had an RBI single, while Menzel doubled in a run. Buettner also had a two-bagger.