Mendota catcher Austin Robinson lunges at the sliding Savian Hernandez of Oregon, who manages to cross the plate before the tag can be applied on March 22 at Faber Field in Mendota. Umpire John McCauley prepares to make the call. (Reporter photo)

Mendota avenged a loss to Rock Falls the day before with a 7-5 triumph over the Rockets in Big Northern Conference action on March 20 at Faber Field in Mendota.

Rock Falls held a 3-2 lead after four innings before the Trojans struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. The Rockets quickly tied the game with a run in the top of the sixth, but Mendota responded with a three-run bottom of the sixth to secure the victory.

The Trojans had seven hits, with Bryson Prusator picking up a single and a double and driving in three runs. Ben Bokus added a pair of singles, while Sam Becker and Ivan Cuevas each doubled.

Prusator got the pitching victory, working around six Mendota errors that led to four unearned runs for the Rockets. He allowed six hits, struck out six and did not issue a walk. Joel Escatel got the final two outs to earn the save.

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The Trojans had their offense in high gear as they rolled over Oregon, 15-5, in a BNC game halted by the 10-run rule in the fifth inning on March 22 at Faber Field.

After Oregon grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the first, Mendota countered with a three-run bottom of the inning and was never headed. The Trojans tacked on three more runs in the second, five in the third and then finished off the Hawks with a four-spot in the fifth.

Five Trojans had two hits apiece in their 12-hit outburst. Prusator singled, doubled and drove in five runs, while Austin Robinson delivered a pair of singles that plated four runs. Becker, John Buchanan and Kiandre Morris also had two singles each, and Bokus laced a double.

Becker worked the first four innings on the hill and earned the win. He gave up eight hits, walked three and struck out nine. Escatel pitched the fifth.

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LaSalle-Peru rallied to claim a 9-4 win over Mendota on March 23 at Veterans Memorial Park in Peru.

After L-P took a 1-0 lead in the second, the Trojans moved in front with a three-run third. But the lead was short-lived, as the Cavaliers scored four times in the fourth and two runs in each of the fifth and sixth frames.

Mendota collected six hits, with Prusator providing two singles and a double, and Robinson singling twice.

Gavin Glazebrook was the starting pitcher for the Trojans, going four innings and allowing six hits and five runs. Buchanan and Robinson pitched an inning apiece.

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Mendota posted its second 10-run rule victory over Oregon in less than a week, this time a 10-0 shutout over the Hawks in BNC action on March 26 at Oregon.

The Trojans (5-2, 3-1) scored twice in the first inning, three times in the third and then put the game away with a five-spot in the fifth.

Bokus was nearly unhittable on the mound for the Trojans, giving up just two singles in five innings to notch the victory. He struck out 12 and did not issue a walk.

Mendota picked up seven hits, including doubles by Robinson and Escatel. Escatel drove in a pair of runs, as did Mason DeFore, who had a single.