Mendota broke the game open in the late innings and romped over Rockford Lutheran, 12-4, in Big Northern Conference action on March 27 at Rockford.

The Trojans took a 2-0 lead after two innings before Lutheran tied the game in the bottom of the third. Mendota regained the lead with a two-spot in the top of the fifth only to see the Crusaders knot the game once again in the bottom of the frame. But the Trojans put the game out of reach when eight runners crossed the plate in the sixth.

Bryson Prusator went the distance on the hill to earn the win for Mendota. He allowed seven hits, no earned runs, walked two and struck out eight.

The Trojans had eight hits off of four Lutheran pitchers. Austin Robinson had a double and two runs batted in, while Sam Becker doubled, walked four times and scored three runs. Kiandre Morris added three RBI.

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Lutheran made the return trip to Mendota on March 29 with the same result – a 6-0 loss to the Trojans at Faber Field.

Becker got the start on the mound for the Trojans and he reached his 105-pitch limit with two outs in the top of the seventh. He struck out 15 batters, including at least two in each inning, and only allowed one Crusader base-runner to reach as far as second base. He walked three and allowed just a second-inning single.

Mendota picked up eight hits, including two singles each by Morris and Ben Bokus. Robinson doubled for the Trojans.

Mendota (7-2, 5-1) scored single runs in the first and second innings, and then put a pair of runs on the board in the fifth and sixth frames.

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Mendota’s bats were silent as it dropped a 6-0 decision at Princeton on March 31.

The Trojans managed only a bloop single by Bokus off of Princeton pitcher Connor Dickens, who went the route for the victory.

The Tigers grabbed a 4-0 lead in the third thanks to four unearned runs on just one base hit as Mendota committed three errors in the frame.

Bokus pitched the first three innings for Mendota and John Buchanan finished up.

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The Trojans used the big fly to post a 6-4 comeback victory over Rockford Christian in BNC play on April 2 at Faber Field.

Christian took a quick 3-0 lead in the first on three hits and two Mendota errors, but the Trojans bounced back with two in the bottom of the inning on RBI singles by Bokus and Robinson.

The game stayed at 3-2 until the bottom of the fifth when Mendota struck for four runs to take the lead for good. Bokus slammed a two-run homer to give the Trojans a 4-3 lead, then Prusator followed with a solo shot. Ivan Cuevas added an RBI groundout later in the inning.

Prusator pitched into the seventh inning when he reached the pitch limit with two outs. Escatel relieved and allowed a run-scoring double before striking out the final batter.

Prusator gave up eight hits and two earned runs to get the win. He fanned 12 and did not issue a walk.

Bokus paced Mendota’s 15-hit attack with a home run and three singles. Becker (single, double), Buchanan (two singles), Prusator (double, home run), Robinson (single, double) and Cuevas (two singles) each had two hits for the Trojans (8-3, 6-1).