Trojans edge Princeton twice by 8-7 scores

Posted 4/24/24

Mendota held off Princeton for an 8-7 victory in Three Rivers Conference varsity baseball action on April 15 at Princeton.

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Trojans edge Princeton twice by 8-7 scores

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Mendota held off Princeton for an 8-7 victory in Three Rivers Conference varsity baseball action on April 15 at Princeton.

Princeton held a 2-1 lead after the opening inning, but Mendota plated three runs in the second and two more in the third to grab a 6-2 lead. The Tigers closed to within one run (6-5) after four innings before each team scored twice in the fifth to end the scoring.

The Trojans banged out 12 hits off of four Princeton pitchers. Dane Doyle had two doubles, while Jace Baird collected three singles and three RBI. Izaiah Nanez and Josh Figueroa each had two singles and one run batted in.

Nanez went the distance on the hill to get the win. He gave up nine hits, three earned runs, walked two and struck out six.

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Mendota was shut out by Bureau Valley, 3-0, in a conference match-up on April 17 at Manlius.

The game was scoreless through three innings before Bureau Valley broke through with a run in the fourth. The Storm added single tallies in the fifth and sixth.

The Trojans were held to four hits by two Bureau Valley pitchers. Brody Hartt stroked a pair of singles, while Baird had a double.

Baird pitched into the fifth inning and allowed three hits and two runs. He walked three and fanned six. Evan McPheeters finished up on the mound.

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Mendota earned its second victory of the season over Princeton in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to post an 8-7 triumph over the Tigers in Three Rivers Conference action on April 20 at the MHS field.

Princeton pushed in front 6-1 with a five-run second. Three errors led to all five runs being unearned against Trojan starting pitcher Doyle.

Mendota scored two runs in the third and four frames, and then pulled even in the fifth when Jack Gillespie scored on a wild pitch.

Princeton went back on top with run in the top of the sixth, but Mendota responded to tie it at 7-7 in the bottom of the inning when Gillespie singled down the right field line to plate Figueroa.

In the decisive bottom of the seventh, Doyle reached on an error and Owen Aughenbaugh followed with a bunt single. A fielder’s choice forced Doyle at third, but Nanez launched a double to deep left-center to drive in Aughenbaugh with the winning run.

Nanez got the pitching win in relief of Doyle. Doyle went six innings and allowed five hits, no earned runs, walked four and struck out four.

***

Sterling Newman rallied past the Trojans, 5-3, in a conference match-up on April 22 at the MHS field.

Both teams scored a pair of runs in the first and then Mendota forged in front 3-2 in the second on an RBI single by Justin Randolph.

The score remained 3-2 until the top of the fifth when Newman pushed across three runs to finish out the scoring.

Mendota loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the fifth, but the next three batters went down on strikes.

The Trojans (6-5, 3-5) outhit Newman, 11-6, but left 13 runners on base. Nanez stroked two doubles and a single, while Cale Strouss and Hartt collected two singles apiece.

Nanez went the distance on the hill and took the loss. He walked three and fanned 10.