Mendota’s bats came alive in the late innings in posting a 16-5 triumph over Earlville in varsity softball action on March 21 at Earlville.

The Lady Trojans broke on top with a pair of runs in the first inning with an Emma Schultz double driving in one.

Earlville scored once in the second, which was matched by Mendota in the fourth on a solo home run by Kirby Bond.

Mendota tacked on four more runs in the fifth, with Katie Jenner swatting a home run.

The Lady Raiders pushed across four runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut Mendota’s lead to 7-5, but the visitors put the game away with a nine-run sixth to win by the 10-run rule. Ava Eddy, Madelyn Becker, Talia White and Bond all singled in runs, while Ryleigh Sondgeroth had an RBI double.

In the contest, multiple hits for MHS went to Jenner (two singles, home run, two RBI), Eddy (three singles), Sondgeroth (single, two doubles, two RBI), Becker (three singles, two RBI), Bond (two singles, home run, two RBI) and White (two singles).

Eddy was the winning pitcher, working 4 1/3 innings, giving up three hits and one earned run. She walked three and fanned seven. Sondgeroth finished up in the circle.

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Sherrard edged the Lady Trojans, 2-1, on March 24 at Sherrard.

Mendota managed only two hits and scored its only run on a solo homer by Sondgeroth in the fourth to cut Sherrard’s lead in half.

Sondgeroth went the distance in the circle, allowing five hits and one earned run. She struck out four and walked one.

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Bureau Valley took a slugfest win over Mendota, 13-8, on March 27 at the Mendota field.

The game was tied 5-5 after three innings and then Bureau Valley scored in every inning after that, including four times in the fifth.

The Lady Trojans collected 13 hits, including two triples and two singles by Jenner. Eddy had a pair of doubles and two RBI, while others getting two hits were Becker (single, triple, two RBI), Schultz (single, double, two RBI) and Sondgeroth (two singles).

Sondgeroth pitched five innings and took the loss, while Eddy worked the final two frames.