Mendon Softball Secures Spot to Defend State Title at MSU

BATTLE CREEK — For Jadyn Samson, Moose Tracks is the ultimate ice cream flavor, combining chocolate with a delightful crunch and a touch of sweetness. Following a successful quarterfinal match on the softball field, Samson and her teammates celebrated with some ice cream. The Mendon Hornets notched their fourth straight victory in the Division 4 state quarterfinals, earning another trip to Michigan State University for the Final Four.

The top-seeded team in Division 4 triumphed over Petersburg Summerfield with an 8-4 score at Bailey Park on Tuesday, June 9. The weather was warm with occasional rain, but it remained mostly cloudy throughout the game. "As seniors, in volleyball, basketball, and now softball, we just give it our all," stated Samson. "We do a good job of staying in the moment and understanding what's in front of us, but we have to stay in the moment."

Mendon, the reigning D4 state champions, has seen this senior class lead the team to four consecutive appearances at MSU, a remarkable achievement. "I’m just extremely grateful for us being able to accomplish these four years in a row. We're MSU bound again," said senior Taya Bingaman. "Honestly, like I'm really lucky. I'm here with my best friends, and we're still playing. It's a blessing to be here."

The Hornets are set to face Hillman, who defeated Norway 5-2 in another quarterfinal game. This matchup will be a rematch of last year's semifinals, where Mendon emerged victorious with a score of 4-2. "The seniors, those five girls have been through some battles. When you have a group like that leading you, it helps a ton," remarked co-coach Mike Smith. "It helps take a lot of pressure off the younger girls, helps take it off the coaching staff as well."

Over their four years, the seniors have accumulated 138 wins for the Mendon program. Although they faced tough challenges, including narrow losses to Unionville-Sebewaing in previous finals, they remain focused on their goal. "We wanted this. We proved it Saturday having to come from behind in those two games," Bingaman expressed. "We fought so hard to get back here, and we have given everything we have, but we have to keep pushing. We know what it takes to get here, and it's not easy. It's hard. Now we have to keep pushing."

Rowan Allen, a senior pitcher, led the Hornets to victory on Tuesday despite recovering from a recent injury. "It still hasn't registered. It's an unreal feeling to be honest," Allen shared about returning to MSU. "But we feel like we're ready to go. We want to be here. We know we've earned our spot to be here."

The win marked the 30th of the season for Mendon, continuing their streak of surpassing 30 wins for the fourth consecutive year. The Hornets quickly established their lead, scoring two runs in the first inning and extending it to 8-1 before Summerfield managed to score three runs in the seventh inning.

The state semifinals against Hillman (33-9) are slated for 3 p.m. on Friday, with Brown City (25-11) facing Fowler (27-8) in the other semifinal immediately following. Both Mendon and Hillman finished as the top-ranked teams in D4 according to the Michigan High School Softball Association's final poll.

For further updates, contact Sports Editor Brandon Watson at bwatson@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @BwatsonSJ.