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The Lady Bulldogs reached the championship game of the Laingsburg tournament by pounding out 11 hits and riding the perfect pitching performance of Sammi Mason to an impressive 11-0 drubbing of Vermontville Maple Valley. Mason struck out a dozen batters and shined on offense with three hits, three runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Rachel Lichon also collected three hits and scored a pair of runs.

In the title game, Sara Mead allowed just two hits and no walks while striking out five as St. Charles scored the only run of the game in the top of the fifth inning to win the first-place trophy. The Lady Bulldogs laced 10 hits, but squandered several scoring opportunities. Lichon continued her hot streak at the plate with three hits while Mead helped her own cause with a double and two singles. Toni Madden had two safeties, including the game-winning hit in the fifth.

"We played a very good team in Laingsburg and it was a very good test for us," commented Bulldog coach Todd Halcomb. "The only negative was our inability to move runners and get big hits with runners on as we left 12 runners stranded. Still, it was nice to experience the feeling of winning another tournament and watching the girls grow into a complete team. I'm very proud of them."

The Lady Bulldogs ran its winning streak to eleven by trouncing St. Louis on Monday, 12-1 and 15-7. In the opener, St. Charles scored in every inning but the first and fifth while coasting to a 12-1 triumph. Mason picked up another win on the slab, striking out 16 while yielding just one hit. Mason led the offense with two doubles and a single. Lexy Burch, Jordan Mishler, Mead and Lichon each chipped in with two hits apiece.

In the nightcap, St. Charles jumped out to a 7-0 lead and scored in every inning en route to a 15-7 win. Mead picked up the win on the mound, scattering four hits. The 'Dawgs committed six errors in the contest to allow St. Louis to post its seven runs, but St. Charles already led by a 10-0 margin before giving up the unearned runs to the host Sharks. Lichon ripped a triple, double and single in the nightcap and Mead added three hits and three ribbies for the winners.

"We finished third in the league and this is the first time in over two decades that St. Charles has had a winning conference record," commented Halcomb. "The girls want to set a new tradition and thinking about St. Charles softball and its expectations. I'm very proud of these young ladies and how far they've come along from the start of the season until now."

St. Charles finishes at 9-5 in the TVC and stands at 26-10 overall.