Monticello fell behind 6-0, but a late comeback bid fell short as Mattoon escaped with a 6-5 win on Wednesday in non-conference high school softball action in Monticello.
Back-to-back run-scoring passed balls in the fourth inning allowed the Lady Sages to get within 6-2.
Cassidee Stoffel reached on a run-scoring error an inning later to make the deficit 6-3.
In the seventh, trailing 6-3, Annie Robinson started the inning with a triple. Meadow Miller followed with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 6-4. Sadie Walsh singled home Miller to clear the bases and make it 6-5.
Down to its last out, Stoffel would single, but Isabell Beery hit a comebacker to the Mattoon pitcher to end the rally and the game.
In addition to Robinson's triple and Miller's double, Ali Weidner hit a double for Monticello.
The Lady Sages go to 21-9 overall. They finish out the regular season on Friday, hosting Arthur Christian before going into Regional action next week at Bloomington Central Catholic High School.
