Instead, the Blue Dons took that disappointment and turned it into motivation to battle their way back into contention.

The focus on the task at hand was evident as Jeff Baier’s club won big on its home diamond for the second straight day in Class A Region 1, Sectional 1 loser’s bracket action, jumping on Paden City early and pulling away for a 14-1 victory to stay alive.

“We knew what we had to do to,” Baier said. “We felt like we gave a game away (on Tuesday) and we wanted to fight and get an opportunity to get back down there and see if we can correct the mistakes we made. We used that as focus (Wednesday and Thursday).

“It would have been easy for us to lose focus, but we had a plan on trying to get through what we needed to get through to get to (today). Our kids did a good job, I’m proud of them.

“When you get into the loser’s bracket, you have to be focused every day, there is no tomorrow if you’re not.”

Madonna, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, fell, 9-3, to Wheeling Central on Tuesday in a game it had led 3-2. On Wednesday the Blue Dons blasted No. 5 seed Hundred 23-1 in their first game facing elimination.

“It’s kind of been the story of our season,” Baier said of Tuesday’s loss. “We saved all of our errors for a couple games and threw them all in there in one inning (after being up 3-2) and next thing you know you’re losing 9-3.”

For their efforts, Madonna (11-16) gets another shot at the second-seeded Maroon Knights today at the I-470 complex. The winner of that game advances to face top-seeded Cameron in the sectional final needing to win twice.

“We feel like our challenging schedule will have us ready,” Baier said. “We’re getting better at the things that we need to. We have to play a clean ball game and it will take focus for all seven innings.

“We wanted to get to this spot, it’s what we fought for. We’re here, now what are we gonna do with it? I’m excited.”

While Kolton Grishkevich worked a scoreless first three innings, the Blue Don bats plated 13 of their 14 runs in the first two innings to open a big lead and put the mercy rule in play.

Chase Littleton, Brock Reinacher and Brycen Hair had RBI singles and David McAllister an RBI double in the bottom of the first, during which Madonna jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

An inning later, Luke Amaismeier and Littleton smacked back-to-back RBI doubles, Hair plated another run with an infield single, then David Connors drove in two more with a base knock.

Then, Grishkevich helped his own cause with an RBI single, Luke Amaismeier drove in another run when a ball he put in play was misplayed by the Wildcats infield and Matt Amaismeier drove in a run with a sac fly before a nine-run onslaught was finally over.

Marques Parker’s RBI single in the fourth plated the final Blue Don run, before a couple of two-out miscues in the top of the fifth allowed Paden City to avoid the shutout.

All told, Madonna pounded out 20 hits.

“We have been doing a lot better job of not striking out and putting the ball in play,” Baier said. “By no means are we dismantling the ball, but we’re doing a better job of battling with guys on base. We struck out a lot with two outs and guys on base earlier in the season.

“We have an extremely talented team.”

Grishkevich struck out five in his three scoreless innings allowing just one hit, before senior Sean Gilmore tossed the final two, fanning another and yielding just the unearned run on no hits.

“Kolton did a great job and Sean has done a great job all year when he’s come in,” Baier said. “We had two guys throw well (on Wednesday), too. We still have a couple guys ready to go and I am blessed because we have quite a few arms, and we’re going to need them if we’re going to make it all the way through.

“We’re where we need to be, now we just have to go out and play the way we know we can.”