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  • El Modena pitcher McKenna Walton winds up during a Century...

    El Modena pitcher McKenna Walton winds up during a Century League game against Esperanza on Thursday. Esperanza won, 4-3.

  • El Modena first baseman Christa Angers looks to the umpire...

    El Modena first baseman Christa Angers looks to the umpire for his call after tagging Esperanza's Alyssa Roacha on Thursday.

  • Esperanza's Chole Kraine takes a swing during a game against...

    Esperanza's Chole Kraine takes a swing during a game against El Modena on Thursday. Esperanza won, 4-3, to remain unbeaten in league.

  • Esperanza's Jessica Heflin reaches to field a ground ball during...

    Esperanza's Jessica Heflin reaches to field a ground ball during a game against El Modena on Thursday.

  • Esperanza fans Bixby Heflin and Chris Katsivalis watch as a...

    Esperanza fans Bixby Heflin and Chris Katsivalis watch as a foul ball goes over the fence during a game against El Modena.

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Associate mug of Kenny Connolly, Anaheim reporter.

Date shot: 12/31/2012 . Photo by KATE LUCAS /  ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Being the three-time defending champs in the Century League, Esperanza’s softball team clearly has a target on its back.

On Tuesday, the second-ranked Aztecs grinded out a one-run win over Villa Park, and on Thursday they found themselves right back in another battle with El Modena.

Shortly after watching a three-run lead vanquish, Esperanza first baseman Haleigh John knocked in the eventual winning run in the fifth inning to give the Aztecs a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Vanguards in a league game at Esperanza on Thursday.

“That’s the way it goes in the Century League,” said Esperanza coach Ed Tunstall. “(El Modena) is always well-coached, they’re always ready to play and they always give us their best.”

The Aztecs (18-3) have put together a perfect 6-0 mark through the first half of their league schedule, and they’ll have a week off before embarking on the final six games of the regular season.

Early on, it looked as if Esperanza might cruise to another win as it scored three runs in the first inning. An RBI triple from Brynley Steele and an RBI single from Maddie Roth highlighted the inning and gave the Aztecs a 3-0 lead with ace Hayley Copeland in the circle.

“I think people just assumed we were going to come in here and get blown out,” said El Modena coach Steve Harrington. “My team’s proven they can hit Copeland pretty hard though.”

The Vanguards (13-8, 3-2) chipped away at the three-run deficit over the next four innings. Rebecca Perez’s solo home run in the second inning got El Modena on the scoreboard, while Angie Vasquez’s solo blast in the fifth evened the contest, 3-3.

Esperanza responded immediately in the bottom half of the fifth. Shortstop Bryanna Castro led off with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on John’s RBI single to right field, regaining a one-run edge.

Also in the Century League:

No. 9 Canyon 5, Villa Park 0: Hailey Hilburn scattered two hits and struck out seven in a shutout victory for the Comanches (13-5, 4-1). Brianna Betschel went 2 for 4 and added two RBI.

In the Freeway League:

La Habra 8, Sunny Hills 4: Nikki Butler’s three-run home run highlighted a five-run fifth inning, for the Highlanders (13-7, 2-0).

In a nonleague game:

No. 8 Dana Hills 2, Capistrano Valley 0: Angelica Liuzzi broke a scoreless tie with a two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth for the Dolphins (13-4, 2-1).

Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com