Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Michael Manzi in action for the Crusaders on Friday.

By Ray Hamill — St. Bernard’s sophomore Michael Manzi pitched a two-hitter and hit a home run to lead his team to a 6-2 win in game one of a key doubleheader against Ferndale at Crusader Field on Friday.

But the Wildcats would bounce right back and took game two 10-4 to earn a split and leave both teams deadlocked atop the Little 4 standings halfway through conference play.

Manzi was outstanding on the mound in the opener and struck out 14 batters and allowed just three walks in 6.2 innings on the way to earning the victory.

Both of Ferndale’s runs were unearned.

“Manzi was simply brilliant in game one,” St. Bernard’s head coach Matt Tomlin said. 

His home run also came at a pivotal time of the game as he led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo blast to left just moments after the Wildcats had cut a four-run deficit in half with two runs in the top half of the inning.

“Credit to St. Bernard’s,” Ferndale head coach Justin Andersen said. “When we made mistakes, they took advantage. That and Manzi was the difference. Manzi was Manzi and Tomlin did everything he needed to do to put his team in position to win.”

Tyler Hinrichs also had a good game for the home team, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate and scoring a pair of runs, while also relieving Manzi on the mound for the final out of the game.

Mateo Gutierrez was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Tyler Maples added a double and drove in two runs for the Crusaders, who are now 5-1 in the Little 4 and 7-8-1 overall.

Garrett Shanahan went 1-for-2 with a double and Dylan Jimenez was 1-for-3 with an RBI to round out an impressive game at the plate for the home team.

The loss for the Cats was their first of the year, and they are now 5-1 in conference and 9-1-1 overall.

Prescott Langer threw a complete game for the loss on the mound, but “pitched well enough for us to be in the game,” according to his coach.

Parker Prior and Tanner Pidgeon had Ferndale’s only hits of the game.

The Wildcats, however, quickly returned to winning ways to earn the split and remain well in the chase for the conference championship.

Levi Dixon got the win on the hill in game two and his energy and high-pace approach rubbed off on his teammates.

“He kind of set the tone for us to get us re-focused and back on track for game two,” Andersen said of Dixon, who gave up just three hits and no walks in five innings and allowed just two earned runs.

He got plenty of help from his offense, which racked up 11 hits, including a 3-for-4 game by Jonah Anderson. 

Langer also impressed at the plate and went 2-for-4 with a home run, while Dixon helped his own cause by going 2-for-4.

Prior, Pidgeon, Jarrett Smith and Austin Michel each also went 1-for-3.

“I was happy with the way our kids responded (in game two),” Andersen said. “We came out with a little more urgency.”

Freshman Mateo Reiman led the Crusaders at the plate in the loss and finished 2-for-2 with a run, while Manzi remained hot and went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Gutierrez also had a double and an RBI.

“I was very happy with our improved hitting today,” Tomlin said. “The kids have been working hard and it showed with a solid day at the plate.”

Losing starting pitcher Luke Bruntom to an injury in the third inning with the game tied 1-1 didn’t help matters for St. Bernard’s, nor did five errors on defense.

“I was disappointed with our infield defense,” Tomlin added. “But all in all it was a good day and we ended the day still tied for first place.”

In other Little 4 games on Friday, South Fork traveled to Hoopa and came away with a pair of victories, winning 4-1 and 13-1, as the Cubs improved to 2-4 in the Little 4.

And while both South Fork and Hoopa will still likely have something to say about where this year’s championship ends up, a conference ending doubleheader between the Cats and Crusaders in Ferndale in early May could very well be a title decider.

“I fully expect St. Bernard’s to continue to get better, and hopefully we can do the same,” Andersen said.