File photo – The St. Bernard’s girls retained a one-game lead in the Little 4 standings after splitting a doubleheader at Hoopa on Friday.

The race for the Little 4 championship in softball is heating up as we reach the halfway point of the conference schedule.

On Friday afternoon, the Warriors and St. Bernard’s Crusaders split a top-of-the-standings doubleheader at Hoopa to leave just one win between the two frontrunners as we get set for the stretch run.

The home team won a high-scoring game one by a score of 15-14, but the visitors would quickly bounce back to take game two 11-6.

The loss was the first in conference play for the St. Bernard’s girls, who are now 5-1 in the L4, while the Warriors remain right on their heels with a record of 4-2, with all six of their conference games coming within the past seven days.

Hoopa pitcher Monteya Colegrove struck out 10 in the opener on her way to the win, while also walking three, and she got plenty of offensive support.

Seven different Hoopa players accounted for 13 hits, including Kalia Mitchell, who finished 2-for-2 with a home run and a double.

Millenia McKindley also had a home run in the win and went 2-for-5.

Rikki Lipscomb (2-for-4) and Jaiden Kurtz (2-for-3) each also had a good game at the plate, with the latter hitting a double.

Colegrove helped her own cause with a double, while Brooklyn Kurtz and Bella Valentine each also had a base hit.

The St. Bernard’s bats also made plenty of noise in the opener on their way to scoring 14 runs, including four hits each for Makinsey Lemley and Sahara Tupua.

Lemley finished 4-for-4 with a walk and scored twice, while Tupua was 4-for-5 and scored three runs.

Bailee White also impressed and was 3-for-5 with a run, while Kyna Tupua was 3-for-4 with two runs and Quinn Stoksbery went 2-for-2 with a run.

Emma Mowrey and Oni Orcutt split time in the circle.

Orcutt also threw a complete game for the win in game two, giving up six runs on six hits and four walks.

“Our defense played much better in the second game,” St. Bernard’s head coach Brian Finck said.

The SB bats also continued to impress in game two, led by White, who capped a big day with three more hits, including a double, and two more runs.

“Bailee White had a big day at the plate for us and played a solid shortstop,” Finck said of the sophomore, who had struggled at the plate early in the season. “It was nice to see her bat come alive. She is a competitor and it was nice to see her have some success today.”

So too did the Tupua sisters, who both carried their impressive form into the second game, with Sahara going 2-for-3 and scoring three more runs and Kyna finishing 2-for-4 with a run.

Lemley also had two more hits and scored another run, while Kiara McGinnis and Kayla Maples each went 2-for-4 with a double and a run and Aubree Saunderson was 1-for-4 with a run.

McGinnis also made some nice plays at first base.

“All in all a good day,” the St. Bernard’s coach added. “We were bummed after the outcome of the first game, but the girls came to compete today and they were successful (in game two).”

Monteya Colegrove and Roxy Colegrove split time in the circle for Hoopa in game two, with Monteya striking out four and Roxy one.

The Hoopa bats did not enjoy the same success in game two as they had earlier in the day with just four team hits, one each by Valentine, Mitchell, Roxy Colegrove and Ava Jackson, including doubles by Valentine and Roxy Colegrove.

While the South Fork Cubs, who split with Hoopa last weekend, and the Ferndale Wildcats will still have plenty to say about the outcome of this year’s championship, it likely could be decided when the Warriors and Crusaders face off in a second L4 doubleheader at Samoa on April 26.