File photo – The St. Bernard’s Crusaders

The St. Bernard’s girls remain on course for a first Little 4 championship in softball since 2016 with a doubleheader sweep at South Fork on Friday.

The Crusaders took game one 12-1 and followed that with a 16-11 victory in game two.

With the sweep, the SB girls improved to 7-1 in the Little 4 and remain one win ahead of the Hoopa Warriors, who kept pressure on the conference leaders with a doubleheader sweep over Ferndale in Hoopa, also on Friday.

St. Bernard’s senior Hannah Finck was instrumental in the win in the opener and finished with three hits and six RBIs as the visitors broke open a tight game with seven runs in the top of the third inning.

Freshman Oni Orcutt got the win in the circle, allowing just three hits and one run in 4.2 innings while striking out five.

Bailee White, Aubree Saunderson and Makinsey Lemley each also had three hits in the win, while Orcutt helped her own cause with two hits.

Makenzie Brewer and Cloe McConnell each finished 1-for-3 for the Cubs, with McConnell adding a stolen base.

Freshman Mackenzie Coleman also impressed and was 1-for-3 with a double.

McConnell got the start in the pitcher’s circle, but was forced from the game in the third after taking a line drive to the knee.

The team captain finished with three strikeouts and allowed three walks.

“We created a lot of our own errors that you can’t have against St. Bernard’s,” South Fork head coach Lisa Todd said. “They will advance on everything you give them and we struggled at the plate.”

Finck continued her big day in game two and added three more hits, including a double.

The game, however, was tied at 9-9 after five innings, before the visitors pulled away late.

The Crusaders added four runs in the sixth, with doubles by Finck, Lemley and Kiara McGinnis.

They had 19 hits in the game, including three each by Lemley and White.

Emma Mowrey got the start in the circle, with Orcutt coming in to relieve her in the fifth and getting the win.

Brewer led the South Fork girls at the plate in game two and had a home run and four walks.

Coleman also had a big game at the plate and was 3-for-5 with a double, while Molly Perkins was 2-for-5 and McConnell added a double.

Trailing 9-1 after three innings, the Cubs bats came alive and made a game of it.

“The girls didn’t give up,” Todd said. “They fought back. We just have to cut down on our errors. We are our own worst enemy most of the time.”

Defensively, Kayla Maples had a big day at second base for the Crusaders, while head coach Brian Finck also credited Saunderson for having a big impact at the plate.

“Hats off to South Fork for batting back and never giving up,” the SB coach added. “Our girls battled back though.”

Brian Finck also expressed his delight at South Fork’s return to the Little 4 this season after not fielding a team last spring.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing at South Fork,” he said. “It’s a great field and back drop and today the weather was gorgeous. It is great to have South Fork back in the league this year.”