File photo

The Crusaders made it official on Tuesday afternoon.

St. Bernard’s traveled to Hoopa for a Little 4 baseball game and won 8-1, securing the conference title outright.

The Crusaders had already clinched at least a co-championship with a pair of victories over South Fork last week.

The championship not only gives the SB boys the conference’s automatic bid for the upcoming North Coast Section playoffs and a probable home game, but it also secures a top seed and an opening-round bye for next week’s H-DNL postseason Charles Lakin tournament.

The Crusaders will open the Lakin tournament on Thursday of next week.

On Tuesday, as expected, they took care of business at Hoopa.

Junior Michael Manzi led the way on the mound and held a competitive Hoopa lineup to just three hits in six innings.

Manzi also struck out nine and did not allow any walks.

Tyler Hinrichs pitched the final inning to help seal the win, giving up one run on two hits and a walk and striking out two.

The game was close for much of the afternoon, but the visitors blew it open with a five-run sixth inning to take a 6-0 lead.

Luke Brunton led the way for the Crusaders at the plate and was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Quentin Ikeya was 1-for-2 with a double and a run, and Mateo Reiman was 1-for-3 with three RBIs.

The Crusaders are walked eight times and stole eight bases.

File photo – Allen Kane

With the win, St. Bernard’s improved to 10-1 in the Little 4 and 16-5 overall.

Hoopa was led by Allen Kane, who finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, which was his 12th of the season.

Barret Meyers also had a double in the loss and scored his team’s only run, while impressive freshman Delmer Ferris added a hit.

Lyle McKinnon pitched five innings and gave up just two hits, with Kane and Owen Smith pitching an inning each in relief.

With the loss, the Warriors dropped to 3-8 in the Little 4 and 12-10 overall.

However, the Hoopa boys have qualified for next week’s Lakin tournament for the first time in program history and are guaranteed to be North Coast Section playoff eligible.

The two schools will close out the regular season in a game at St. Bernard’s on Thursday afternoon at 4.

File photo