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The South Fork Cubs clinched at least a share of this year’s Little 4 championship in softball with a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday.

The Cubs welcomed St. Bernard’s to Miranda and won 14-4 in six innings and 12-9, stretching their conference winning streak to nine straight and improving to 9-1 in the Little 4 while moving two wins clear of the chasing pack.

And with just two games remaining — at Ferndale next Tuesday — the Cubs have guaranteed themselves at least a co-championship.

Also in the Little 4 on Tuesday, the Hoopa Warriors got back to winning ways after dropping a doubleheader at South Fork on Friday, sweeping a doubleheader at home against Ferndale, 4-3 and 9-3.

The Warriors improved to 7-3 in conference play, while Ferndale dropped to 4-6 and St. Bernard’s is now 0-10.

With a second straight championship up for grabs, the Cubs came out ready to go in game one, scoring runs in each of the first four innings to open up a 9-3 lead.

Hailey Shepherd had another big game for the home team, finishing 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and two RBIs. While Leila Coleman was back in the lineup after a long injury layoff and had an immediate impact, both at the plate and in the circle.

The standout sophomore gave up two walks and struck out five on her way to the victory in the circle, while  finishing 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.

Makenzie Brewer added a walk-off home run to cap a five-run sixth inning that ended the game early on the 10-run rule.

Mackenzie Coleman (1-for-3 with a double), Leyla Curria (1-for-1 with an RBI) and Molly Perkins (two walks) also impressed at the plate.

For St. Bernard’s, senior Makinsey Lemley led a balanced team performance at the plate and finished 2-for-3 with a double, while six other SB players had a base hit.

Aryanna Osborne (1-for4), Brittyn Ikea (1-for-3 with a walk), Chezney Sundquist (1-for-3 with an RBI), Macie Wantt (1-for-3 with two RBIs), Teghan Smith (1-for-2 with a double) and Anna Dorsch (1-for-3) each also had a base hit for the visitors.

Wantt also pitched five innings, giving up seven hits and nine walks and striking out two.

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File photo

The Cubs had to battle for the victory in game two, overcoming a late 7-2 deficit with 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Leila Coleman got her second win of the day in the circle, striking out three and walking none.

Mackenzie Coleman had the hot bat and finished 4-for-4 with an RBI, while Perkins was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Leila Coleman (2-for-4), Aubrey Young (2-for-4 with a double), Hannah Savio (2-for-4 with an RBI) and Calleigh Smith (2-for-2 with a double and an RBI) each also had multiple hits in the win, while Kendall Kercher (1-for-1 with a double and a walk) rounded out a 16-hit team performance.

“In the sixth inning they finally pull it together, bringing in nine runs and tightened defense to pull off the win,” South Fork head coach Lisa Todd said. “I was proud of them for not giving up and fighting to the end.”

Lemley continued to have the hot bat for the Crusaders and finished 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, while Ikeya was 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.

Sundquist (2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs) and Dorsch (2-for-3) each also had multiple hits for SB, while Osborne (1-for-4 with a triple), Logan Tallman (1-for-4) and Wantt (1-for-4 with two RBIs) rounded out a 13-hit team performance.

Osborne pitched all six innings, striking out five.

“Brittyn and Makinsey had big days at the plate for us, and Chezney continues to come through in key spots,” St. Bernard’s head coach Hailey Wilson said. “I was really happy with Aryanna’s performance in game two. She threw well and battled all game.

“It’s tough to overcome a big inning, and we’ve got to clean up the errors and finish.”

Hoopa 4, Ferndale 3

Hoopa 9, Ferndale 3

Four days after a disappointing doubleheader at South Fork, the Warriors clinched at least second place in the Little 4 with a second doubleheader sweep over the Cats in conference play.

But they had to battle for the wins, overcoming a late 3-2 deficit in game one with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Monteya Colegrove had another good day in the pitcher’s circle, showing once again why she is one of the best pitchers in the Little 4 and finishing the day with 24 strikeouts over the two games.

Angela Hern led the way at the plate for Hoopa in the opening game, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, while Kalia Mitchell, Tsisna McCovey and Violet Abarr each was 1-for-3.

Colegrove gave up just three hits, one walk and one hit-by-pitch in game one, while striking out 13.

Tinnley Pidgeon (1-for-2 with an RBI), Abagail Gossi (1-for-3 and Caleigh Griffith (1-for-3) each had a base hit for the Wildcats, with Gossi pitching all six innings and holding a dangerous Hoopa lineup to just five hits and striking out nine.

The Hoopa girls had a better game at the plate in game two, racking up 13 hits.

Rikki Lipscomb led the way and finished 3-for-4 with a double, while Mitchell hit an inside-the-park grand slam that gave her team the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The senior finished 2-for-4 and also had a double.

Tylie McKinnon (2-for-4 with a double), Hern (2-for-4 with a double) and Roxy Colegrove (2-for-3) each also had multiple hits in the win, while Monteya Colegrove and Abarr each was 1-for-3.

Monteya Colegrove pitched a complete game, striking out 11 and walking four.

Four players had multiple hits in game two for the Wildcats, including Pidgeon and Olivia Gossi, who each finished 3-for-3.

Pidgeon also had an RBI.

Makenzie Chambers also made some noise at the plate and finished 3-for-4, while Abagail Gossi was 2-for-4 and Griffith was 1-for-4.

Olivia Gossi threw a second complete game and struck out five.

“I was really happy with the way she threw both games today,” Ferndale head coach Jeremy Griffith said of his junior pitcher. 

Ultimately, however, the Cats were unable to take advantage of their opportunities on offense.

“You know, it was a situation where in both games we had opportunities and we just couldn’t get that big hit,” Jeremy Griffith said. “Monteya pitched very well for them and kept us off balance.”

Next up, the Cats play a non-conference doubleheader at Trinity on Thursday, while the Warriors will play a doubleheader at St. Bernard’s next Tuesday.