The Lindsay Cardinals became champs in the East Sequoia League with their 6-5 win in the eighth inning against the Parlier Panthers this past Friday May 9 in Lindsay.

The Cardinals will share the league title with at least one other team, the Woodlake Tigers who finished their season with the same record. Results for Corcoran's last game were unavailable as of press time to determine if it is a three way tie for first.

Friday's game was definitely one of the season's best and most nail biting for both teams. The Cardinals needed the win to become league champs while the Panthers were bent on being the spoiler.

The Cardinals took the field first taking the Panthers first three down quickly. The Cardinals were unable to score until the second, when they scored one run on a Hayley Kendig single driving in Brittany Gutierrez. They racked two more up in the third after taking down the Panthers again with Manning facing just four batters. The two runs were added when manning hit a great ground ball sacrifice to bring in Vanessa Gutierrez. Allison Salinas was walked and coach Manning told her to just keep going to second as nobody was covering the base at the time. Julia Lopez then hit another great sacrifice to drive in Salinas.

In the top of the fourth the Panthers showed some life scoring twice taking the score to 3-2 Cards, but the cardinals scored two more in the bottom of the inning with two outs. The first after Maricela Villarreal having been walked and reaching third on a steal and a sacrifice by Hannah Williams then stole home on a passed ball at the plate. This was followed shortly by Nicole Bolanos hitting a nice RBI single making it 5-2 Cards. The Panthers scored one more in the fifth to make it a two run game and neither team scored in the sixth.

Going into the top of the seventh the Cardinals had a two run lead. With two Panthers on base and two outs the Panthers were able to score two runs on two different passed balls at home to tie the game at five all. The Cardinals loaded the bases quickly but were denied a winning run in the bottom of the seventh leaving the inning with bases loaded and forcing extra innings.

The Panthers swung the bat first in the eighth with three ground outs to quickly give up the plate to the Cardinals. The cardinals Villarreal was walked to start it off followed by Kendig being hit by the pitcher and having to have Amanda Rodriguez run for her. With runners on first and second Williams hit a pop foul out to the catcher. With Vanessa Gutierrez now at bat Villarreal stole third and when she saw her opportunity she stole home to score the winning run on a passed ball.

The Cardinals players and fans erupted in cheers and tears as they realized they had just became champs. “The girls wanted this game very badly today. It is the first league championship for any of them at the varsity level. They have won many titles at the JV level but none on the varsity. They demonstrated great composure when things went wrong in the seventh. Their confidence kept me confident. We have won seven in a row and ten of eleven to get to were we are today. Our girls have a good work ethics and come to practice everyday trying to get better. I have told the girls all along they have what it takes to win this year. They proved that over the last several weeks. Now the goal is to win a playoff game. It was really nice to send our lone senior Alley Salinas out in style with this win” said cardinals coach Brett Kendig when speaking about his team and their win.

Cassie Manning pitched all eight innings with five hits, five runs only one of which was earned, five walks and eleven strikeouts. Manning was one for four with one RBI at bat as well. Coach Kendig said “ Cassie pitched a tremendous game. I felt it was one of her best efforts of her three year career. Eleven K's, I think is a career high for her. Striking out Rodriguez in the seventh was huge. She wanted the ball today and pitched her heart out. This win moved her record in league play to 6-3. She also leads the team in RBI's during league play” as he spoke about Manning's performance.

Nicole Bolanos had another huge game after going 4-5 against Central Valley Christian she was four for four in this game with one RBI, one run scored and two stolen bases. Coach Kendig says she made an adjustment in her stance and it has paid off. Venessa Gutierrez went two for four scoring twice and having two stolen bases. Brittany Gutierrez was one for three with a run scored. Catcher Maricela Villarreal was zero for one, but she walked twice and scored twice. She scored the winning run. Both times she scored were huge as she stole home on passed balls on both.

The Cardinals end their regular season with a league record of 11-4 and an overall record of 13-12.

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