SANTA ROSA, Calif. – It took two-straight extra-inning victories for top-seeded
Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa to reach the state CIF Northern Regional Division II
semifinals on Thursday evening against No. 5 seed Elk Grove.

The first one came last Saturday when the Cardinals got an 8-inning 1-0 walk off win
in the CIF North Coast Section Division II title game over Redwood-Larkspur. Then,
in the first round of the D2 NorCals on Tuesday they won 2-1 at home over No. 8
seed Chico on a fielding gaffe by the visitors.

Against Elk Grove the offense finally produced a rally to go with excellent relief work
from the pitching staff, and Cardinal Newman overcame a 3-0 fourth-inning deficit by
posting a 4-spot in the bottom of the fifth.

The Cardinals got an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by
senior Tanner Bradley. The Oregon-committed Bradley had already come on in relief
and retired the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to get the save in
a 5-3 Cardinal Newman victory.

"I was feeling confident out there especially after our guys started hitting the ball,"
said Bradley, who used a 90-mph fastball and curve that froze batters at the plate to
strike out three of the six batters he faced. "We were coming back and I knew I had
to step up and be the leader that I am."

With the win Cardinal Newman (27-5) advances to the CIF NorCal Division II title
game at 1pm on Saturday at home against No. 3 seed Redwood in a re-match of the
NCS title game.

Redwood (30-4) was a 6-5 winner over second-seeded St. Ignatius-San Francisco in
its semifinal match-up.

Through the first four innings it was almost a déjà vu scenario of the NCS
championship game with Redwood. In both games the Cardinals stranded six base
runners through four innings.

The difference was against Redwood neither team produced a run until Newman
scored in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by senior Diego Boardman to
secure the win.

The other thing that was different in the Elk Grove game was the Thundering Herd
touched up Cardinals senior starting pitcher Jacob Moreda for two runs in the third
inning on three-straight singles and a sacrifice fly to lead off the inning, and another
run in the fourth when senior Troy Taylor had a one out triple and scored on a
sacrifice fly.

Moreda got out of the inning but Cardinal Newman head coach Derek DeBenedetti
went to the bullpen and brought in Boardman to pitch in the fifth.

Boardman proceeded to retire the side in order and that seemed spark the Cardinals,
and although it was not a textbook rally, they found a way to score the four runs and
take a lead they never relinquished.

"Boardman filled that fifth inning and did a great job," DeBenedetti remarked. "I said
to Bradley as soon as we get the lead you're in. If we didn't take the lead Boardman
was going to stay."

The Cardinal fifth inning started with a routine grounder to short by Bradley that was
booted. DeBenedetti then called for a hit and run and junior Charlie Slater delivered
putting runners on first and second. A passed ball advanced the runners to second
and third.

Elk Grove starting pitcher Ned Frutchey then walked UC Davis-bound senior Jack
Pezzolo to load the bases. The Cardinals first run came by way of a second-straight
walk to senior clean-up hitter Sam Valenti who got an RBI in the process. A third
consecutive walk produced an RBI for Moreda and the lead was cut to 3-2. Next up
was Boardman and he hit one up the middle that produced a sacrifice that scored
Pezzolo at it was tied at 3-3. Senior Isaac Phelps then hit a fly to left that brought
home Valenti and it was 4-3 Newman. The end result is the Cardinals found a way to
push across four runs on just one hit.

"Discipline, not chasing was a big thing," said DeBenedetti about what keyed the
rally. "I told them the key to our success that inning was discipline and making them
throw something in the zone."

"If we have to get runners on with walks and score a few runs that way, so be it,"
DeBenedetti continued. "Force the pressure and hit balls on the ground not in the air
like last game, and they did it and hit the ball where they weren't."

The insurance run driven in by Bradley came after senior Carson Meyer doubled to
lead off the sixth off Elk Grove reliever Russell Pettis.

"Those last few innings we stayed really disciplined at the plate and made sure we
only swung at strikes, and we got the job done pitch by pitch," Bradley said
Elk Grove finishes 22-14 on the season.

The Newman game ended before the Redwood result came in but to Bradley it didn't
matter who they faced.

"No it doesn't matter. Our guys are confident," Bradley said. "We're ready to go for
Saturday for sure."