Cardinals exit postseason early for 3rd straight year

Brett Kendig, in his five years of service as Lindsay’s softball coach, has guided the Cardinals to the postseason three times.

The first round of the playoffs, however, has not been kind to Kendig and his red birds.

Seventh-seeded Lindsay was ousted in the opening round of the Division V playoffs — for the third consecutive season — by No. 10 Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo) 9-7 on Wednesday at home.

Lindsay, the proud owner of an 18-9 record, shared the East Sequoia League crown with Corcoran. The Cardinals have shared or won outright the league title in each of the past three seasons.

“This was the best team I’ve ever been on,” said four-year varsity starter Vanessa Gutierrez, who was 1-for-4 and scored two runs against the Royals.

Lindsay batted .267 as a team (8-for-30) and stranded 10 runners.

“We couldn’t get the big hits when we needed them,” Kendig said. “(Mission Prep) kept us off balance.”

Lindsay was unable to neutralize the Royals’ senior trio of Cat Hall, Kyra Joseph and Ally Kersthold — the 1-2-3 hitters, respectively — who combined to tally six RBIs and score five times.

“The whole team could hit, but those three stood out,” said Hayley Kendig, also a four-year varsity starter, who relieved sophomore starter Sammy Jauregui in the circle in the middle of the fourth inning.

Kendig only surrendered one run and two hits in 3 2-3 innings of work while striking out three.

The Cardinals led by one at the end of three innings, but Mission Prep put up a six-spot in the top of the fourth to pull ahead 8-3.

Sophomore Sadie Cassaca and freshman Summer Carlson both drew walks, and sophomore Annie Meyers singled to right field to load the bases with one out.

Hall and Joseph each recorded one-run singles, and Kersthold followed with a long double over Gutierrez’s head in center, putting an end to Jauregui’s day in the circle.

Sophomore Jenna Dunbar, the first batter Hayley Kendig faced, doubled to right to score Joseph and Kersthold.

“One of the things we try to do is not give up the big inning,” Brett Kendig said. “We just didn’t seem to get the big play when we needed it.”

Lindsay then began to chip away.

In the bottom of the fourth, Gutierrez, Jauregui and junior Kelcey Knutson all reached to chock the bases full of Cardinals.

Senior Rachelmarie Ruiz sacrificed home Gutierrez, and senior Lele Misaalefua later delivered a two-run single to right field to slash the Royals’ lead to 8-6.

The next inning, Jauregui, who was 4-for-5 with three runs, delivered a two-out triple to right. On a 2-2 pitch to Knutson, Jauregui darted home on a passed ball to pull the Cardinals within one.

With bases loaded in the top of the sixth, Cassaca drew a full-count, two-out walk to bring home Kersthold and provide Mission Prep with an insurance run.

Lindsay stranded two of its 10 runners in the bottom half of the inning and was retired in order in the seventh.

“I just think we didn’t do the job,” Hayley Kendig said. “We didn’t adapt to their pitchers.”

Mission Prep grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third when Kersthold scorched a triple to right-center to score Meyers and Joseph. Kersthold was 3-for-4 with a triple, two doubles, four RBIs and two runs.

“We knew coming into the game she had a really big stick,” Brett Kendig said of Kersthold.

Lindsay claimed a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third. Gutierrez, Jauregui and Knutson all laid down bunts to reach safely. Ruiz’s walk was good for an RBI, and senior Veronica Millan’s single up the middle plated Jauregui and Knutson.

Millan was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Misaalefua was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs, Ruiz was credited with two RBIs and Knutson scored twice.