BRIDGE CITY – Getting their mettle tested for the first time after they have been waltzing through District 22-4A play, the No. 1-ranked Little Cypress-Mauriceville Lady Bears escaped Monday night with a 7-6 victory over the Bridge City Lady Cardinals at Lady Cardinal Field.

The Lady Cardinals (13-12, 4-6) had their chances to thwart the state’s top-ranked team throughout the night but the Lady Bears (26-2, 11-0) barely hung on the snag the victory.

The Lady Cardinals actually out hit LC-M 14-7 on the night and the Lady Bears left 14 runners stranded but were able to take advantage of 11 walks throughout that helped them out.

With the game tied 5-5 entering the top of the seventh, the Lady Bears clawed their way to a pair of runs to grab a two-run edge.

Morgan Weaver drew a leadoff walk from Lady Cardinal reliever Madyson Melton and JoAnna Henry, who was 2-for-4, hit a one-out single between short and third. Ally White, who was also 2-for-4, slapped a infield single to load the bases. With two outs, Bailey Frenzel hit a hard line drive off Melton’s leg on the mound and Weaver darted in to score. Renna Toomey then drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Henry to make it 7-5.

Melton replaced starter Austyn Daniels on the mound with one out in the first inning. She worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits while striking out seven and walking seven.

The drama, however, was far from over as the Lady Cardinals made a surge in the bottom of the seventh.

Aleah McClanahan, who was 3-for-4, got it going with a leadoff single off Lady Bear reliever Bailey Frenzel. Leah Jeffery followed with a single to left and Ashley Gerrald, who was 2-for-3, drove in McClanahan with a single up the middle to make it 7-6.

Brianna Frenzel, who started the game for the Lady Bears, reentered for her sister Bailey on the LC-M hill. With one out, Aspen Daniels, who was 2-for-4, loaded the bases with an infield single.

With two outs, Lady Cardinal standout senior catcher Abby Anderson hit a little dribbler between the home and the mound and Brianna Frenzel made a super hustle play, scooping up the ball and getting Jeffrey out just in the nick of time at home for the game’s final out.

Brianna Frenzel worked five innings, allowing six hits while striking out five and walking one. Bailey Frenzel tossed two innings, allowing eight hits while fanning two.

LC-M scored two runs in the top of the first as Daniels walked three straight batters in the forms of Henry, White and Brianna Frenzel. Toomey drew a bases-loaded walk RBI and Olivia Leavings was hit by a pitch that forced in another run.

The Lady Cardinals trimmed it to 2-1 in the bottom of the first inning.

Anderson, who was 2-for-5, had a leadoff double to center and went to second after a Natilee Reed, who was 2-for-2, put down a nice sac bunt. Caitlin Denison scored Anderson with a deep double to center.

The Lady Bears scratched in a pair of runs in the top of the third frame.

Toomey drew a leadoff intentional walk and moved to second on a Leavings’ sac bunt and Megan Peveto reached on an error. Madison Murdock brought both runners home with a two-run single to center to make it 4-1.

The Lady Cardinals bounced back by tying it in the bottom of the fourth.

McClanahan got it going with a leadoff solo home run over the leftfield fence.

With one out, Gerrald doubled to left and Kyndall Harrison singled between short and third. Gerrald trimmed it to 4-3 when she scored on a double steal and Aspen Daniels tied it with a RBI double to center.

The Lady Bears went up again 5-4 in the top of the fifth.

Weaver drew a walk and Henry had a two-out single to shallow left. White then reached on an error at short as Weaver was able to race in and score.

The Lady Cardinals would knot it up again in the bottom of the fifth.

Reed had a leadoff single past third, Denison was hit by a pitch and McClanahan had a leadoff single to load the bases. Gerrald eventually scored Reed with a sacrifice fly to leftfield.

All of that eventually led to the amazing seventh inning as both teams scrapped hard trying to earn the victory.

The Lady Bears will look to close out their district schedule with a perfect mark when they play host to WO-S Thursday on Senior Night.

The Lady Cardinals, still in the hunt for the third and fourth playoff seeds, will visit Hardin-Jefferson Tuesday and will venture to Lumberton Friday as they battle for their playoff lives.