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Cypress and Pacifica made sure that the Crestview League’s softball race remained dramatic until the very last play.

The schools dueled for eight scoreless innings Tuesday before the host Centurions claimed a 1-0 victory in the ninth to finish in a three-way tie for the league championship with the Mariners and El Modena.

Cypress senior Delaney Faus pitched a shutout and drove in the winning run with a hard infield single toward third with two outs in the ninth. Makayla Bishop raced home from third base on the grounder as the Centurions (19-9, 7-5) scored against starter Ellena Ediss.

Faus came to the plate in the ninth one batter after Pacifica (15-11, 7-5) believed it completed an inning-ending double play. Second baseman Natalie Pacheco made a bobbling catch in shallow right field and threw to second base in an attempt to double off Bishop, who tagged at second on the play and raced to third.

Pacifica coach Tony Arduino said a double play was called on the field. But after a discussion by the umpires, Bishop was ruled to have made a proper tag and remained at third base. Faus hit a 1-2 pitch just off third that the Mariners couldn’t handle.

“It is fitting,” Cypress coach Terry Thompson said the extra-inning thriller. “You come down to this, and you grind it all the way through, and you then play in a nine-inning game. It’s unbelievable. The girls kept fighting.”

“We didn’t have our best offensive day today but we found a way to just persevere,” the coach added.

Cypress, ranked eighth in Orange County, notched the victory not long after Esperanza upset Canyon 3-2 in a league game.

If Canyon (19-9, 6-6) had won, the Comanches would have joined Cypress, Pacifica and El Modena (18-8, 7-5) in a tie for first.

Bishop, Cypress’ speedy leadoff batter, opened the bottom of the ninth by reaching on a bunt single. She took second on a sacrifice bunt by Tia Hernandez. On a shallow fly ball to right hit by Aubrey Lopez, Bishop said she was looking to make something happen on the bases.

“I knew we were going to have to do something a little bit different (to win),” Bishop said of her tag. “I was thinking first touch. You have to go on the first touch (by the fielder). We always practice that. Whenever it hits leather, first touch of leather, you go.”

“She bobbles it,” the senior added. “I can’t wait for her to catch it again so I just went.”

Arduino said the ruling on the tag play stung but the Mariners had their chances.

“We left 10 runners on bases,” he said. “We outhit them (8-4). We just couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it. That’s what it came down to.”

In the third, the San Jose State-bound Faus worked out of a bases-loaded jam with one out. She had a strikeout and groundout against the heart of the Pacifica order.

Cypress’ defense supported Faus with two spectacular catches in center by Bishop and a 5-3-2 inning-ending double play in the sixth. On the latter, first baseman Sadie Sievers threw out a runner at the plate with catcher Naya Taylor applying the tag.

“We stayed with each other and our energy was up,” said Faus, who struck out eight. “That how we win games.”

The UC Davis-bound Ediss struck out 14 and allowed only one hit out of the infield.

Pacifica leadoff batter Mattea Stern went 4 for 4 with a double and stolen base.

In the Trinity League:

Mater Dei 5, Orange Lutheran 4: The Monarchs (16-11-1, 5-4) scored twice on an error in the seventh at Fountain Valley Sports Park to clinch second place and the league’s final automatic playoff spot. Jaelyn Toledo went 2 for 4 with two RBIs for Mater Dei.

In the South Coast League:

Capistrano Valley 3, Aliso Niguel 2: Madison McSorley went 2 for 3 with a home run and Cassidy Stinnett threw a complete game as the Cougars (16-10, 6-2) clinched the league title.

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