CROWLEY – Northside Christian’s season finale proved to be a nail-biter as the Warriors picked up the 5-4 victory over 2A’s Lake Arthur Tigers Monday night.

The home team’s defense bailed out the Warriors as NCS left fielder Jordan Monte made a game-saving and game-ending catch at the left field wall.

The win, which propelled NCS’s record to 16-8 and should help ensure one of the coveted top five seeds in the Class C playoffs. The loss for Lake Arthur, meanwhile, dropped the Tigers to 6-16 for the year.

The Warriors’ Pierce Rivera picked up his sixth win for the year and Josh Wheeler avoided disaster in the top of the seventh and picked up his second save of the year.

Offensively, Wheeler and Rivera also helped going a combined 2-7 with 2 runs and a RBI. Joe Trahan (2-3, run 2 RBI) and Cameron Williams (1-2, walk, RBI, stolen base) also helped the Warriors cause Monday night.

The Warriors would hop on the Tigers early with a 2-0 lead after one inning and did not allow any Tiger to get to a base until fourth inning. By that time, Northside Christian had added to their lead with two more runs in the bottom of the third.

Northside now puts its focus on the playoffs, where Elizabeth, Hicks and NCS are battling for the three through five seeds.