The lil' Birds earned a berth to the State Championships winning...

the "Bring the Heat" USSSA State Qualifier Tournament.  In the opener the Cardinals were on the short side of a tough battle with the Diamond Devils 5-3.  The next day they came out fired up and scorched the Eureka Wildcats 18-2 on the front end of a double header. 

 The lil' Birds stayed on a roll and secured a spot in the finals by winning 4-2 vs the Southern Illinois Roughnecks.  This game featured the first two batters reaching base and scoring for the Roughnecks.  The Cards then retired the next 18 hitters earning the #1 seed.

The Championship game featured a rematch with the Eureka Wildcats.  The second time around turned out to be a pitchers duel with both teams combining for 8 hits.  The Birds scored one in the first and never trailed in the game.  Cardinals pitchers dominated the Eureka hitters with 11 strikeouts in five innings, along with some timely hitting that led to a 5-2 Rawlings Cardinals Championship. 

For the tournament the Cardinals pitching staff allowed only 11 runs in four games.  The victory was the seventh consecutive tournament that the lil' Birds placed third or better, including four titles.