The defending champion Bishop Hendricken baseball team edged rival La Salle Academy 5-4 in extra innings on Tuesday afternoon to punch its ticket back to the state championship this weekend against Cumberland.

Tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth, Jacob Montenegro hit a single to get on base, and after a pair of walks, Cullen Crain would drive in the game-winner on a sacrifice fly. 

The Rams took an early 2-0 lead but the Hawks tied things up in the third on RBIs from Braeden Campbell and Frank Tillinghast. The Rams built another two-run lead, but the Hawks responded by adding two more of their own in the bottom of the fifth as Tillinghast and Cooper Maher drove in runs.

Mason Marchessault got the win on the mound for Hendricken, pitching 3 1/3 innings and allowing no runs on one hit and striking out a pair of batters. Mason Crain also pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run and striking out two.

The Hawks forced the final meeting after rolling past the Rams 13-0 the previous game.

Parker Boyd was the star of the show as he drove in five runs for Hendricken. Tillinghast and Maher each drove in two runs as well.

Dylan Poloski got the win on the mound for Hendricken, pitching five innings and allowing no hits and recording six strikeouts. 

Cumberland beat South Kingstown in the other Division I pod to earn its spot in the championship series. Game 1 is slated for Thursday at 4:45 p.m. and Game 2 will be played on Sunday at 4 p.m. The time and day have not been determined for a potential third game. All games will be played at Rhode Island College.