manager carmen carcone brought the cards back to the title series for a second consecutive season in 2003, the team powered by playoff mvp and ccbl home run derby champion cesar nicolas. after taking the semi-final series from brewster, the cardinals faced bourne in the championship series. game 1 was a low-scoring extra-innings affair at eldredge park. after bourne went ahead 1-0 in the third, the cards tied it in the fourth on a deep nicolas dinger to left, his third homer of the playoffs. the teams remained even at 1-1 going into the bottom of the tenth, when the home team loaded the bases and won it on myron leslie's walk-off rbi single. game 2 at bourne was another tight one, with game 1 winner ryan schroyer coming on in relief to get the final six outs, five of them by strikeout, to nail down the 5-4 orleans victory and complete the series sweep.