MP softball shoots for playoffs vs. DV

Headed in two different directions, Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe softball will finish the season against one another.

Sitting at 8-19 overall and 0-7 in Central Region play as of Monday, the Thunder are mathematically eliminated from finishing among the top 16 in the AIA's power rankings, a requirement for state tournament placement.

The Pride, 15-14 and 2-5 as of Monday, are fighting for that 16th and final slot. A win over their rivals - and, thus, a sweep of the season series - today at 4 p.m. at Mountain Pointe would go a long way in securing a berth to the state tournament.

MP beat DV 9-2 last Tuesday then followed that with a 7-5 come-from-behind win Wednesday with a four-run rally in the top of the seventh inning.

The numbers have told the story of the first two games: MP hit .410 (23-for-56) as a team with six extra-base hits, led by left fielder Lauren Irwin, who was 4-for-6 with two doubles. Shortstop/pitcher Danielle Muniz was also 3-for-5 in the two games with four RBIs and a triple.

DV, meanwhile, hit just .204 (10-of-49) against Pride pitching last week. The Thunder scored seven runs, walking just three times with only two extra-base hits, both of which were doubles.

Muniz alone pitched 9 1/3 innings for MP, giving up only two unearned runs in the first inning of Tuesday's game. The junior struck out 13 batters last week against only two walks as she picked up the wins for both games.