Mountain View, Xavier advance to 6A softball semifinals

Mesa Mountain View stunned No. 2 Phoenix Desert Vista 7-3 on Tuesday, May 12, avenging last week's 11-5 loss in the state high school softball playoffs.

But can the Toros beat top seed Queen Creek in the 6A semifinals?

That would be a huge feat for the No. 10-seeded team. Queen Creek (30-1) won its first two playoff games by scores of 12-0 and 7-0 and beat two-time defending state champion Phoenix Xavier Prep 9-1 to get to the semifinals.

"It takes every single one of our athletes believing in what we can do," Mountain View coach Fernando Lopez said. "It's whatever role they have, whether it's sitting on the bench watching, or coming into the game to base run. We're going to need everyone loud and we're going to need energy from beginning to end. But we have some great athletes."

It starts with pitcher Daniella Gloria, who gave up eight hits and one earned run in the 7-3 payback win over Desert Vista.

Mountain View will play Queen Creek at Mesa High Wedneday night, May 13.

Xavier, coming out of the losers' bracket, defeated No. 12 Phoenix Sandra Day O'Connor 2-1 to get to play No. 3 Phoenix Pinnacle Wednesday in the other 6A semifinal. Sydney Root tossed a no-hitter, striking out nine. O'Connor's only run was unearned.

Xavier is seeking its third consecutive state championship.

Queen Creek has been practically unstoppable since losing its only game 3-2 to Mesa Red Mountain in mid-April.

But this is a resilient Mountain View team that has won three straight games to climb out of the losers' bracket.

Paige Hunt had three hits and two RBIs and Keelie Goodman had a home run to lead Mountain View at the plate against Desert Vista.

"We knew going into yesterday that we had a good opportunity," Lopez said. "If you look at the game last week, we controlled most of the game. We just had one inning that didn't go our way. The message to the team was, 'Let's play our softball the entire seven innings and go out of it with a win.' "

Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. Please sign up for Azcentral Preps Now newsletter. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: