Pitching ruled once again Friday afternoon for Mountain Pointe as starter Luke Brocco and reliever Junior Flores teamed up on a four-hit shutout in the Pride's 3-0 victory over Mountain View in a 6A non-region game at Mountain View.

Mountain Pointe also came up with several quality defensive plays when needed in running its record to 4-0. The Pride produced their third shutout and have allowed just two runs overall. Mountain View opened the season with three wins, but dropped back-to-back games this week.

"Our pitching was outstanding again and our defense made big plays," Mountain Pointe coach JJ Sferra said. "We knew the guy (Mountain  View's Jackson Thomas) we were going against today is one of the best in the state. We battled and finally scratched out some runs late."

Brocco and Thomas matched zeroes the first four innings. Mountain Pointe didn't tear the cover off the ball in the its half of the fifth when it scored its three runs. The bottom of the order started a three-run fifth inning for the Pride. Eighth-place hitter Teagan Kearney walked and advanced to second on a single by Brett Whitmyer. Leadoff hitter Tyler Kearney attempted to bunt the runners over and it was good enough to allow him to reach and load the bases with no outs. 

One out later a wild pitch scored Teagan Kearney and the batter at the time - Cade Westerland - was hit by pitch to load the bases again. Cole Sheehan made it 2-0 with an infield hit to short and the 3-0 tally was a sacrifice fly by Jacob Beltran.

The Kearney brothers, who helped fuel the fifth-inning rally, turned in some nice defense as well. Left fielder Teagan Kearney made a long run and a diving catch from sun to shade in foul territory to end the fourth. Shortstop Tyler Kearney started two 6-4-3 double plays - the first in the second inning after back-to-back walks with one out. The second occurred in the sixth when Mountain View nearly pieced together three straight hits.

An outfield assist by right fielder Jaydan Dixon secured the first out, but the Toros' Willy Roberts singled putting runners at the corners with one out. Sferra went to the pen to summon lefty Flores for his first appearance of the season. The rally fizzled with Kearney starting the second twin-killing after two pitches by Flores. Flores got out of his own jam in the bottom of the seventh after allowing a walk and single. He nabbed the save by striking out the side around the two base runners.