With a first-round bye as the top seed in the Division IV state softball tournament, Phoenix Northwest Christian had nearly a week in between its regular-season finale and its first game against No. 17 Tempe Prep on Friday (May 3).

Having that much time off can put a team in an interesting position. It can come out and fall flat, or it can pick up where it left off.

Northwest Christian took the latter route at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex in north Phoenix, rolling to a 15-5 victory in a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule.

As with the other competitors in the Division IV and Division III state tournaments, Northwest Christian will have a quick turnaround. The Crusaders return to action on Saturday (May 4) at 9:30 a.m. against eighth-seeded Elfrida Valley Union.

Valley Union used a big rally to defeat No. 9 Scottsdale Salt River 10-9 in eight innings.

Northwest Christian opened up a 4-0 lead in the first inning on four hits and a pair of errors. Chellsey Rodenkirk provided the big hit with a two-run single.

A pair of hit batters and a bases-loaded walk to Brittany Zimmerman were the key factors in a three-run second inning for the Crusaders.

Tempe Prep got on the board with a run in the third inning on two hits and three errors.

Northwest Christian turned right around and got four more in the bottom of the third. The big hit was a two-run single by Audra Pettit.

Tempe Prep picked up three more runs in the fourth on three hits and two errors, and Northwest Christian scored twice on a run-scoring double by Gabby Marrama and a bad-hop infield hit by Pettit.

Tempe Prep scored a run in the fifth to stay alive, but not for long. A single by Jordan Rodenkirk made it 14-5 and a sacrifice fly by pitcher Elizabeth Bostwick accounted for the deciding run.