Mesquite's softball team actually played a very good game defensively on Monday afternoon. Except for one innning. And, yes, that inning was its undoing as host Queen Creek took advantage to rally for a 5-3 win between East Valley teams in different divisions.

On the flip side, Division I Queen Creek played an error-free game that served to back up coach Stephanie Mejia's overriding philosophy.

"I like to preach defense," Mejia said. "It goes to the saying defense wins championships. It was nice to have a game that proved that  to our team. Defense was the difference today in who won and lost."

Mesquite (10-7-1 overall, 5-4 power-ranking games), who competes in Division II, committed four errors in the fourth inning that gradually melted away a 3-0 lead it fashioned in the first inning. That lead came courtesty of hitting -- four hits from the first five Mesquite batters. The key hit was a two-run triple by Brittany Holland. What Mesquite scored, it earned.

The defenisive collapse came out of nowhere. Prior to the fourth inning and the two innings that followed, the Wildcats were flawless in the field. In fact, catcher Fallon Dragich gunned down two runners attempting to steal second in the first inning. Center fielder Carloline Chilton made a diving catch in the second to take away a hit. And in the third inning, third baseman Brittany Holland made a barehand pick up of a slow roller and fired in time to nail the first out of the inning. Holland had the assist on all three outs in that frame as Mesquite protected its 3-0 advantage.

Up popped the fateful fourth. Mesquite pticher Taylor Cullen was breezing with a shutout despite often behind in the count on hitters and issuing three walks. Cullen gave up a leadoff single in the fourth and that third walk to begin Queen Creek's four-run rally. A fielder's choice made it one out with runners at first and second. Julia Heitz singled to right and that should have loaded the bases with no runs scoring. A throw was made to the plate that skipped away from Dragich. It scored the first run of the rally.

A grounder to second was then booted, which should have been the second out with a run scoring. Instead another run scored as Heitz hustle from second beat a throw to the plate to tie the game. A dropped fly in right field kept the rally going putting runners at first and second with one out. Queen Creek pitcher Savannah Morales then grounded sharply to third. Holland stepped on third for the second out, but her throw got past Katilynn Carter at first. That allowed the fourth of the frame to score from first as the ball was chased down in foul territory.

Queen Creek (13-10 overall, 6-4 power-ranking games) tacked on an insurance run with two outs in the sixth getting two pinch-hit singles -- both bloopers from Millie Parra and Kaylee Joyce. 'Joyce's  hit drove in the Bulldogs' final run.

Morales, a freshman, was outstanding after giving up three runs and five hits in the first inning. She allowed four singles the rest of the way and her defense made 19 plays. She finished with two strikeouts. The best plays were a 6-4-3 double play in the third -- Ryann Holmes-to Brittany Benavidez-to Bailey Kuehle. -- and the game's final out  That was a catch made to look easier than it was by centerfielder Taryn Simmons. Simmons tracked down a well-struck ball  just short of the fence by Dragich with the tying runs on base.