Mesquite softball coach Gloria Hernandez figured the only way her team could knock off high-flying host Arcadia on Tuesday was to accomplish a couple of things.

"We have to lay off the rise ball and make all the plays," Hernandez said last week after side-stepping an upset at the hands of Skyline.

Hernandez had Mesquite's attention as it performed pretty close to gameplan in topping Arcadia, 3-1, in a win that likely snatches the Division II Section III title from the Titans and lands it for the Wildcats. The victory put the kabosh to Arcadia's 18-game winning streak dating back to its start on March 4. Both teams are 7-1 in section play with two section games left. If they tie for the section title, the crown goes to Mesquite thanks to its win on Tuesday.

Mesquite  (15-8-1 overall, 10-5 power-ranking games) scratched out three runs, which isn't much. However, against Arcadia it's an outburst.  A walk to Ashley Michelena, single by CJ Chilton and a passed ball put Mesquite up 1-0 in the top of the fourth. Arcadia answered with the long ball in the bottom of the inning getting a solo blast by Morgan Ash.

Mesquite, 20th in the D-II power-rankings, broke the tie and took the lead for good with two runs in the sixth. Chilton reached on Arcadia's only error of the game to open the sixth and Brittany Holland walked. After a pop out, Kaitlyn Carter doubled to left to score Chilton. Holland also tried to score but was thrown out with Carter advancing to third on the throw. A wild pitch by Ingles plated Carter with the game's final run.

Mesquite pitcher Taylor Cullen, who relies on defense to work for her, got the better of one of D-II's top pitchers in Arcadia's Emily Ingles. Both Cullen and Ingles allowed four hits. Cullen did not record a strikeout and walked one while Ingles fanned nine and issued a season-high four walks. Rise balls figured in five of Ingles' nine Ks. Four of those came in the first three innings. Cullen recorded 13 ground-ball outs while Ingles 9 Ks matched her per-game average.

"Taylor was focused and her ball had some movement," Hernandez said. "Our defense was focused, and other than one miscommunication, they played great."

Arcadia still sports a 25-4 record overall and is 14-1 in power-ranking contests. Jason Foster's Titans were No. 4 in the power rankings at the start of play Tuesday and still figure to finish in the top five or six. Arcadia has two more games this week, including a big test on Friday when it hosts Salpoiinte. Salpointe wlll be only the second  top-10 power-ranking team from D-II Arcadia has will faced this season.