Hamilton freshman Loganne Stepp delivers a pitch in win over Corona del Sol. (AzPreps365 photo)

Hamilton and Cactus picked up where they left off playing in last weekend's Dave Kops Tournament of Champions Softball Invite in Bullhead City.

Both teams produced 4-1 records in that tourney, losing only to California powers. Back in Arizona on Wednesday, they flexed their muscles at the 21st annual Desert Mountain Tournament at Horizon Park. Pinnacle did some heavy lifting as well, improving its season record to 9-3. 

Doing the most flexing of muscles was Cactus outfielder Carson Gambs. Gambs finished the day clouting four homers, two of them grand slams. She homered three times and knocked in eight runs against Basha and her second grand slam was against Horizon giving her 12 RBI for the day.

Hamilton (11-1) won both its games on the first day of play blanking Corona del Sol 7-0 and Ironwood Ridge, 9-0. Ditto Cactus. The Cobras got shutout pitching, too, as it run-ruled Basha, 13-0. The Cobras followed in one of the final games of the day, topping Horizon, 8-3. Hamilton and Cactus were two of seven teams that were 2-0 in preliminary games. The others were Pinnacle, Queen Creek, Sahuaro, Red Mountain and Highland.

All 20 teams teams played twice Wednesday and will play twice Thursday. Brackets will be computed Thursday evening with bracket play (teams 1-8, 9-16 and 17-20) commencing on Friday. All games are at Horizon Park. 

Hamilton, the two-time defending big-school champion, got shutouts from two pitchers. In the victory over Corona del Sol freshman Loganne Stepp tossed a three-hitter and struck out 17. She fanned the side in four innings. Steppe also helped at the plate going 3-for-3 and breaking the game open in the a five-run fifth with a three-run homer to dead center. Hamilton also got home runs in the game from Lorena Vasquez-Inzunza and Abigail Andersen.

Andersen, one of the Huskies' two veteran pitchers, stepped in the circle and delivered another three-hitter vs. Ironwood Ridge. She struck out six. Hannah Vargas and Macy Simmons homered to back Andersen's effort.

Cactus' pitcher McKenna Feringa is greeted at home after 2-run homer vs. Basha. (AzPreps365 photo)

Cactus (10-1) used the same MO as Hamilton with pitching and power. Freshman McKenna Feringa allowed five hits in five innings to top Basha. Feriinga started the scoring with a two-run homer in the first and added an RBI double. Feringa leaned on the aforementioned Carson Gambs for most of the rest of the offense. Emilie Guerra delivered a two-run single in the third in front of Gambs second homer.

Last year's big-school runner-up Pinnacle (9-3) won convincingly twice, 16-0 over Chandler and 12-0 over Chaparral. Pinnacle hit four home runs against Chandler -- Marissa Schuld, Morgan Smith, Jessica Mabrey and Nicole Russo. Smith, a sophomore, also homered in the win over Chaparral and drove in four runs in each game. Schuld drove in five runs against Chandler and tossed a no-hitter and fanned 13 in a six-inning, perfect game vs. Chaparral. Mabrey also homered in the Chaparral game.

Play on Thursday begins at 8 a.m. with Pinnacle-Cactus one of two games starting off the day. The unbeaten teams have the following opponents Thursday -- Queen Creek (Shadow Ridge and Centennial); Red Mountain (Ironwood Ridge and Sahuaro); Sahuaro (Hamilton); Hamilton (Iolani HI); Pinnacle (Horizon); Cactus (Chandler); Highland (Willow Canyon and Corona del Sol). 

All 20 teams teams played twice Wednesday and will play twice Thursday. Brackets will be computed Thursday evening with bracket play (teams 1-8, 9-16 and 17-20) commencing on Friday. All games are at Horizon Park.