Dobson pitcher Suzi Krstic fields comebacker from Westwood's Hannah Matson. (AzPreps365.com photo) 

It didn't take long for Dobson to defeat Westwood, 2-0, in softball Monday afternoon. Seventy minutes to be exact. Keeping with the pace of the game played at Westwood, Dobson coach Jeff Sherrer rounded his team up, pointed them to the parking lot and they were on their way home -- to practice.

It wasn't a punitive decision, but pitchers' duels are not the way the Mustangs are going to win very often. Monday was an exception.

"We're going home and work on our hitting," Sherrer said. "That's our strength. We have to play defense and hit. We've been a good hitting team all season, but lately we''ve been off. We have to see if we can fix it. It may be something small, but we need to fix it."

The game was an important one for both schools. As of Monday's 6A power-rankings, each would be on the outside looking in to a postseason berth albeit one initially to a play-in game if they qualify. Dobson entered the day No. 27 and Westwood No. 28. The top eight teams earn state tourney berths, teams 9 through 24 qualify for a play-in game. The regular season ends in two weeks.

Dobson scored the game's only runs in the top of the first using a walk, sacrifice, error, single (RBI by Macey Meraz) and ground out RBI (Hannah Reichman) off Westwood's tough-luck losing hurler Hannah Matson. Dobson finished with only two hits Matson Matson struck out two, walked one and at one point retired 14 in a row before Lisa Primmer singled for the Mustangs with two out in the top of the fifth

Dobson improved to 15-11-1, overall and 7-6 in power-ranking games. Westwood is 12-16, 6-7 prg. Dobson pitcher Suzi Krstic, a second baseman who is doing the bulk of the Mustangs' pitching, scattered five hits, walked one and did not strike out a batter. The defense Sherrer says his team needs was on display save one error. It helped bail Krstic out of a first-and-second, no-out jam in the bottom of the sixth. Krstic got Westwood cleanup hitter Tiffany Eriacho to pop out to second after two failed sacrifice attempts. Opposing pitcher Hannah Matson followed with a grounder that shortstop Meraz and second baseman Lita Vorseth turned into a tidy double play to quickly snuff out the threat.

Westwood had two runners on in two other innings, but weren't able to deliver a two-out hit in either. Five Westwood players had a single apiece - Kennedy Bark, Eriacho, Alicia Montano, Thalia Figueroa and Morningstar Scabby. Earlier this season Dobson beat Westwood,11-1, in the Gracie Haught Invitational in Payson. The Mustangs collected 14 hits in that game off Matson. 

Dobson took the extra batting practice postgame since it wouldn't have time otherwise between Monday and its next game Tuesday at Red Mountain. Red Mountain is in the driver's seat in the East Valley Region race at 5-0, but Dobson (4-1) could make the chase interesting with a win at Red Mountain.They gave Red Mountain a scare when they met three weeks ago before falling, 9-5. Westwood also  plays again on Tuesday. The Warriors host Mesa High at 4 p.m.