Desert Mountain's softball team  took a little different path to victory Monday afternoon relying on defense and pitching to rule its day in a 6-1 win over visiting Notre Dame Prep in a matchup of Division I and Division II contenders.

Defense, which has been shaky more often than Desert Mountain coach Rick Sharp would like this season, made a handful of nice plays Monday. Throw in a well-pitched game by junior Andy Wellins and the Wolves lived up to their unblemished record in power-point games (8-0 in Division I) this season.

"We're not as bad defensively as we've shown at times this year," Sharp said. "There's been some sloppiness. I think we have a mindset of being an offensive team. Sometimes we tend to think if we make an error or two and give up and extra run that it's OK and we can make it up at the plate. That's worked a few times, but when you go against top pitchers you need to be focused (defense) all the time."

Desert Mountain's defense did its part early. After Wellins struck out four batters in the first, the glovework started with a diving stop up the middle by Kasey McCravey in the second. McCravey knocked the ball down, recovered and threw from her backside to get the out at first.

Center fielder Aubrey Downey gunned down what could have been the tying run at home in the top of the third. Her throw was a bit offline, but catcher Cheyann Tucker snagged it on a hop and made a swipe tag. Second baseman Sam Pederson picked up a liner off Wellins glove in the sixth and threw in time for an ou to begin the sixth -- in front of a long double by the next hitter, Chloe Edmunds (two hits for Notre Dame).

For nearly five innings Monday, Wellins and Notre Dame's Tess McPherson were keeping each other's teams at bay. Desert Mountain (17-4) had a 2-0 lead after four with both its runs scoring without much hitting. Lexi Pierson drove in the first run in the second when hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Rose Hannan, who led off the inning hit by a pitch, scored. Hannan reached via a leadoff walk in the third and she scored on the second wild pitch of the inning by McPherson.

McPherson allowed eight hits -- five in the last two innings. She was hurt most by four walks and three hit batters.

"I thought she was tough on us," Sharp said. "She did a good job keeping our best hitters off-balance. We didn't get to her until late."

Hannan, who scored three times, singled in a run in the fifth and scored to make it 4-0 on a bases-loaded walk to Wellins. Three consecutive hits by Pederson, McCravey and Ashley Palmer (a two-run single) in the sixth gave Wellins an ample margin heading to the final inning.

Wellins, who gave up four hits, four walks and struck out six, lost the shutout with two outs in the seventh on an infield hit to Nicole Bailey. Notre Dame dropped to 12-10 overall and 7-3 in power-poiint games in Division II.

"They got key hits at with two outs and once with one out," Notre Dame coach Mike Hollowell said. "We gave up two many bases runners with the seven walks (four walks, three hit batters)  Wellins was hitting that outside corner all day, and we couldn't take it to right field. She did a good job of mixing two or three pitches."