Mountain Ridge opened play Tuesday on a high note in the 18th Desert Mountain Softball Invitational with an offensive show and a no-hitter from junior standout Giselle Juarez.

Allysa DiCarlo, Kaylin Ayotte and Ashley Williams cranked out three hits apiece as the Lady Lions dumped Mountain Pointe, 12-3, in its tourney opener at Horizon Park. A couple hours later Juarez, in her first start of the season, tossed a no-hitter and fanned 15 in a 5-0 victory over Basha.

Juarez, who had pitched in relief a few times this season coming back from a sore pitching elbow, allowed four baserunners - two on walks, one via hit by pitch and the other by an error. Juarez struck out the side in three innings -- the second, fifth and seventh. Her previous appearance in relief last week against Red Mountain saw her strike out 10 in five innings of work.

The left-hander, who has verbally committed to Fresno State, got the offensive support she needed in the middle innings. The Lady Lions scored twice each in the fourth and fifth to snap a scoreless tie, stringing together seven of their 12 hits in those inings. Ayotte, Bailey Gaffin, DiCarlo and Payton Alsobrooks collected an RBI apiece off Basha freshman Abby Andersen. Mountain Ridge improved to 10-2 for the season.

In its first game, Mountain Ridge tallied 11 unanswered runs from the third through sixth innings to erase a 3-1 deficit. Mountain Pointe pitcher Kristen McCann helped Mountain Pointe forge the 3-1 lead with a two-run homer in the third. McCann took the loss and finished with eight strikeouts and no walks.

DiCarlo's last hit of her three was a three-run shot in the fifth and Alsobrooks hammered a two-run homer in the sixth to cap a 15-hit game for Mountain Ridge. Alex Burcham scattered six hits in earning the win for Mountain Ridge and did so without recording a strikeout.

Two other teams won a pair of games on the tournament's first day. Sahuaro beat Hamilton (4-3) and Chaparral (6-2). Seton Catholic beat Millennium (7-6) and  Arcadia (12-1).