It seemed a more joyous occasion was in order for Campo Verde's softball team Tuesday night. The Lady Coyotes blanked Arcadia 1-0 to clinch the Division II Section IV title and an automatic berth at state.

But Campo Verde's coaching staff made a point in its postgame chat to players to step it up offensively. While Campo has been racking up victories at a high rate of late (nine in a row), too many are without a lot of punch at the dish. Four of those nine wins have come by scores of 4-3, 5-2, 1-0 and 1-0.

"We have to start scoring more runs," Campo Verde coach Joe Delsante said. "If it takes players taking extra BP all of us (coaches) are willing to stay and flip pitches to them for as long as they want. We faced a good pitcher today, and have seen a couple lately..... If we're going to make a run we need more offense."

Campo Verde improved to 23-5 overall and 14-1 in power-ranking games. The Lady Coyotes were No. 13 on Tuesday and Arcadia (20-6, 12-2) was No. 16. Both have a couple section games remaining and barring major upsets should prevail in those contests. Arcadia is on track to wrap up the section's other automatic berth (second place in section).

Tuesday night's win, tucked away in a brisk 75 minutes, rested with freshman pitcher Myka Sutherlin's effort and a rock solid defense behind her. Sutherlin tossed a complete-game, four-hitter. She walked one and struck out eight. The three innings Arcadia threatened, Sutherlin made the pitches needed to escape damage.

Those innings were the first, third and fifth. In the first, Arcadia advanced runners to second and third with no outs.  A strikeout, pop out and fly to center ended the threat. Runners were at second and third with one out in the third, but a K and ground out to short left Arcadia scoreless.

The last Arcadia threat was in the fifth. A leadoff double by Alexis Harger followed by a sacrifice, sent the tying run to third with one out. The next two hitters -- 1-2 batters Haley Denning and Kelly Flynn had both reached base in their previous two at-bats. Sutherlin got Denning to line out softly to first and fanned Flynn.

Taking a tough loss was another freshman, Arcadia's Sarah Phillips. Phillips also surrendered just four hits, walked none and fanned two. The game's lone run scored in the second inning. With one out, Campo Verde's Tori Sims doubled and Sutherlin was hit by a pitch. Kailey Felkins ripped a sharp liner right at the second baseman for the second out. Sutherlin was nearly halfway to second when the ball was caught and appeared an easy candidate to be doubled up at first. The throw, however, glanced off Sutherlin and trickled far enough away for Sims to score from third while Sutherlin reached first safely. Sims is Campo's lone senior and was honored on Senior Night.

"We had our opportunities," Arcadia coach Jason Foster said. "We needed one big hit, but couldn't get it."

Arcadia, which started six freshmen, was the No. 24 seed last year in the final power rankings. But Campo Verde finished second in the sectiion to edge Arcadia for an automatic berth. Campo was 32nd in the power-rankings, but the automatic berth denied the Lady Titans a trip to state as Campo garnered the No. 24 seed.