The top four teams in the 5A Central Region softball race are not separated by much. And when Gilbert (4-1), Mesa Mountain View (3-2), Dobson (2-1) and Basha (2-1) have played one another the margin of error has been thin for the most part.

Nothing changed in that regard Tuesday afternoon as Gilbert used a pair of two-run homers to beat Mountain View, 5-2, in a clash of teams tied for first in the region at Gilbert High.

Freshman Dani Nelson and junior Alexa Redman each homered -- the first of the season for both. Nelson's homer capped a three-run, fourth inning that had seen Mountain View take a 2-0 advantage in the top of the frame. Redman crashed her homer in the sixth to give starting pitcher and senior Michelle Duncan an ample cushion heading to the final inning.

"Alexa has had some issues with her hand off and on this season, but she's starting to come around," Gilbert coach Shaundra Gutierrez said. "Dani is doing the same. She really hit that one today hard."

Nelson, who launched a long foul ball with home run distance in her first at-bat Tuesday and ended up striking out, didn't miss the next time she got a chance in the fourth. After Redman's sacrifice fly cut Mountain View's lead to 2-1 with two outsh, Nelson jumped on Mountain View sophomore Val Kaff's first pitch again. This time Redman straightened it out and cleared the left-field fence for the lead.

"Just a couple of mistakes were the difference," Mountain View coach Bill Roberts said. "On the second home run we were expecting bunt and threw a rise ball. It went right down the chute, and she hit it out.

"We had our opportunities and put pressure on (Duncan) in the circle. She's a tough pitcher. We just couldn't get a key hit when we had the chance."

Mountain View had a runner at second in the second inning, left one at second in the fourth after it scored its runs on Kelli Wickerman's double and stranded the tying run at second once more in the sixth.

Duncan surrendered just three hits, walked five and fanned five for Gilbert (18-5, 4-1 region). Kaff allowed eight hits, did not walk and batter and struck out four for Mountain View (14-9, 3-2).