Gilbert's Hannah Collins zeroes in on a 1st-inning strikeout vs. Chanderl. (AzPreps365.com photo)

Gilbert softball coach Troy Hoffland knows his team's strengths. They were on display Tuesday as the Tigers played their final non-region game of 2018 in a spring-board game into Central Region play.

Senior pitcher Hannah Collins tossed a four-hiitter and fanned 10 as Gilbert chipped away from a first-inning deficit to defeat Chandler, 4-1, in a 6A game at Gilbert High.

"Our pitching and defense is what we're about," Hoffland said. "Hannah has been sick the last couple of days. She wasn't feeling great today, but the last inning she threw her hardest. She was fired up a bit." Collins retired 15 of the last 16 batters she faced. and fanned the last two batters.

Gilbert (8-6, 5-3 power-ranking games) trailed early as Chandler (10-11, 5-3 prg) tallied in the first off Collins, who latst Friday tamed Horizon, 2-1, with a three-hitter and another 10 strikeouts. Leadoff hitter Courtney Schollmeyer walked advanced to third on double by Lilly Saucedo and Schollmeyer scored on ground out to short by Rachel Brown.

Chandler starter, sophomore Sydney Babik, pitchd the first four innings . She left after giving up the tying run in the fourth. Babik allowed five hits and fanned five. She pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third.

Gilbert took the lead in the fifth off freshman reliever Anisa Reynolds. The Tigers reached Reynolds for three hits and two walks for a 3-1 lead before junior Emily Castle took over and got the final two outs of the inning. Consecutive RBI singles by Bregany Causey and Becca Pacuk put Gilbert ahead to stay, 3-1. The Tigers tacked on their final run in the sixth off Castle with Causey's second RBI single.

Gilbert did not commit an error and used three nice defensive plays -- one in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings - to help keep Collins rolling.

Third baseman Kenna Prefach charged in to field and gun down an attempt for a bunt hit to begin the fifth. Center fielder Riley Bowers tracked down a deep fly to center to begin the sixth and left fielder Mack Peterson made a lungings tab of low liner running to her right to open the seventh.

Schollmeyer led Chandler with two hits and a walk in three plate appearances. Eight of nine players in Gilbert's lineup reached base at least once. Causey and Pacuk each had two hits and Peterson was 1 for 1 with three walks.