Skyline's baseball team has been the model of consistency the final month of the season and it paid off Tuesday night with a section championship.

Superb starting pitching and offense that makes the most of what its gets were on display again as the Coyotes knocked off Mesa Mountain View, 8-1, in a Division I game at HoHoKam Stadium.

Skyline (18-10-1 overall and 12-6 in power-ranking games) won for the ninth time in its last 10 games dating back to March 31. The outcome also determined the section champion. Mountain View(10-16, 7-11 prg)  needed the victory more -- one that would have given the Toros an automatic state playoff berth despite them being No. 25 in the power-rankings. The loss likely leaves Mountain View short of a postseason berth, although that won't be known until Thursday afternoon when the final power-rankings are computed and state tournament brackets announced.

Skyline pitcher Bobby Meza got early support  -- one run in each of the first two innings and four in the third.  After walking the first batter of the game, he retired the next eight in a row and pitched out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the fourth to keep Mountain View off the scorerboard. Skyline added another run in the fourth and that seemed enough work for Meza for the evening. Skyline coach Pat Herrera opted to finish the game with a couple relievers, who gave up a run and hit over the final three.

Mountain View started its ace -- freshman Sean Rimmer. Rimmer struggled much of the four innings he worked. He walked the first two batters of the game and Skyline took a 1-0 lead without a hit. Third baseman-pitcher Boyd Vanderkooi, who walked twice and was hit by a pitch, scored the first run. Skyline took advantage of a dropped pop up to open the second with that runner eventually scoring on a single by Walker Pattyson.

Skyline's 2-0 lead grew to 6-0 in the third. Rimmer hit a batter, walked two and gave up RBI singles to Ian Raidy and Bodey Delmar. Jacob Stark and Pattyson added sacrifice flies to cap the inning. Skyline's final runs -- one in the fourth and one in the fifth -- also scored on sacrifice flies. Raidy and Tyler Jackson were responsible for those. Rimmer allowed seven runs, four hits, walked six and struck out four.

Skyline managed just five hits, but add six walks, a hit batter and an error and there were chances to score. The Coyotes moved runners effectively all game --via sacrifice bunts and flies, stolen bases and hitting to the right side.

Skyline was No. 12 in the D-I power-rankings prior to the game. Their victory isn't likely to move them to the top 8 and first-round bye at state, but they are qualified and ready for whoever their first-round opponent is on Saturday (April 30).

Mountain View, which fielded its most inexperienced team in coach Mike Thiel's two decades at the helm, made a valiant run at postseason after an 0-6 start in power-ranking games. A season that might have lost playoff hopes in early April went to the final game and even a shot at a section title..