It would have been forgivable if the Ralston Valley softball team had been clobbered Friday at the Class 5A state softball tournament.

Heck, it would have been pardonable if the Mustangs hadn't even qualified for the season- ending festivities at Aurora Sports Park, considering they were moving up from 4A this season.

Granted, the Mustangs weren't merely a 4A team, but the 4A champions last season. Naysayers believed that accomplishment would matter little in 5A, but with a roster that remained largely intact, some carryover effect appears to exist.

Ralston Valley's battle-tested demeanor was on display in Friday's opening rounds, as the Mustangs thumped Grand Junction Central 6-0 before shocking top-seeded Rocky Mountain 9-1 to earn a semifinal berth.

"I think it took them a little while this season to get back to my mentality of being aggressive with every at-bat and things like that," Ralston Valley coach Wendy Davies said. "We went through a few little slumps this season, but they just dug deep into those hearts of theirs and pulled through."

The Mustangs (16-7), who easily passed their first crucial test in the big-school classification, will take on fourth-seeded Mountain Vista while defending champion Legacy will meet Bear Creek in the other semifinal in a rematch of last season's title game.

Ralston Valley lost its first three games of the season. But now the bracket is in line for the Mustangs to avenge each of those losses. Consider revenge already claimed for one, as it was Rocky Mountain that sent the Mustangs to a 2-1 loss in the season opener.

"I think we were ready to fight and get back at them for the loss earlier in the season," said Ralston Valley pitcher Meaghan Murphy, who allowed one run in 14 innings between two games and hit a three-run homer against Rocky Mountain.

Up next is Mountain Vista, which clipped the Mustangs 3-0 in the third game of the season. If Ralston Valley gets past that one, Legacy, which blanked the Mustangs 1-0 in the second game of the season, could be waiting in the title game.

"We've definitely thought about it, but we're just excited to be where we are," Murphy said.

The Mustangs likely would not be where they are without Murphy, who yielded only nine hits in the two games and walloped her homer against one of the state's marquee pitchers, Aubree Maul.

"I think that set the tone for all of our hitters," Davies said. "Anytime you have someone come up and do that, you say, 'Hey, we're going to hit this girl.' "

The next ace Ralston Valley will try to hit is Mountain Vista's Kelly Unkrich, who was mostly unsolvable Friday. She blanked Pomona 5-0 before getting past Continental League rival Chaparral 3-1. In the latter contest, Golden Eagles sophomore Lauren Dalton led off the first with a home run and Mountain Vista (21-3) never trailed.

"Some people think the Continental League isn't as difficult, but it's good to prove we belong here," said Unkrich, who allowed only six hits in the two games and struck out nine against Chaparral.

Legacy (21-2) was simply dominant in its two games, with pitcher Shelby Babcock blanking Grandview 8-0 and Columbine 4-0 as the second-seeded Lightning became the clear-cut favorite with Rocky Mountain out of the picture. Babcock threw a one-hitter in each game and struck out a combined 33 batters in 14 innings.

The Lightning will be facing a No. 3 Bear Creek squad it beat 2-0 in the 2007 title game and 10-0 this season. The Bears (21-2) offense suddenly has come to life, though, as they beat Loveland 5-1 before ousting Highlands Ranch 13-2.

While Mallorie Sulaski did the pitching, the centerpiece of the onslaught was center fielder Kaylee Moody, who went 3-for-4 with a triple, two tape-measure homers and six RBI against Highlands Ranch.

"I think I came out more relaxed," Moody said. "Normally I think about it too much in pregame and freak out. I think last year, coming here, helped out a lot, knowing that we can do it and we will do it."