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VILLA PARK — Esperanza’s softball team brought the desire of a defending CIF-SS champion, a sizzling offense and its ace to the field Thursday for one last duel for the Crestview League’s final automatic playoff berth.

The Aztecs had more than enough to keep their season alive.

Audrey Robles launched a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, Taylor Shumaker stayed hot and Brooke Perez fired a five-hitter as defending Division 1 champion Esperanza defeated Canyon 9-0 at Villa Park High to earn the four-team league’s second guaranteed postseason spot.

“We want to win a championship and that’s a good start for us,” said Shumaker, who went 2 for 3 with a double one day after blasting three home runs and driving in seven runs in a win against Foothill. “It helps show us we can do it.”

Esperanza (18-11, 4-2) and Canyon (23-6) tied with Villa Park (23-4, 4-2) for first place in the Crestview but lost a coin flip with the Spartans on Wednesday for the league’s No. 1 automatic CIF entry.

The Aztecs and Comanches met in the league playoff game knowing the winner would join the postseason when the pairing are announced Saturday, and the loser would likely be done.

Esperanza and Canyon are part of the playoff pools for Division 1 and Division 3, respectively. Neither division has been projected this week to have room for an at-large berth.

The UC Riverside-bound Perez pitched seven innings in a 13-2 win against visiting Foothill on Wednesday but said her arm felt strong for her showdown against Arizona State-bound Kylee Magee of Canyon. “It was just pushing myself each pitch,” Perez said.

Eight different Esperanza batters recorded at least one hit.

The Aztecs, ranked third in the county, scored four runs on a pair of fielder’s choices in the third in which they beat throws to the plate. Freshman Charley Duran and senior Sabrina Seaton added an RBI double and run-scoring single to highlight a three-run fourth.

Esperanza also backed Perez with an error-free defense, including an assist from Shumaker in center field, a running catch by second baseman Robles and a double-play started by Seaton at third.

The loss likely ended a stellar season for Canyon, the Michelle Carew Classic champion that is ranked No. 1 in the county and Division 3 this week.

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“It shouldn’t even be a question if (we’re deserving to be in CIF),” said Canyon coach Jess Carbajal, whose team fell 1-0 to Villa Park on Wednesday. “I think the process is wrong. I know I’m going to sit home while other teams that played in much weaker leagues (are in CIF).”

“Hopefully the athletic directors get motivated to fix this league,” Villa Park coach Terry Williams said. “There’s no way Kylee Magee should not make the playoffs the way this kid pitched all year.”