PRESTONSBURG - Prestonsburg maintained its claim as one of the 15th Region’s top softball teams Tuesday evening at the Sportspark, beating visiting Knott County Central 17-14. The Lady Blackcats defeated their Knott County counterparts 17-14 in a game that featured plenty of offense from each of the two teams.

Prestonsburg eighth-grader Alexis DeRossett pitched all seven innings and claimed the win. DeRossett improved to 8-2 after pitching the Lady Blackcats past Knott County Central.

The win was Prestonsburg’s fifth straight. With the win, Prestonsburg improved to 8-2. The Lady Blackcats are 4-0 in the Floyd County Conference/58th District.

Each team led during the 15th Region-14th Region matchup. Prestonsburg, however, finished the strongest.

"We really had a good offensive game, hitting the ball well," said Prestonsburg Coach Jack Pack. "Our defense was a little shaky, but a lot of that is the fact that we haven't been able to play two and three games a week, which has left us somewhat rusty. Alexis pitched real well, again."

Four of Prestonsburg’s top-five hitters in the Lady Blackcat batting order reached base and scored in the first inning. Prestonsburg led 4-0 until the top half of the third inning when the Lady Patriots plated five runs. Prestonsburg answered with five runs of its own in the bottom half of the third inning.

Knott County Central went back out in front and led 14-13 when Prestonsburg came to bat in the bottom half of the sixth inning. The Lady Blackcats went back ahead for good with a four-run sixth inning effort.

Rikki Hughes was Prestonsburg’s leading baserunner, scoring four runs. Alisha Mayfield scored three times for the Lady Blackcats. Linsey Fields, Brittany Collins, Whitney Caudill and DeRossett each scored twice.

Collins cleared the bases with a triple, collecting three RBIs with one swing. Caudill and Myafield also had multiple-RBI games.

Prestonsburg was scheduled to travel to Pike County Central on Thursday evening for a doubleheader against the Lady Hawks. The doubleheader was rained out and Prestonsburg will have a chance to continue its winning ways on Monday in a road game versus conference/district nemesis South Floyd.

15TH REGION SOFTBALL (Team, Record): Pikeville, 14-9; Lawrence County, 13-8; Shelby Valley, 11-5; East Ridge, 10-5; Phelps, 9-8; Prestonsburg, 8-2; Paintsville, 8-7; Johnson Central, 8-8; Magoffin County, 7-15; Allen Central, 6-7; Betsy Layne, 5-6; Pike County Central, 4-13; Belfry, 4-15; Sheldon Clark, 2-17; South Floyd, 1-8.