Pittsburg softball went on the road Friday and defeated host Blue Valley West 8-4 to improve the Purple Dragons to 12-4 overall and let them enter a new week on a three-game winning streak.

Pittsburg scored three runs in the first, one in the fourth and four in the fifth against Blue Valley West starter Bella Diggs, who allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

Meanwhile, Pittsburg senior Breck Slaughter earned the win in the circle with four runs (no earned) on four hits and 13 strikeouts and two walks over seven innings.

The Jaguars pushed across their first run in the sixth to break the shutout and three more in the seventh in their attempt to rally against Slaughter and the Dragons.

Slaughter struck out Nicole Poste to end the game.

Slaughter's classmate and fellow junior college recruit Brette Pasteur led the Dragon attack with three hits (all doubles), two runs scored and two RBI. Slaughter's two hits included a triple and she also scored two runs. Brecken Campbell also had two hits and two runs scored.

Kenleigh Warford and Peyton Morey each doubled for their lone hit and Morey matched Pasteur with two RBI.

Pasteur's RBI double, Slaughter's RBI triple and Warford's RBI double all happened in the first and started the game with a big bang for the Dragons.

Pittsburg returns home Tuesday for a single varsity game against Southeast Kansas League foe Labette County. The Grizzlies were 5-9 on the season entering Monday's doubleheader at Burlington and they lost 1-0 on Thursday against Baxter Springs.

Pittsburg 300 140 0 — 8 11 3

BVWHS 000 001 3 — 4 4 2

Bella Diggs, Addisyn Williams (6) and Penelope Johnson; Breck Slaughter and Peyton Morey. W: Slaughter. L: Diggs. 2B—PHS: Brette Pasteur 3, Kenleigh Warford, Morey. 3B—PHS: Brecken Campbell, Slaughter.

This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund/