Perry's softball team has a little different MO than many of the top teams in 6A. The Pumas bludgeon the opposition to death.

That continued Thursday afternoon as Perry cranked out 15 hits and took care of Xavier Prep, 15-4, in six innings on Teacher Appreciation Day at Perry High.

Perry,No. 6 in the 6A power-rankings, has won six in a row and seven of its last eight. Included in that streaks is a sweep of defending state champion Hamilton in Premier Region play last week. Perry is 17-7 overall, 10-2 in power-ranking games and 4-0 in region play. Xavier fell to 7-12 overall, 4-10 in power-ranking games and 2-3 in region play. The Gators were No. 23 in the power rankings at the start of the day. They need to finish in the top 24 to qualify for a state play-in game.

"We've been swinging it pretty good," Perry coach Rob Hehe said. "We have a lot of players who can hit. The better the pitching we face the the better we are."

Perry slammed three home runs -- two by designated hitter Sydnee Smith and one by Makenna Adkison among those 15 knocks. The big day at the dish belonged to Smith. She was 4-for-4, scored three times and drive in five runs. Her first home run got Perry on the board in the second inning and her second ended the game via run rule with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

Xavier led twice early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first as Perry committed two errors to aid the rally. Macrina Zachar' two-run double put the Gators on top. Smith's solo homer and a bases-loaded walk to RBI-machine Piper Lujan tied the game at 2 after two.

Xavier took the lead one more time (3-2) in the top of the third on Melissa Fedorka's RBI double. Perry wiped out that final defict with four runs in its half of the third using three hits, two errors and a hit by pitch. Chandler Walter's two-run double was the key hit.

Other Perry players with multiple hits in the game were Walter (2-5), Emily Guadago (2-3) and Jillian Legasca (2-2). Annamarie Hartman and Fedorka had two hits apiece for Xavier.

Perry subbed six players in the fourth inning and they combined to got 4-for-9 and four RBI. The Pumas weakness they are trying to strengthn is defense. They made five errors in the game and three of the four runs allowed by pitcher Saige Stutz (11-3) were unearned. Stutz scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out two.

"We have to clean up our defense and we're working on it," Hehe said. "We have to get the routine outs and sometimes right now that's not happening."