The Payson Longhorns will face off against the Chino Valley Cougars at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Payson will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.
While Payson didn't have the best season last year (they finished 5-20-1), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They came out on top against Tournament Opponent by a score of 6-3 last Saturday.
Nolan Keeney
| 03/01/25 vs Tournament Opponent | 5 |
| 02/27/25 vs Yuma Catholic | 1 |
| 04/17/24 vs Winslow | 1 |
| 04/15/24 vs Show Low | 1 |
| 04/10/24 vs Northwest Christian | 4 |
| + 6 more games |
Nolan Keeney spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits. What's more, he posted five strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March of 2024.
At the plate, Landon Parton was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing Three bases. while going 1-for-2. Another player making a difference was Hunter Weinland, who scored no runs and stole Three bases. while going 1-for-3.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Cougars on Monday. Chino Valley fell 9-6 to Show Low. Chino Valley hasn't had much luck with Show Low recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Freddie Garcia made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one triple. Those doubles marked the first that he hit this season.
Chino Valley suffered their first road defeat, dropping their record down to 2-2-1. As for Payson, their victory bumped their record up to 4-1.
Chino Valley's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Payson hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .350. It's a different story for Chino Valley, though, as they've only averaged .258. Will they be able to contain Payson's hitters?
Everything went Payson's way against Chino Valley in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, as Payson made off with a 13-3 win. Does Payson have another victory up their sleeve, or will Chino Valley turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
