Softball Recap: Payette Comes Up Short

Payette had lost three straight at home, but on Monday they dropped down to 1-8 to make it four. They came up short against the Fruitland Grizzlies, falling 9-1. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Pirates of the 7-3 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in May of 2025.

E Atkins was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-4 with one home run. She also put up an RBI, which was her first of the season.

As for Fruitland, the victory made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 8-6. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games.

On Fruitland's side, Roxy Mason made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Mason has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Macy Kile, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in March. Zoe Patrick was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.

While Payette had to take the loss, they won't have to wait long to give it another shot: the pair's next game is a rematch scheduled at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.