The Northwest Christian Crusaders will challenge the Payson Longhorns at 3:45 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Northwest Christian's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last five matchups.
Northwest Christian is probably headed into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering Bourgade Catholic just ended the team's six-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell just short of the Golden Eagles by a score of 17-15. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Crusaders have suffered since February 22, 2024.
Kinsey Unger
| 04/15/25 vs Bourgade Catholic | 4 |
| 04/14/25 @ Gilbert Christian | 3 |
| 04/11/25 vs ALA - Ironwood | 3 |
| 04/08/25 @ Benjamin Franklin | 4 |
| 04/03/25 vs San Tan Foothills | 4 |
| + 2 more games |
Northwest Christian got a massive performance out of Kinsey Unger, who went 4-for-5 with four runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Unger has been hot, having posted three or more hits the last seven times she's played. Ella Reuter was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Payson, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They walked away with a 9-5 victory over Benjamin Franklin on Tuesday.
Payson let Holdyn Waterman and Logann Prock run wild. Waterman went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one run, while Prock scored two runs while going 3-for-3. Those three hits gave Prock a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Danica Peters, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Payson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .576. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Benjamin Franklin only posted an OBP of .394.
Payson's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-9. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Northwest Christian, their defeat dropped their record down to 13-5.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Northwest Christian hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .442. However, it's not like Payson struggles in that department as they've averaged .391. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Northwest Christian took their win against Payson when the teams last played back in March by a conclusive 17-8 score. Will the Crusaders repeat their success, or do the Longhorns have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
