The Payson Longhorns will head out to square off against the Benjamin Franklin Chargers at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Benjamin Franklin will be up against a hot Payson squad: the team just extended their winning streak to four. Payson blew past San Tan Foothills 21-3 on Wednesday. The Longhorns might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by ten runs or more this season.
Kinikki Smith made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Those two hits allowed gave her a new career-low. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases and one RBI. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high.
Holdyn Waterman
| 03/19/25 @ San Tan Foothills | 3 |
| 03/18/25 vs Globe | 2 |
| 03/06/25 @ Camp Verde | 1 |
| 03/04/25 vs St. Johns | 1 |
| 02/26/25 @ Highland Prep | 1 |
| + 11 more games |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Holdyn Waterman, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Logann Prock, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Payson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .771. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Benjamin Franklin and Gilbert Christian meet (three straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Wednesday. Benjamin Franklin came out on top against Gilbert Christian by a score of 20-15. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Chargers as it put an end to their five-game losing streak.
Vanessa Delavigne was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She tossed 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Delavigne was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in all six of her plate appearances. Those stolen bases marked the first that she snagged this season.
In other batting news, Jaelyn Castaneda was incredible, going 5-for-6 with three stolen bases, four runs, and four RBI. Isabella Villalobos was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Payson pushed their record up to 5-1 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 4.0 runs on average over those games. As for Benjamin Franklin, their record now sits at 2-5.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Payson has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .577. However, it's not like Benjamin Franklin struggles in that department as they've averaged .500. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
