Niwot had lost five straight at home, but on Saturday they dropped down to 6-12 to make it six. They fell just short of the Palisade Bulldogs by a score of 10-9. The Cougars were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Bulldogs apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in October of 2024.
Payton Johnson made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Anna Halverson, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs.
As for Palisade, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-6 record this season. The high-scoring effort was just what they needed considering they were shut out in their previous game.
On Palisade's side, MacKenzie Gray spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and five unearned) runs on 13 hits and racked up six Ks. Gray has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Lexi Trottier, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Jamyson Mancuso was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Looking ahead, Niwot will take on Broomfield at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Cougars will need to watch out since the Eagles have now posted at least ten runs in their last five contests. As for Palisade, they will square off against Eagle Valley at 3:00 p.m. on Monday. The Devils have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed 8.87 runs per game on average), something the Bulldogs will no doubt try to take advantage of.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
