A feisty cat fight will be fought as Lyons Lions take on Peyton Panthers at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Lyons's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 20-0 margin over Platte Canyon. With that win, the Lions brought their scoring average up to 7.8 runs per game.
Kaion Kishiyama was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the first time he hasn't allowed a single hit since back in March of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one RBI. He also got a hit, marking his first of the season.
In other batting news, Zack LaCrosse was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Calvin Russell, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and two doubles.
Lyons always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .735. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Peyton put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They walked away with a 10-5 victory over Front Range Christian.
Like Lyons, Peyton also got a great game from a two-way player: Noah Martin. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over 5.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits (and only one walk). Martin was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Martin is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: he's snagged at least one every time he's taken the field this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bryce Love, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-4. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
Peyton's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.7 runs over those games. As for Lyons, the win got them back to even at 2-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Lyons has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Peyton struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Lyons suffered a grim 14-1 defeat to Peyton when the teams last played back in May of 2022. Will Lyons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
