The Payson Longhorns will be playing in front of their home fans against the Show Low Cougars at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Wednesday, Payson sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-6 win over Holbrook. The victory was just what Payson needed coming off of an 18-2 loss in their prior game.
Kinikki Smith made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off eight hits (she also didn't allow any walks). Smith has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive pitching appearances. Smith was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and a double.
Smith wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Danica Peters, who scored two runs while going 1-for-2. Caelee Boyle was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Show Low can now show off eight landslide victories after their most recent contest on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Blue Ridge as Show Low made off with a 24-6 win. Show Low's hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Like Payson, Show Low also got a great game from a two-way player: Sydney Stahl. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Stahl was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brynlynn Lang, who scored four runs and stole five bases while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Kirstin Goodman, who went 2-for-4 with five RBI, three runs, and a stolen base.
Payson's victory bumped their record up to 5-7. As for Show Low, they are on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last 12 matches, which provided a nice bump to their 11-6 record this season.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Payson has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .443. However, it's not like Show Low struggles in that department as they've averaged .503. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Payson suffered a grim 14-4 defeat to Show Low when the teams last played two weeks ago. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Show Low's Riley Heuett, who struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Now that Payson knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
