Payton College Prep hasn't had much luck against Kenwood recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Grizzlies will challenge the Broncos at 5:00 p.m. Payton College Prep is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
Payton College Prep was handed a ten-run defeat in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Tuesday. They never let Jones get on the board and left with a 2-0 win.
Derek Patton
| 05/13/25 vs Jones | 12 |
| 05/05/25 @ Lincoln Park | 10 |
| 04/08/25 @ Taft | 9 |
| 04/14/25 vs Amundsen | 7 |
| 04/02/25 vs Rolling Meadows | 7 |
| + 4 more games |
Not much got past Derek Patton, who gave up just three hits and racked up 12 Ks to keep Jones off the board. Patton has become a key player for Payton College Prep: the team is undefeated when he posts at least eight strikeouts, but 10-17 otherwise.
On the hitting side, Sam Merrill was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April.
Meanwhile, Kenwood came tearing into Tuesday's match with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.1 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against the Vikings by a score of 3-0.
The result came thanks to Zach Asiyanbi's shutout, as he gave up just two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, Kenwood let Damaurion Butler and Daniel Luster run wild. Butler went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs, while Luster went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one double, and one RBI. Butler has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last five times he's played.
Kenwood pushed their record up to 14-6-1 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games. As for Payton College Prep, their record is now 13-17.
Payton College Prep suffered a grim 10-4 defeat to Kenwood when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Grizzlies avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
