Payson hasn't had much luck against Bear River recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Lions will face off against the Bears at 9:00 a.m.
Payson saw some tournament action on Friday. They fell just short of Desert Hills by a score of 5-4. The loss put an end to the Lions' undefeated start to the season.
Bear River never got on the board in their matchup on Friday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Crimson Cliffs on Friday. They put the hurt on the Mustangs with a sharp 15-1 win. Considering the Bears' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Kate Wilson made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Wilson was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March of 2025.
In other batting news, Cora Miller was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Samantha Theurer, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs.
Bear River always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .690. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Crimson Cliffs only posted an OBP of .200.
Having lost for the first time this season, Payson fell to 2-1. As for Bear River, they now also have a winning record of 2-1.
Payson might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from Bear River in their previous matchup back in May of 2025. Can the Lions avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
