After both having extra time off, the Orem Tigers and the Payson Lions will shake off the rust and duke it out at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
While Orem's victory against Uintah wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Tigers narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Utes 11-9. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Tigers.
The team relied heavily on Kate Allred, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. That's the most runs she has posted over her last 12 contests. Cheyanne Wells was another key player, going 3-for-5 with one home run and two RBI.
Orem was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .389. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Payson). They never let Provo get on the board and left with a 17-0 victory last Thursday. The win continues a trend for the Lions in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won five in a row.
Aydrie Christensen was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Paisley Beckstead was incredible, firing off two home runs, six RBI, and four runs while going 3-for-4. She continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Jaylee Judd, who scored two runs and stole four bases while going 1-for-2.
Orem's victory bumped their record up to 10-7. As for Payson, their win bumped their record up to 9-2.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Tuesday. Orem hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 1.2 home runs per game. However, it's not like Payson struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 1.5 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Orem suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Payson when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
