Spanish Fork is 9-1 against Payson since April of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Dons will take on the Lions at 3:30 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Spanish Fork has three straight wins, Payson has three straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Spanish Fork is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Utah's top teams: Desert Hills, who was ranked third at the time (Spanish Fork was ranked ninth). The Dons came out on top in a nail-biter against the Thunder on Friday, sneaking past 10-8. Spanish Fork's victory was all the more impressive since the Thunder were averaging only 2.48 runs allowed on the season.
Paizley Boman
| 04/24/26 vs Desert Hills | 6 |
| 04/21/26 @ Maple Mountain | 12 |
| 04/15/26 vs Salem Hills | 6 |
Paizley Boman was a major factor no matter where she played. She struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up six earned (and two unearned) runs off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with four RBI.
In other batting news, Lia Higginson was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Bree Jacobson also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Payson took on Sky View on Saturday. The Lions fell just short of the Bobcats by a score of 4-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Lions have suffered since March 7th.
Spanish Fork's record is now 16-7. As for Payson, their loss dropped their record down to 12-12.
Payson's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Spanish Fork has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.3 hits per game. It's a different story for Payson, though, as they've been averaging 9.4 hits. Given Spanish Fork's sizable advantage in that area, the Lions will need to find a way to close that gap.
Spanish Fork got the 'W' when the teams last played back in March against Payson by a conclusive 10-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Dons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
