The Payson Lions are taking a road trip to challenge the Ridgeline Riverhawks at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Payson is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They walked away with a 14-9 victory over Cottonwood. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Lions.
Ty Marvin
| 04/28/25 vs Mountain Crest | 3 |
| 05/03/25 @ Cottonwood | 2 |
| 03/22/25 @ Pine View | 2 |
| 03/11/25 @ Timpview | 2 |
| 05/03/25 @ Cottonwood | 1 |
| + 9 more games |
Payson got a massive performance out of Ty Marvin, who went 1-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. The Lions are 3-1 when Marvin posts two or more runs, but 8-16 otherwise. Maddux DeGraffenried was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Payson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .532. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Ridgeline came tearing into last Monday's contest with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victors by a 9-0 margin over the Miners. Considering the Riverhawks have won 15 matches by more than five runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Ripken Jensen made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits over 4.1 innings pitched. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Easton Hammond looked comfortable as he pitched 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Cooper Clark and Maddux Jensen did most of the damage at the plate: Clark got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two doubles, two RBI, and one run, while Jensen went 3-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those three hits gave Jensen a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Tyson Smith, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Ridgeline's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 21-4. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Payson, their record now sits at 11-17.
