The Payson Longhorns will take on the Bourgade Catholic Golden Eagles at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Payson has given up an average of 7.6 runs per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Northwest Christian hit Payson with a five-run fifth inning on Friday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Longhorns came up short against the Crusaders, falling 15-5. The Longhorns haven't had much luck with the Crusaders recently, as the team has come up short the last four times they've met.
Logann Prock was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI. Alayna Dewald was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Bourgade Catholic had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11 runs) and they went ahead and made it six on Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 17-1 margin over the Warriors. The Golden Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 14 matchups by ten runs or more this season.
Maya Macias was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Samantha Santillan, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI.
Bourgade Catholic was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .538. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .320 or higher in six consecutive contests.
Bourgade Catholic pushed their record up to 20-7 with the victory, which was their tenth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Payson, their loss dropped their record down to 11-10.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Payson has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .527. However, it's not like Bourgade Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .530. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
