Payson Roundup

The Payson High School baseball and softball teams played with mixed reviews in their 2009 tournament debuts.

The boys team, competing March 5 to 7 in the Mohave Thunderbird Classic in Bullhead City, finished with a 3-2 record.

Coach Will Dunman’s Lady Horns opened the new season March 3 with a 1-0 win over Holbrook, but three days later in the Sixth Annual Wrangler Classic in Wickenburg, lost two games decisively.

In the Thunderbird shoot-out, Payson lost its opener 6-3 to Yuma but then came back to shut out Kingman, 4-0.

During the third round, Payson lost a narrow 4-3 decision to Chino Valley.

The Horns rebounded in the final two rounds to whip host Mohave, 4-0 and Estrella Foothills, 8-4.

In Wickenburg, the Lady Horns could never get untracked falling 11-2 to Sahuarita and 15-1 to Benson.

Both schools have long been southern Arizona softball powers. Benson won the 2A state title last season.

The Wrangler Classic, which has grown from five to 20 teams, has become the largest small-school tournament in Arizona.

The Lady Longhorns return to action at 4 p.m., March 12 in Globe.

Coach Jerry Daniels’ baseball nine is scheduled to play at 11:30 a.m. March 12 against San Carlos in the Miami Invitational Tournament.