Lady Spartans split week in region softball
| Markette Tanner tries for the infield homerun but is out as the Juan Diego catcher makes the tag. |
Last week was a good week for the Emery High Lady Spartans softball team even though they split their four region games. On Tuesday, Emery last two close games to Juan Diego and then came back on Thursday to blow out North Sanpete in a doubleheader as Emery defeated the Hawks for the first time in a very long time. After having played three straight teams that are very good, the Lady Spartans maybe finally realize just how good this softball team can be.
On Tuesday, Emery lost to Juan Diego in the opener of the doubleheader by a score of 4-1 and then lost a heartbreaker in the nightcap by a score of 5-2. In the first game, Emery had opportunities to put up runs but it just did not happen.
Adriane Weihing had a triple in the first inning followed by a walk to Chelsea Skinner and with just one out; they could not be brought home. In the fourth inning, Candice Norton and Whitney Allen got on base but they also could not score. Emery finally scored their lone run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Keera Allred scored after hitting a triple. Jalee Jensen got the RBI with a double but the next two batters got out to end the threat and the game.
In the second game, Emery scored in the bottom of the second inning as Bailey Kay doubled and scored on a triple by Markette Tanner. Markette was thrown out at the plate as she attempted to stretch her triple into an inside the park homerun. Two perfect throws barely nipped her and prevented another run.
Emery threatened to score in the third inning as Weihing singled and Skinner doubled and Leslee Lake walked but the inning ended on a fly ball to right field.
After Juan Diego scored a run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the score, Emery came back in the bottom of the fifth inning to regain the lead. Jalee Jensen walked, stole second base, stole third base and scored on a passed ball.
Juan Diego came back in the top of the seventh to grab the lead and the game. Lake struck out the first batter, gave up a single and then got the next batter to fly out to left field. The next batter hit a fly ball that could have ended the game if it could have been caught but it fell instead and Juan Diego would score four times before the inning was over.
On Thursday, Emery hosted North Sanpete. After being tied at three apiece after the third inning, Emery won the game 13-3 in six innings. To prove that game wasn’t a fluke, Emery came back and won the second game 14-5 to send the visitors home with a couple of spankings.
In the first game, Bailey Kay opened the second inning with a walk and got sacrificed to second base by Whitney Allen. Markette followed with a triple followed by Keera Allred with a double and Jalee Jensen with a single for three runs in the inning.
| Adrianne Weihing is safe at third. |
In the fourth inning, Candice Norton singled, Markette Tanner singled and Keera Allred bunted to load the bases. Jalee Jensen hit into a fielders choice as the Hawks got the out at the plate. Chelsea Skinner doubled to empty the bases and Chelsea would score on a ball hit to the outfield by Leslee Lake that was misplayed. Lake got to third base on the error and would score on a single by Bailey Kay. Emery now led 8-3.
Emery would score three more times in the fifth inning. Keera singled, Jalee singled, Adriane singled, Chelsea walked and Leslee singled to give the Spartans the lead at 11-3. In the bottom of the sixth inning after two Emery strikeouts, Markette would walk, Keera had another double to score Markette and the game was over as Keera scored on a single by Jalee.
In the second game, North Sanpete jumped up early as they scored three times in the top of the first inning but Emery would come right back and score four times in the bottom of the first inning to grab the lead that they would never relinquish.
Jalee singled, Chelsea singled, Leslee singled to score Jalee and then Bailey Kay hit one deep to centerfield that cleared the fence by a car length to put the Spartans up 4-3 with the three-run homerun. In the second inning Emery would score twice more. Markette walked, Jalee tripled to score Markette and after a walk to Adriane, Jalee would score on a double by Chelsea to left field.
In the third inning, Emery would add six more runs. Whitney opened with a single, followed by Candice with a double and Markette with a single. After a fly-out, Jalee singled, Adriane walked, Leslee doubled and Bailey doubled.
After the Hawks scored twice in the fifth inning, Emery scored twice more in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jalee walked, Adriane doubled and Chelsea singled for the two runs.
Emery had 31 hits for the day with 12 of those being for extra bases. Every Emery batter got at least one hit and every Emery batter got on base at least twice. In the first game batters eight and nine would score seven times while in the second game batters one and two would score six times. Emery’s line-up from top to bottom is potent.
Emery travels to Delta this Tuesday for doubleheader against the Rabbits and then travels to North Sevier on Wednesday for a non-region contest.