Last week, the Emery High Spartan baseball team played two region games and each time came away with a loss after entering the seventh inning with the lead. On Tuesday, Emery hosted Richfield in the final game of the first half of region 12 play and lost 6-4 after leading 4-2 entering the final inning of regulation. On Friday, Emery traveled to Manti as the second half of region 12 action kicked off and lost 6-5 after leading 5-3 entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Emery is now 3-2 in region action.
Against Manti, Braden Bolotas had held Manti to two base hits through six innings. In that final inning, which started with the number eight batter in the line-up, Manti eked out five base hits, all singles, and picked up the win over Emery. Against Richfield, Emery starting pitcher Colter Moore had held the Wildcats to only three base hits through six innings. In the final inning of this game, Richfield also started with the number eight batter in the line-up. The first batter got hit by a pitch followed by the next three batters getting base hits. After getting two outs, two more Wildcat batters got base hits and Richfield had scored four runs.
So the two game totals are this, through the first six innings of each game, for a total of 12 innings, Emery gave up five runs and five base hits. In the final inning of each game for a total of two innings, Emery gave up seven runs and 10 base hits. In the previous five games, Emery had given up no runs in the final inning.
Against Richfield, Emery picked up a single run in the first inning, another run in the fourth inning, another in the fifth inning and their final run in the sixth inning.
In the first inning, Nevin Jensen got on base due to a Richfield error, got to second on a base on balls to Moore. A wild pitch put Jensen on third and Jensen scored on a ball hit by Geren Payne that was misplayed by the Wildcat second baseman.
In the fourth inning, Kashe Jewkes got on base after an error by the Richfield catcher and scored on a double by Nick Stoddard. In the fifth inning, Bolotas got on base due an error by the Richfield second baseman and scored on a double by Moore. In the sixth inning, Jewkes got on base due to another Richfield error, this time by the third baseman, and scored on a triple by Gage Bell.
Against Manti, Emery scored twice in the third inning and three more times in the fourth inning in opening up a 5-1 lead. In the third inning, Bolotas walked followed by Jensen hitting a double to left field. Jensen got an RBI. After Moore singled, Payne picked up the other RBI as his hit ball was misplayed by the Manti second baseman.
In the fourth inning, Bell got on by another error by the second baseman and Bolotas followed with a homerun to score both runners. Jensen then singled followed by a Moore single and a Nathan Mecham single. Moore got the RBI. Payne flew out to centerfield to end the inning. Emery will try to have better seventh innings this week as they play four home games. On Tuesday, Emery continues region play by hosting Juab. On Wednesday, Emery will play a non-region contest against Uintah. Emery will finish the week on Friday with a double header against North Sanpete.
Seventh Inning not good for Spartans in region losses
"Kash Jewkes is safe at home against Richfield."