The Emery High Lady Spartan softball team is now 8-3 for the season after picking up two last minute victories last week. On Wednesday, Emery traveled a day later than scheduled to Nephi due to weather and came home with an 11-9 win that went into extra innings. On Friday, Emery opened region 15 action with a 6-5 win over Richfield as the Spartans scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning. A good team seems to be able to find a way to win and that is just what Emery did last week.
Kaitlyn Thomson, centerfielder, leads the team is batting with a .464 average, on-base percentage at .559 and runs scored at 16. Whitney Roper, pitcher and third baseman, is batting .414 and leads in slugging percentage at .724. Roper has two doubles, two triples and a home run this season.
Left fielder Jaiden Huntington leads the team with three homeruns while shortstop Bryton Hess and catcher Auminee Bennett each have two. First baseman Shandee Jewkes leads the team with three doubles plus Jewkes leads the team in fielding with 54 touches without an error.
At Juab, Emery scored three runs in the first inning, four runs in the fourth inning, a single run in both the seventh and eighth innings and two runs in the ninth inning. Juab scored one run in the first inning, three in the third, two in the fifth and two more in the sixth and one in the eighth.
In the first inning, Jo Jennings singled to open the game, Bryton Hess walked, Huntington walked, Jeridi Price walked, Thomson got hit by a pitch and Jewkes walked as the Juab pitcher had control issues.
In the fourth inning, Thomson singled with Hailey Beckstead hitting another single, Jennings got on base due to an error. Hess then singled followed by another single by Roper. Bennett got on base due to another error and the Spartans were leading again 7-3.
Down 8-7 in the top of the seventh, Thomson singled and then a sacrifice bunt by Jewkes got Thomson to second base. Beckstead then got on by an infield error and Thomson scored on a hit by Jennings to tie the score.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Juab loaded the bases on three singles but were unable to score.
In overtime games, the batting team starts with a runner on second base. Hess was that runner for Emery. A fly ball to right advanced her to third and Hess scored when Juab misplayed a ball hit by Bennett. Juab also scored in the bottom of the inning.
In the ninth inning, Price started on second base for Emery. Thomson singled to left field for her fourth time on base for the game. Jewkes then doubled to centerfield to score two runs. In the bottom of the inning, Roper allowed a walk, a ground out, a strike out and a pop fly to the shortstop to get the win.
On Friday, Emery scored once in the second inning, once in the fourth inning and once in the sixth inning before scoring three times in the seventh inning. Richfield scored once in the fourth and once in the fifth and then three times in the sixth inning to take the lead.
In the second inning, Bennett got on base due to an error and then Price got hit by a pitch. Thomson laid down a sacrifice bunt but Bennett was put out at home trying to score. Price scored on a single by Jewkes.
In the fourth inning, Kaitlyn flexed those muscles she has and put the ball over the fence for a homerun. In the sixth inning, Thomson walked to lead off the inning and Jewkes singled behind her. Thomson got out trying to score from third. Jewkes did score after Jennings singled, Hess walked and Roper singled. In the bottom of the seventh inning and with Emery down 5-3, Bennett led off the inning with a single. Jeridi Price then hit a home run to tie the game at 5-5. Thomson followed with a single and Jewkes followed with a single to get Thomson to third base. Jennings singled to left field to score Thomson and the game was over.
Emery travels to Grand this Tuesday for the only game of the week.
Emery teams get wins over Richfield; Track goes to Pineview meet
"Nagel Viera runs hurdles for Emery."