| Mandi Weihing plays first base for Emery. |
As in previous games this season, the Emery High Spartan softball team lost a game because they could not put a complete game together. At Spanish Fork, Emery lost a State play-in game to the Delta Rabbits 9-8 with the winner moving on to St. George and the loser staying home.
Emery allowed Delta to take a 5-0 lead in the game as errors in the field and mistakes on the bases plagued the Spartans.
In the third inning, Emery had players on first base and third base with no outs and just like that the Rabbit catcher picked both Emery runners off base.
In the fourth inning with two Rabbits on base and two out, an errant throw after a ground ball along with a bobbled catch loaded the bases and a hit by the next batter scored three runs for Delta.
Emery, rather than just throwing in the towel and giving up, had a fantastic sixth inning. Mandi Weihing and Jaylee Jensen singled and Eve Guymon walked after an Emery strikeout to load the bases. It is amazing the change it makes in players when things go their way.
Meagan Pearson then singled scoring two runs and Brandi Wilson singled scoring another, Adrian McNee singled, Jerica Jensen singled and Whitney Erickson had a double down the right field line and Emery had seven runs and the lead. Unfortunately, the lead was short lived.
Delta retaliated in the bottom of the inning. Two infield singles, a walk and two more singles scored four Delta runs and ended Emery’s post-season aspirations with the loss.
Emery had their opportunities but just seemed to be snake bitten; they just could not get a break. In the second inning, Carly Anderson had an apparent single to center field except she never made it to first.
On the first step out of the batters box, she dislocated her knee and fell to the ground atop home plate in obvious agony. A surprised Delta team made the play at first when they, like all of us, could not find the runner. She will recover but that was just the type of day it was.
After the game, Coach Kelly Alton talked to his team, “Way to come back ladies, that took a lot of heart. We appreciate your efforts today but we just came up short. You should be proud that you didn’t give up.”
On Wednesday, Emery closed out the year with a non-league game at Morgan High and came home with the win, 7-4. The Emery sophomores and Emery JV’s also scored impressive victories under strange home rules.
Emery scored two runs in the first inning as Mandi and Misha scored on a double by Eve. They added two more runs in the third inning as Haley Hansen and Misha scored on an outfield hit by Eve and a bunt single by Adrian.
Emery finished up their scoring in the seventh inning as Misha tripled, Eve walked, Adrian got on via a Morgan error and Brandi doubled. Morgan scored all their runs in the third inning in the loss.