| Gatlan Huntington jumps high to catch the throw to keep the runner on second. |
Baseball is a funny game. It is a team sport while at the same time, it is an individual sport. Although you play the game with eight other players, you are all alone at the plate and there is usually nobody else in your position on the field at the same time you are. There are times you score when you do not get a hit and then there are other times that you hit the ball well but cannot get a run. That just about describes Emery in their two wins last week.
In a double header against North Sanpete, Emery came from behind in the bottom of the seventh inning twice to claim a one-run victory each time. The score of the first game was 4-3 and the score of the second game was 5-4.
In the opener, Steve Giles pitched a complete game in getting the win. Giles gave up a double and two singles in the first inning, as the Hawks got on the scoreboard first at 1-0. In the bottom of the inning, Ryan Draper walked, Dave Justice walked, Ryne Jones walked and Blake Mortensen walked to score Draper and Emery evened the score at one apiece.
In the second inning, North Sanpete scored another run in the inning as one batter got a hit and then scored after an error and a balk. The other batters all struck out. Emery then held the Hawks scoreless for three innings.
Emery tied the score in the bottom of the third. Mortensen was hit by a pitch, Skylar Jorgensen, a pinch runner stole second and then Giles got a base hit to score Jorgensen. Score was now 2-2. Emery took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Kade Jones doubled and Draper scored him with a single.
After the Hawks tied the score in the sixth inning, Emery won in the bottom of the seventh inning as Draper doubled and then scored on a hit ball by Justice that the Hawks bobbled. Final score was 4-3.
In the second game, North Sanpete scored two runs in each of the third and fourth innings off Emery starter Trevor Komar. Kyler Edgehouse pitched the final three innings of the game to grab the win.
Emery’s first run came in the second inning as Ryne Jones walked, Mortensen walked and then Riley Spears got the first of his three hits for the day and Jones scored.
In the third inning, Emery added another run as Draper singled, stole second base and then scored as Ryne singled. Emery added another run in the fourth inning. Spears singled again, Kesler Tanner got on base via a shortstop error sending Spears to second and Spears then scored on a single by Kade Jones.
Emery tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning. Spears doubled and scored on another Kade Jones single. Both Spears and Kade finished the game with three hits. Emery won the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Justice singled, got to second on a throwing error and then got to third base on a fly ball off the bat of Edgehouse. With Ryne Jones up to bat, Justice scored on a wild pitch by the Hawk pitcher and Emery got the one run victory.
Emery is now 2-1 in region play. Emery will host Delta in a single game on Tuesday and then will host Juan Diego in a double header on Friday.
Emery only had three hits in the first win but was aided offensively by seven walks. Emery had ten hits in the second game while picking up two walks. Although the Emery pitching staff gave up 16 hits in the two games, they only gave up two walks. Baseball is a funny game.