| Adriane Weihing bunts against Carbon |
Emery concluded their regular season play the same way they began it, cold, windy and with a loss. On what at best could be described as a blustery day, the visiting Carbon Dinos kept their play-off hopes alive with a 5-4 victory over the fourth-ranked Emery High Spartans. Earlier in the week, on an even windier day, Emery traveled to North Sanpete and defeated the Hawks 3-0.
Emery finished the season 17-5 and the region season 8-4 as perhaps the Spartans best year ever concluded. Emery will now travel to Uintah High School and play a fifth-place team from one of the two northern regions, probably Judge Memorial High School, in the first round of state play-offs, Saturday at noon. Judge concluded their region season winless. With a victory, Emery will then play the following Thursday at the Valley complex in Taylorsville. A loss would make the Spartans play again that day in Vernal. The softball play-offs are a true double elimination tournament.
At the conclusion of the varsity game, Emery honored the five seniors on the team who also happened to be the captains of the team. Leslee Lake, Chelsea Skinner, Bailey Kay, Jalee Jensen and Whitney Allen all played key roles in the success of this team and were models of dedication for the younger players. Leslee pitched most games while Chelsea caught most of them. Whitney caught the others. Bailey played outfield, as did Chelsea when she did not catch. Jalee was the shortstop. Whitney was also the designated hitter.
Against Carbon, Emery had their opportunities but failed to deliver the win. A controversial call at first base in the first inning prevented two runs from counting. A couple of errors in the sixth inning put Carbon runners on base just before a Dino homerun. Emery hit the ball well all game long snaring 11 base hits throughout the game but other balls hit hard were right at a defensive player.
Emery scored two runs in the first inning. After a ground out, Adriane Weihing walked, Chelsea singled, Leslee hit into a fielder’s choice, Bailey singled and Whitney doubled. Candice Norton hit a hard grounder off the pitcher and was called out at first to end the inning.
Emery scored again in the third inning as Chelsea singled and Whitney doubled to score her. Carbon scored one in the fourth inning as their catcher hit a homerun.
Carbon then scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning. After a walk and a groundout, Emery allowed the next two hitters to get on base due to Emery errors and then the Carbon pitcher hit a homerun to put Carbon up 5-3. Leslee hit a homerun in the bottom of the seventh for the final margin of 5-4.
On Tuesday last week, Emery scored twice in the third inning and once more in the fifth inning to get the 3-0 win at Mount Pleasant. Chelsea singled, Leslee got on due to an error and Whitney brought them home with a double in the third inning. In the fifth inning, Adriane walked, stole second base and scored on a single by Leslee. The Hawks had only four base runners in the ball game as they garnered two walks and two singles but never in the same inning.
Emery had 11 base hits in the Carbon game led by Whitney with three. Jalee, Chelsea and Leslee each had two base hits. Emery had seven base hits in the North Sanpete game. Candice and Jalee led the way with two hits each.