Lady Spartans pick up win against Grand

By GARY ARRINGTON Sports Writer

With two region softball victories last week, the Emery High softball team can claim a tie for the region championship with a victory this week at home over the visiting San Juan High team. San Juan, the reigning 2-A state champion, leads region 15 with a 6-0 record with Emery right behind at 6-1. An Emery win this Thursday would make the two teams flip a coin for placement in the state tournament. San Juan would still have to defeat Grand in their final region contest.
Emery will start things off this week with a home non-region game against 3-A’s Desert Hills High School out of St. George. Emery is to their final four games of the season before the tournament starts and the Spartans possess a 14-4 overall record. Game time is 3:30 p.m. each day with the varsity and sophomore/freshman teams playing at the same time followed by a JV contest.
Last week Emery defeated Grand at home on Tuesday by the score of 6-3. Emery then traveled to Monroe and defeated South Sevier 16-2. Jeridi Price pitched the game against South Sevier and the final two and a third innings against Grand. Whitney Roper pitched the first five innings against Grand.
Against Grand, Emery scored two runs in the first inning, another run in the fourth inning, two runs in the fifth inning and the final run in the sixth inning. Grand scored their three runs in the fifth inning to tie the score at 3-3 before Emery took the lead back in the bottom of the inning.
In the first inning, Bryton Hess got on base due to an error by the Grand shortstop, Roper walked and then Jaiden Huntington walked to load the bases. Auminee Bennett then doubled to right field to score the two runs.
In the fourth inning, Haylee Beckstead doubled to center field, JoLynn Jennings got on base due to an error and then Beckstead was forced out as Hess hit into a fielder’s choice. Jennings scored as Roper had a sacrifice fly to center.
In the firth inning for Emery, Bennett led off with a home run to put the Spartans back on top. Price walked and would later score on a wild pitch by the opposing pitcher. In the sixth inning, Hess walked, Roper doubled and Huntington doubled followed by a Bennett single but only Hess would score. Roper was thrown out at third base.
At South Sevier, Emery scored often as the game was over after six innings. Emery scored one run in the first inning, two runs in the second and third innings, six runs in the fourth inning and five runs in the sixth inning. South Sevier scored a single run in the second inning and another run in the third inning. Emery had 12 base hits in the game, nine singles and three doubles. Shandee Jewkes led the Spartans as Jewkes had four base hits including one of the doubles. Jewkes also led Emery with five RBI’s.
Beckstead and Bennett each had a double in the game. Jennings had three singles.
Emery was assisted by 14 walks given up by Ram pitching while Ram pitchers also hit five Emery batters and two Emery batters reached base due to errors.
Just for comparison, Price walked three batters, gave up six base hits, hit nobody with a pitch and Emery only committed one error.