Emery softball begins region season with a win

By GARY ARRINGTON Sports Writer

The Emery High Lady Spartans had a very busy week as they opened region play with a win, traveled to Gunnison for a non-region game and then played in a St George tournament. Emery defeated Grand at home to start region 15 action by the score of 10-9. The Spartan team then lost five straight games before they defeated Millard High to close out the St George meet by that same 10-9 score.
Ashton Bell and Kambrie Hinkins have been hitting the ball really well this season and lead the Emery team offensively. Bell, who has signed to play college ball at Colorado Northwestern Community College, hit five homeruns last week and finished with 14 base hits. Hinkins hit for the cycle against Grand, meaning she had a single, a double, a triple and a homerun in the game. Hinkins also had two other homeruns and had a total of nine hits for the week.
Against Grand, Emery scored three times in the first inning, twice in the second inning and three times in the third inning to lead 8-1. Grand scored twice in the fourth, once in the fifth and the sixth and then four times in the top of the seventh inning to tie the score. Emery scored once in the bottom of the seventh to earn the victory. Bells two homeruns in this game cleared not only the fence but several rows of parked cars also as they were monster hits.
Amber Petersen and Addy Healy each had a double in the game. Emery had 14 base hits but also committed four errors which kept the game closer than it needed to be. Bell got the win on the mound and she had seven strikeouts in the game.
Emery lost to Gunnison 15-8 as the Spartans outhit the Bulldogs but six Spartan errors helped the home team to the win. Bell had two homeruns in this game and Hinkins had one and Taylor Payne and Kelsey Reeve each had a double.
In St George, Emery lost to Aquinas High out of California, Juab High, south Summit High and Wasatch High before winning the final game. Bell had a double for the Spartans lone hit against Aquinas and Emery had just four hits against Juab with Bell having two of those and Hinkins and Gentry Noyes one each. Emery had six hits against South Summit with Bell having three, Hinkins two and Noyes one. Bell and Hinkins each hit homerun.
Against Wasatch, Hinkins, Bell and Reeve each had a hit.
In the final game of the week against Millard, Emery scored five times in the bottom of the first inning after having given up four runs in the top of the inning and three more times in the second inning to take an 8-4 lead. Emery needed a run in the fourth inning and another in the fifth inning to grab the win. Taylor Payne had two doubles in the game and Jacie Huntington had one with Huntington having two base hits as did Bell.
Emery now has a 3-7 season record and will face Grand at Grand on Tuesday and will play at home against South Sevier on Friday.