Softball Game Preview: Manti Templars vs. Emery Spartans

The Manti Templars will square off against the Emery Spartans at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

On Tuesday, Manti didn't have quite enough to beat North Sanpete and fell 6-5. The loss continues a trend for the Templars in their meetings with the Hawks: they've now lost six in a row.

Manti saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Carlie Rasmussen, who went 3-for-4 with one RBI.

Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Emery ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Duchesne, sneaking past 6-5.

Kallee Lake spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Katelyn Nielson, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That's the most hits she has posted over her last ten games. Another player making a difference was Bailey Luke, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

Emery kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Duchesne only managed six hits.

Emery has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matches. That's provided a massive bump to their 16-11 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.8 runs over those games. As for Manti, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-16.

Manti suffered a grim 10-2 defeat to Emery in their previous matchup back in March. Will the Templars have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.