The Emery Spartans will head out to square off against the Manti Templars at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The last three games Emery has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Emery took a eight-run defeat the last time they faced off against Duchesne, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Spartans came out on top in a nail-biter against the Eagles on Wednesday, 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.
On the hitting side, Katelyn Nielson was incredible, going 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 contests. The team also got some help courtesy of Elly Stilson, who went 3-for-4 with one run.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: 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.
Meanwhile, Manti didn't have quite enough to beat North Sanpete on Tuesday 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.
Emery has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-11 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. As for Manti, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-16.
Emery's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's matchup. The Spartans have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Manti, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Emery continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Emery's way against Manti in their previous matchup back in March, as Emery made off with a 10-2 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Spartans since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
