The South Summit Wildcats will square off against the Emery Spartans at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday. One thing working in South Summit's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last five matches.
South Summit is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They had just enough and edged out Ogden 11-10. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Wildcats have posted since April 23, 2024.
Toshlyn Louder made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she pitched eight innings while giving up just two earned (and seven unearned) runs off 13 hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, Emma Broadbent and Malia Olson did most of the damage at the plate: Broadbent got on base in three of her five plate appearances with two runs and one RBI, while Olson went 1-for-4 with three runs and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Brinley Stapleton, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with one double.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Emery and Canyon View, and Emery kept the tradition alive. The Spartans walked away with an 8-5 victory over the Falcons on Saturday.
Like South Summit, Emery also got a great game from a two-way player: Kallee Lake. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. Lake was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Bailey Luke was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. Those three RBI gave her a new career-high. Katelyn Nielson was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Emery pushed their record up to 18-11 with the win, which was their ninth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.8 runs over those games. As for South Summit, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 17-11 record this season.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Thursday. South Summit hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.9 home runs per game. However, it's not like Emery struggles in that department as they've been averaging 0.5 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
South Summit beat Emery 8-5 in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Do the Wildcats have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Spartans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
