For the first time this season, Emery will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will welcome the Union Cougars at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Emery has struggled recently with seven losses in a row, while Union will arrive with four straight victories.
Emery is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They took a 14-10 hit to the loss column at the hands of Wasatch on Saturday.
Hadley Grimm made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Aleeyah Cowley, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Union never let their opponents score on Friday. They put the hurt on Manti with a sharp 7-0 win. Considering the Cougars have won seven matchups by more than six runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Not much got past Haylee Moynier, who gave up just four hits and racked up 16 Ks to keep Manti off the board. Moynier has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in ten consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Payzlei Parrish, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most hits she has posted over her last five games. The team also got some help courtesy of Mollee Rasmussen, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI.
Union always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .519. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Manti only posted an OBP of .276.
Emery's defeat dropped their record down to 0-6. As for Union, their victory bumped their record up to 11-1.
Saturday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Emery hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .320. However, it's not like Union struggles in that department as they've averaged .383. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Emery came up short against Union in their previous meeting back in May of 2022, falling 4-1. Will the Spartans have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
