Tuesday night’s game between Carbon and Emery had everything a spectator could want. The stage was set during a prime-time game under the lights on Carbon’s senior night against a well-known rival, Region 12 opponent Emery High. This one certainly lived up to the bill.
The Spartans drew first blood after Tylee Norton skipped one over the bag, down the left-field line and motored into second. She then stole third base and scored on a passed ball. Emery took a 1-0 lead. Madison Childs pitched well for the Spartans, keeping the Dinos off balance. She even struck out Lyndsey Madrigal, one of the top hitters in the state, twice. Madrigal only had three strikeouts coming into the game.
With the bases loaded and just one out in the third inning, Childs got Brooke Moosman to fly out in the infield. Stevie Oman was the next batter and represented the last chance for the Dinos to get any runs in the frame. She nearly avoided an inside pitch that would have tied up the game at one. It was worth the risk as Oman turned on the next pitch and smacked it over the fence in left for a grand slam, her first home run of the year. The Dinos took the lead, 4-1, off the monstrous hit.
After a quiet fourth inning, Emery began to make some noise in the fifth. Kaejha Johnson singled and Childs walked to start off the at bat. Bralin Wilde continued her hot streak at the plate and tied the game with one swing of the at bat. It was her third homer in three games, and just like that the Spartans answered back. Taleigh Price then reached on base as Emery proceeded to put pressure on the Dinos. Norton had Haven Byerly’s number all night. She squared one up and ripped it over the fence in left center for the second home run of the inning, putting the Spartans back on top 6-4.
In the next half inning, the Dinos wasted no time coming back as Madrigal doubled and Giana Bruno singled to make it a one-run game. Bruno later came around to score on a passed ball, tying the game once more at six. Byerly dug in after giving up a lead off single in the sixth and tallied two of her 13 strikeouts of the evening. The last one came in the form of a “strike ’em out, throw ’em out” variety, ending the inning with a Arilyn Allred out at second.
Carbon smelt blood in the water and went for the kill. The Dinos doubled up the Spartans with six runs on six hits before an out was recorded. Katie Jones led off the inning with a double, followed by two singles by Graycie Hansen and Molly Horsely. Emery elected to bring in Johnson in a pitching change, asking her to carry the team in a nearly impossible situation. A Scoville walk, a Madrigal two-RBI double and a three-run shot by Bruno put the game out of reach. Hansen would later double home another run, making it 13-6.
Emery battled in the top of the seventh and scored two runs. Norton continued to have a day at the plate and picked up her third RBI, but it would not be enough as Carbon took the thrilling game, 13-8. Byerly pitched all seven innings and picked up the win for the Dinos. It was a full team effort as each player made their impact on the game. Bruno and Oman led the Dinos with four ribbies apiece.
Up next, Carbon (14-2, 9-0) will head to play North Summit (2-10) on Wednesday while Emery (12-7-1, 4-3) will host Richfield (5-16, 2-5) on Thursday.
Photos by Jeff Barrett
