The Emery Spartan baseball squad went on a scoring barrage in the opening inning on Tuesday at Juab.  The Spartans put up all of their runs and then had to hang on as the Wasps came fighting back, as Emery hung on for the 9-8 win.

Emery came out swinging literally on Tuesday, starting with a Trygg Jensen single that drove in Beau Stilson to get the scoring started. After a Tyce Larsen walk, Mason Thornley stepped up and sent one to the shortstop, grounding into a fielder’s choice as Peyton Nielson would score, and the Spartans were up 2-0. Another fielder’s choice from the bat of Easton Stoker drove in Jensen, followed by a Jess Larsen single to left that brought in Tyce Larsen. Braxton Royse would step up to the plate with two on and hit into another fielder’s choice, scoring Thornley to increase the Spartans’ lead. After scoring on five of their last six at-bats, Ben Johansen came up to the plate, sending a line drive to center field, bringing home Jesse Simmons and Easton Stoker to put the Spartans up 7-0. Then, with one out, Trygg Jensen would walk, bringing home Royse, and two batters later, Thornley was hit by a pitch, bringing Johansen home. The third out would come, ending Emery’s scoring at 9-0.

After a scoreless second inning, the Wasps would continue to whittle away over the next five innings at the Spartan lead as they were also able to hold Emery off the scoreboard. The Wasps were able to cut the Emery lead to 9-7 heading into the bottom of the 7th inning, where they would add one more, and the Spartans were able to close them out to claim a 9-8 win.

Nielson went 2-4 in the contest, scoring one run. Jensen,  Thornley, and Johansen all went 1-3 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.

Nielson also got the start on the mound, going four innings, giving up four runs, three earned, with five strikeouts on three hits. Tyce Larsen came in to go two and two-thirds innings, giving up four runs on two hits and striking out one, and Jensen closed the game out, earning one strikeout.

Spartans won’t head back to the field until next Tuesday, March 24th, when they host the Union Cougars in their home opener. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.