The Lady Spartans got down to business on Thursday in Spanish Fork at the 3A State Softball Championships. In their opening game, they faced a very familiar opponent, the Canyon View Falcons. Emery used a three-run seventh to end the game with a two-run walk-off homerun from the bat of Katelyn Nielson and advanced by the score of 5-4.

Canyon View entered the contest at No. 8 in the final RPI of the season, the Lady Spartans hold the top spot. Emery took victories quite convincingly in their two other meetings this season, 15-1 at Canyon View in March, and 10-7 at Castle Dale in April.

Emery drew first blood, off of a Brooklynn Ekker double that would drive in Kali Jensen to take a 1-0 lead at the end of one. Canyon View added two runs of their own in the top of the second to take the lead. In the bottom of the third Ekker would single to drive in Shannon Johnson and tie the score at two. Things got quiet for the Lady Spartans for the next few innings.

In the bottom of the seventh with Cayon View on top 4-2, Emery put together a little rally that started with another Ekker hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed Jensen to score. Next up was Nielson who would get to play hero sending a two-run walk-off homerun over the right field wall, bringing Ekker home and ending the game 5-4.

Nielson had two hits with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. Jensen collected two hits and scored two runs. Ekker earned a pair of hits, three RBIs, and one run scored in the Spartan win.

Rheagan Rhoten got the start going 4.1 innings giving up four hits, four runs, and striking out one. Kallee Lake came in to close things out going 2.2 and striking out three.

The Lady Spartans are back at it Friday morning at 10:00 when they face the Morgan Trojans.