The Emmaus Lehigh Valley Legion baseball team has been unable to turn around its season after a slow start. The Hornets fell to 0-9 on the year with a 13-6 loss at Whitehall on Monday.

Kaden Zacharda finished the game going 2-for-3 with a run scored and four RBI, three of which came on a bases-loaded triple in the second inning when Emmaus scored five runs to take a 6-3 lead.

Emmaus got on the board first as Cole George led off the game with a double to right. Dennis Holland drew a walk to put two runners on and after a double steal, Zachardo hit a fly ball to right that was deep enough to score George to put Emmaus up 1-0. Emmaus put runners on first and second, but Whitehall worked out of the jam when Sean Kowalski recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. Whitehall responded in the bottom of the inning when they put up three runs on four hits against Zacharda, who started for Emmaus.

The Hornets got a leadoff single from Cole Killino to open the second inning and James Raynock followed with a walk to put two men on. Kowalski, who finished the day striking out seven batters, again recorded back-to-back strikeouts but then walked George to load the bases before forcing home a run on a walk to Holland to cut the Emmaus deficit to one.

Zacharda followed with his triple to put Emmaus back on top 5-3. Davin Rompilla followed with an RBI single to give Emmaus a three-run cushion.

Whitehall put up five runs in the fifth and four more in the bottom of the sixth to get the 13-6 win.

On the season, Holland is hitting .333 for Emmaus and is tied with Zacharda for the team lead in RBI with four. Chase Simmons (.308) and Zacharda (.300) are next in line offensively for Emmaus, while George leads the team with seven runs scored.

On the mound, Emmaus pitchers have combined for a 12.48 ERA and have 41 walks and 26 strikeouts on the season. Zacharda leads the staff with 13 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings.

Emmaus has home games against Northern Valley (5-4) and South Parkland (8-1) this week before ending their regular season Monday at Whitehall (3-4).