High school baseball: Warriors end Leopards' 4A Cinderella run in state tourney

OREM — World beaters one day, Cinderella smashers the next.

Whatever role Snow Canyon's baseball team has had to fill during the 4A state tournament, it's done it exceptionally well. A day after stunning nationally-ranked Spanish Fork, the Warriors ruined East's Cinderella season with a 12-2 win in five innings in the winners' bracket final on Thursday.

Snow Canyon advances to play Spanish Fork again on the final day of the tournament, needing just one more win to claim the 4A championship.

The Warriors had to avoid a letdown against East. After becoming just the second Utah team to defeat Spanish Fork this season, Snow Canyon had little time to celebrate. The Warriors had to refocus and recharge against a Leopards team known for comebacks and late-inning heroics.

"They were where they're supposed to be," Snow Canyon coach Reed Secrist said of East advancing as far as it did. "That's a good thing for them. But these kids (the Warriors) were ready to go no matter who they faced."

Snow Canyon got its offense going in the second inning. Jake Brown got the Warriors on the scoreboard with an RBI single, and Devin Gubler followed with a two-run double. Snow Canyon built a 7-2 lead in the third when Elliot Knox drove in a run and Brown had a two-run triple.

Brown, a team captain along with Reggie Gates and Saxton Brown, made sure the Warriors were as ready for East as they were for Spanish Fork.

"We made sure we told everybody they had a great game (against Spanish Fork), but we've got to keep our momentum going," he said. "We sent out a mass text saying 'gear up, it's going to be a big game. Get rest and let's play ball.' "

For the first time in the tournament, the Warriors finished off a team via the mercy rule. Knox had a two-run triple during a five-run fourth that helped put the Leopards pull away early. It was the first time in the state tournament that Snow Canyon kept the pressure on and kept hitting until the game ended.

"Ten-running somebody in the semifinals is pretty big," Brown said. "We've been working all tournament to finish off teams. We've been hitting well, but we haven't been able to finish. Finishing today was huge for us."

Austin Ovard threw all five innings for Snow Canyon, striking out 11 while allowing nine hits. He kept the Leopards at bay by hitting spots with his fastball and curveball. He was also backed by an error-free defense.