The Emery Spartans’ quest for another state baseball title came to an end Friday after falling to the Kanab Cowboys 10-5 in the one-loss bracket.
Emery had won three games in a row in the same bracket (17-6 vs South Summit, 9-5 vs Providence Hall, 11-8 vs Enterprise) before the loss to the Cowboys.
Colton Willson pitched just one inning before Cade Brazier spelled him in the second inning, an inning in which Kanab scored five runs to take a 7-1 lead. Willson gave up six runs on four hits. Brazier threw six innings, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out seven.
Tel Gardner laced a double and a triple with two RBIs in the game. Race Nielsen also had two hits, going 2-4 with two singles. Jordan Baletka, Logan Labrum and Easton Gordon had an RBI apiece as well.
Emery cut the lead to three, 7-4, after scoring three runs in the fourth inning. But Kanab responded with three of its own in the next inning to take a commanding lead. The Spartans added a single run in the seventh to end the game 10-5.
Emery finishes the season winners of 18 games compared to just eight losses, including a 6-4 mark in 2A East action.