OREM — The final day of the Utah high school sports season saw two baseball teams repeat as state champions.
Both American Fork and Spanish Work went back-to-back in their respective classifications during the 6A and 5A championship series at Utah Valley's UCCU Ballpark, respectively.
But how they got there told a different story.
6A baseball: American Fork overcomes rough start for 4th title in 6 years
The Cavemen didn't start Game 2 of the championship series particularly well.
American Fork gave up three base hits to Skyridge, and walked in one of its three runs allowed in the second inning.
But the Cavemen offense came to play — and the defense caught up, shutting out upstart Skyridge for the final five innings for a two-game series win.
Bode Gaggero ripped a pair of home runs for three RBI, and Talon Willardson added a triple and an RBI to lead American Fork to back-to-back 6A titles with a 5-3 win over the Falcons.
BYU commit Cache Poulson added a solo shot for American Fork (24-8), which won its fourth championship in the past six years and sixth in 24 seasons under head coach Jared Ingersoll — all since 2012.
Miles Robinson had a double and an RBI for Skyridge (19-14), which got four strikeouts from Rip Roberts and a double from Bo Larson.
5A baseball: Spanish Fork goes back-to-back with win over Maple Mountain
Spanish Fork had to take the long route to its second consecutive 5A state baseball championship, and 10th in school history.
But that'll do for head coach Hadley Thorpe.
The Dons pounded out eight runs on nine hits en route to an 8-4 win over Maple Mountain in the third game of the 5A baseball championship series Saturday at Utah Valley's UCCU Ballpark.
Jeremiah Hall, the winning pitcher from Game 2 earlier Saturday, mashed a home run to lead Maple Mountain.
Mick Winward, Key Ward and Crew Corry also drove in a run apiece.
But Utah Tech commit Sammy Dart collected five strikeouts and helped himself with two RBI as the Dons limited the Golden Eagles to four runs on six hits.
Trigg Cloward led Spanish Fork at the plate, belting a home run with four RBI as Spanish Fork jumped out to a 6-1 lead after three innings and never looked back.
Cloward added a two doubles in his four at-bats, and the sophomore added a sacrifice fly for good measure.
5A game 2: Maple Mountain one-hits Dons to force Game 3
Jeremiah Hall fanned eight during the Golden Eagles' single-hit shutout, 3-0 over Spanish Fork to force a winner-take-all third game for the 5A title.
Nash Ferguson smacked a double with an RBI, and Mitch Walker and Key Ward also drove in runs for Maple Mountain.
