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Orem • Skyridge and Spanish Fork kept matching each other in Monday's Class 4A baseball state quarterfinal, which only helped heighten the drama when the Falcons loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh.

But Spanish Fork reliever Brendan Bradford got Isaac Garside to fly out to end the game and preserve the Dons' 7-6 at Brent Brown Ballpark.

"We've been up and down this year, but we've always came through," Bradford said. "All you can do as a pitcher is throw strikes, that's what we did at the end to close the game. That last inning I definitely was [nervous], but I just had to throw strikes."

The seesaw battle started in the first when Skyridge scored a pair on a throwing error at third base, but Spanish Fork answered with its own run in the first when Tanner Argyle raced home on a passed ball after hitting a triple.

Not to be outdone, the Falcons responded in the top of the second with an RBI double from Jackson Kohler to take a 3-1 lead.

"Our region prepares us for those types of games," Spanish Fork coach Casey Nelson said. "It seems like every week it's very tough and very challenging."

The Dons pulled even at 3-3 in the home half of the inning, but a two-run single by Skyridge's Kaden Long in the top of the third put the Falcons back on top 5-3.

Spanish Fork finally jumped on top in its half bottom of the third. Josh Cowden tied the game at 5-5 with a two-RBI single, his second hit of the day, and Brady Brook's sacrifice fly put the Dons up 6-5.

"We faced them earlier in the season, and they're always a good hitting team," Cowden said. "But we came out to hit. They were throwing strikes and we were ready for it. But we knew that defense was going to have to win the game."

Skyridge's Brody Colledge hit a solo homer to left field to leadoff the fifth and tie the game at 6-6.

Spanish Fork pushed across the winning run in the sixth when Taye Newman hit a grounder with one out and the bases loaded. The Falcons couldn't turn the double play, and a run crossed the plate.

When Bradford coaxed the final out, it sealed the Dons' second consecutive one-run win.

"We definitely don't plan to do it," Spanish Fork coach Casey Nelson said. —

Storylines

R Spanish Fork beats Skyridge 7-6 and advances to play Timpanogos, an 8-0 winner over Maple Mountain, in the 4A semifinals.

• Brady Brook, Josh Cowden and Taye Newman each notch two RBIs for the Dons.

• Spanish Fork reliever Brendan Bradford allows only two hits over 22⁄3 innings.

• Skyridge falls to the one-loss bracket and will play Skyline.