Utah Tech dropped the final two games of its home weekend series with Wichita State, 10-3 and 10-0 – both in seven innings, on Saturday afternoon at Bruce Hurst Field. After claiming series opener on Wednesday, the Trailblazers lost the final three games of the set to fall to 2-6 on the young season.
In game one, the Shockers (4-3) jumped out to a quick 2-0 advantage thanks to solo home runs in each of their first two offensive frames.
Utah Tech cut the deficit in half in the home second and plated two runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead.
Jack Walker got the Blazers on the board with an RBI-single, then after a
Parker Schmidt run-scoring single in the third, Walker drove in his second run of the game on a groundout.
UT's lead would be short lived, however, as Wichita State answered two runs of its own in the fourth, and struck for three runs in both the fifth and seventh stanzas.
Meanwhile, WSU starter Payton Tolle (W, 1-0) and Nate Snead (S, 1) would combine to limit Utah Tech to just four hits and six total baserunners over the final four innings to clinch at least a series split.
Walker and
Zach Thomas each collected two hits for the Blazers, who finished with nine hits in the game.
Wichita State carried its offensive momentum into the nightcap, scoring all 10 runs over a five-inning stretch, though only four of the Shockers' 10 runs were earned thanks to four costly Trailblazer errors. After plating an unearned run in the first, WSU hit three homers as part of a five-run second, with three of those five run coming after a two-out UT miscue.
Utah Tech's potent offense was stymied by WSU righthander Grant Adler (W, 2-0), who struck out 11 Trailblazers over six shutout innings. Adler allowed just one hit and three total base runners, with UT's lone hit coming on a
Sean Keating clean single to right field that led off the home second.
Utah Tech continues its season-opening homestand next weekend at Bruce Hurst Field with a four-game series vs. South Dakota State.
