Utah Tech battled the elements, and two opponents, and came away with two victories on Saturday at the Fresno State Bulldog Classic at the FSU Margie Wright Diamond. The Trailblazers rolled past Maine in the opener, 12-1 in five innings, before rallying to defeat UC Santa Barbara in game two, 5-3. 
 
In game one vs. Maine, it was all Trailblazers (15-6) at the onset, scoring all 12 runs in their four offensive frames to run away with the win. Utah Tech struck for three runs in the first on an RBI double from Lauren Almeida, who later scored the second run on the back end of a double steal, and a Maine (4-12) error.
 
Utah Tech tallied five more runs in the second inning thanks to another Maine error, a second Almeida run-scoring hit, and a two-run Shea Clements home run. 
 
Then after to the two teams scored single runs in the third, the Blazers tacked on three more runs in the fourth, with the big blow coming on a two-run Hannah Hughbanks double.
 
The run support was more than enough for sophomore pitcher Attlyn Johnson (W, 6-2), who struck out two and surrendered only one unearned run and four hits over four innings to earn her sixth winning decision of the year.
 
UT pounded out 10 hits against the Black Bears, with lead-off hitter Tanya Windle, Hughbanks, Clements and Almeida each collecting two hits apiece. 
 
In the nightcap, the Gauchos wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as lead-off hitter Madelyn McNally singled down the left field line and managed to race around the bases and score after the ball got away from the Blazer outfielder.
 
Utah Tech got that run back in the top of the second when Almeida doubled, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
 
Then after a near one hour weather delay, UCSB jumped back on top in the home fourth thanks to an Ashley Donaldson lead-off homer.
 
The Trailblazers wrestled the lead away in the sixth, taking advantage of two costly Gaucho errors to score three two-out runs en route to a 4-2 advantage. 
 
UCSB made it a one-run game with a Donaldson RBI flyout in the home sixth, but Utah Tech got its two-run advantage back thanks to a Windle run-scoring fly ball in the seventh. 
 
Freshman hurler Sauren Garton (W, 7-1) would go on to retire the Gauchos in order in the bottom of the seventh to close out the win. 
 
Almeida picked up two more hits, while Carly Eldredge and Rachel Campbell also rapped out two safeties, as Utah Tech outhit UCSB 7-4. Garton fanned nine and scattered two earned runs (three total) and four hits in seven innings to earn her seventh win of the year. 
 
Utah Tech is slated to continue play at the FSU Classic on Sunday with two more games against UCSB at 11:30 a.m. (MT), and 2 p.m. (MT).