Utah Tech fell victim to a pair of late UC Santa Barbara rallies as the Trailblazers dropped both ends of a twin bill with the Gauchos, 7-5 in eight innings and 4-3, during the final day of the Fresno State Bulldog Classic on Sunday at the FSU Margie Wright Diamond.
 
In game one, the Trailblazers (15-8) found themselves in a quick first inning hole as the Gauchos pounded out three-consecutive run scoring hits to race out to a 4-0 lead before Utah Tech had a chance to take its first swings. 
 
UT managed to get up off the deck in the home third, thanks in part to a two-out UCSB error, which allowed the Blazers to score three runs to cut the deficit to 4-3. Hannah Hughbanks reached on the infield error, which allowed Sadie Gardner to scamper home with Utah Tech's first run.
 
Lauren Almeida and Shea Clements then followed with RBI hits to make it a one-run game.
 
Utah Tech kept the momentum going in the fourth with a Tanya Windle two-out, RBI-single to tie the game, and the Trailblazers would take its first lead one inning later when a Clements home run made it a 5-4 game.
 
Meanwhile, senior pitcher Ashtyn Bauerle kept Utah Tech in the game, firing five shutout innings with six strikeouts after she came on out of the bullpen in the first inning.
 
However Utah Tech could not protect its lead in the seventh as the Gauchos strung together three one-out hits to push across the tying run. UCSB regained the lead with two runs in the eighth, and would get out of a one-out jam in the UT eighth to end the game.  
 
Windle went 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Trailblazers in the opener, while Clements and Gardner each collected two hits, as Utah Tech finished with 11 safeties overall. Freshman Sauren Garton (L, 7-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing two unearned runs (three total) on five hits in 2.2 innings of relief.  
 
In the nightcap, Utah Tech flipped the script in the early going, striking for two runs in the top of the second to jump out in front. With two on and one out after a Gaucho error and a Laura Lockard double, Brylee Rudd got the Blazers on the board with a sharp single to center. Ellie Evans followed that up with a sacrifice fly to plate Lockard with the second run of the rally.
 
Sophomore pitcher Attlyn Johnston breezed through her first three innings, retiring nine of the first 10 Gauchos she faced. However UCSB would spoil the shutout bid with a run in the home fourth to cut the Trailblazer lead to 2-1.
 
Utah Tech got that run back in the seventh thanks to a two-out Madisen Duryea double that plated Carly Eldredge carrying a big insurance run.
 
UCSB (13-8) solved Johnston in its final swings as four-straight Gauchos reached on three hits and a walk, including consecutive doubles that drove in the tying and game-winning runs to walk-off with the win. 
 
Rudd finished with two of the Blazers' five hits in the finale, while Johnston (L, 6-3) fanned five in 6.2 innings in a losing effort.  
 
Utah Tech will open its 24-game WAC slate with a three-game road series at Abilene Christian next weekend.