Utah Tech could not completely overcome a hot BYU start as the Trailblazers closed the non-conference portion of their 2023 home slate with a 14-11 loss to the Cougars on Monday afternoon at Karl Brooks Field.
 
The Blazers (20-11) found themselves in a quick 8-0 second-inning hole after BYU struck for four runs in each of its first two offensive frames.
 
However Utah Tech would get up off the deck to score nine runs over the next three innings to eventually tie the game at 9-9 after four complete. Rachel Campbell got the Trailblazers on the scoreboard with an RBI-single with two outs in the second, while Madisen Duryea cut the deficit in half at 8-4 with a three-run home run to left field in the third.
 
Then after the Cougars (15-7) plated a run in the fourth, Utah Tech answered with five runs in the home half of the stanza. The Blazers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored all five runs on just three hits, though they were the beneficiary of four Cougar walks and a bases loaded wild pitch, which brought home Laura Lockard with the first run of the rally.  
 
Marisa Rubio drove in UT's second run on a groundout, while Hannah Hughbanks followed with a two-run single, and LB Kahahawai-Kekona doubled home the Blazer first baseman three pitches later to draw Utah Tech even.
 
BYU would take the momentum back with single runs in the fifth and seventh inning, which bookended a three-run sixth, to jump back on top 14-9.
 
Utah Tech mounted one last charge in the seventh, which started with a Tanya Windle one-out triple. Ellie Evans then chased Windle home with a single, and the Trailblazers would eventually load the bases with two outs with a Lauren Almeida single and a Hughbanks walk.
 
Kahahawai-Kekona followed with a free pass to force in a run and bring Duryea up representing the winning run, but Cougar reliever Ailana Agbayani (W, 2-1) would retire the junior on strikes to end the game. 
 
Windle, Almeida and Duryea each collected two hits as the Trailblazers finished with 12 safeties on the afternoon.
 
Utah Tech returns to WAC play this weekend with a three-game series at conference newcomer UT Arlington.