Utah Tech tried to rally late but could not overcome a quick Cougar start as the Trailblazers came out on the short end of an 8-5 decision at in-state rival BYU on Tuesday night at Miller Park. 
 
After spotting BYU a 2-0 first inning lead, the Trailblazers (8-24) came back with single runs in the second and third frames to tie the game at 2-2. Bryker Hurdsman got Utah Tech on the scoreboard in the second with his third home run of the season, a towering solo blast to straight-away center field.
 
Utah Tech then pulled even in the third when Ethan He singled home Shane Taylor, who reached on a one-out single and stole second to move into scoring position.
 
However the game did not stay tied very long as the Cougars (12-19) struck for five runs on six hits in the home half of the third inning to jump back on top at 7-2.
 
The Blazers managed to get one of those runs back in the fifth with another He RBI, but the BYU would again answer with a Cole Gambill solo homer, his second of the game, in its half of the stanza.  
 
Utah Tech continued to chip away at the lead, scoring a run in the seventh on a wild pitch, and would pull to within three at 8-5 following a He homer to lead off the eighth. 
 
The Trailblazers would later load the bases with one out in the eighth to bring up the potential go-ahead run, but BYU managed to escape the inning with the lead intact after reliever Carter Smith induced an inning-ending double play.
 
Utah Tech was then retired in order in the ninth to end the game.
 
He finished with two hits, including his third home run of the season, to go with his team-high three RBI. Taylor extended his career-long hit streak to 13-straight games with his third inning single as Utah Tech collected eight hits on the night.
 
In addition, senior southpaw Ben Hart became the 13th pitcher in the program's NCAA era, and the third hurler this season overall, to reach 100 career strikeouts, doing so in the fifth inning.
 
Utah Tech returns home for a three-game WAC series against conference leader Sam Houston this weekend at Bruce Hurst Field. Friday's series opener will start at 6:05 p.m., followed by game two on Saturday at 2:05 p.m., and Sunday's series finale at 12:05 p.m.