(St. George, Utah - Feb. 26, 2024) - The Trailblazers closed out the Utah Tech Tournament on Monday afternoon with a tough 9-7 loss to Eastern Kentucky at Karl Brooks Field.

With the game halted in the bottom of the seventh with two outs as Eastern Kentucky had to depart for the airport, Utah Tech (5-7) fell to the Colonels to finish the tournament with a pair of wins and a pair of losses.

The Trailblazers totaled six hits in the contest getting two hits, two runs and three RBI from leadoff hitter LB Kahahawai-Kekona.

Maka Sonognini and Ellie Evans each added a single, scored a run and drew a walk while Carly Eldredge came off the bench to smack a bases-clearing triple to drive in three runs.

On the pitching side, the Blazers used three pitchers with Sauren Garton tossing 3.2 innings in the start while Tyler Denhart got a pair of outs and Danyelle Leone recorded 1.2 innings.

With the Trailblazers scoring a run in the first, a two-run RBI single to right-center by Kahahwai-Kekona in the second pushed UT in front, 3-0.

The Colonels answered back with a run in the third and a three-run home run by Sharyn Duncan, who came on to pitch-hit in the fourth, gave EKU a 4-3 lead.

The Blazers answered right back with a four-run frame. Getting a second RBI single by Kahahwai-Kekona to knot the game at four, a walk to Laura Lockard loaded the bases and Eldredge followed with a triple down the right field line put the Trailblazers ahead 7-4.

EKU wasted no time responding with a four-run frame of their own scoring a pair on an RBI double and two more on an RBI single before adding an insurance run in the sixth.

The Trailblazers looked to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh bringing the potential tying run to the plate in Evans and with Sonognini on base, the game hit the 1:30 p.m. deadline, and the contest was complete.

Utah Tech stays at home next weekend for the Trailblazer Tournament hosting Wisconsin (8-8) in a doubleheader on Friday and single games against Utah (8-6) on Sunday and Monday.