Utah Tech could not get the big hit when it needed it in the late innings as the Trailblazers dropped a 5-3 decision at Seattle U in the first game of a three-game WAC weekend series on a drizzly Friday afternoon at Bannerwood Ballpark.
After the Trailblazers (5-17/3-4 WAC) spotted the Redhawks a 2-0 first inning lead, they managed to pull even with a
Hunter Katschke RBI-single in the third, then tied the game in the fourth when
Chase Rodriguez scored on the back end of a double steal.
Seattle U (7-14/3-4 WAC) clapped back with a single run in its half of the fourth, then opened up a 5-2 advantage thanks to a two-out, two-run Jackson Reed single in the fifth.
Utah Tech got one of those runs back in the sixth and had a chance for more after two Redhawk errors led to that run and two Trailblazer base runners on second and third and no outs.
However Seattle U righthander Blake Smith (W, 3-1) retired the next three batters he faced to escape the jam with the lead intact.
The Trailblazers had their chances to again tie or take the lead with two runners on in both the seventh and eighth frames, but each time the Redhawks were able to turn Utah Tech away.
Utah Tech mounted one last charge in the ninth, loading the bases on a walk and two singles with one out, but Redhawk reliever Cameron Dayton (S, 3) induced a pop-up and a Rodriguez hot shot down the line that first baseman Ryne Hays snared and won the foot race to the bag to end the game.
The Trailblazers lost despite outhitting Seattle U 10-8, with Katschke,
Hank Dodson and
Petey Soto Jr. each collecting two hits to lead the team offensively.
Unfortunately the Utah Tech could not take advantage to four total Redhawk errors, though two of the three runs they scored on the day were unearned. Meanwhile the Blazers left nine of the 11 total runners they stranded on base from the sixth inning on.
Sophomore southpaw
Evan Vasiliou (L, 2-3) pitched into the fifth and surrendered five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts, while junior reliever
Matt Nelson went the rest of the way for Utah Tech, striking out two in 3.2 innings of one-hit relief.
The two teams will play the middle game of their WAC series on Saturday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. (PT).
