Despite turning the first triple play in the program's NCAA era, Utah Tech dropped the first game of its four-game weekend series at Cal Poly by a 7-2 count on Friday night at Baggett Stadium.
 
After surrendering single runs in each of the Mustangs' first two offensive innings, the Trailblazers (12-37) came back with a run of their own in the fourth when a Brennen Study groundout chased home Hunter Katschke, who was plunked to lead off the frame. 
 
Cal Poly (29-18) clapped back with two more runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to extend to a 5-1 advantage.
 
The Mustangs threatened to break the game wide open in the seventh, with one run already in and runners at second and third with no outs.
 
Utah Tech reliever Dakoda West got Braxton Thomas to hit a sharp ground ball to Aaron Perez, who stepped on the bag at first base and fired a strike to shortstop Petey Soto Jr., who tagged out Ryan Stafford as he tried to retreat to the second base bag.
 
Soto Jr. then relayed the ball to the plate, where catcher Hank Dodson tagged out Jake Steels trying to score from third to end the inning with a 3-6-2 triple play.
 
After Cal Poly added an insurance run in the eighth, Katschke doubled to lead off the Blazer ninth and scored the game's final run on a Perez groundout.
 
Utah Tech was limited to just four hits on the night, with Katschke's double serving as the Trailblazers' lone extra base hit. Sophomore lefthander Evan Vasiliou (L, 4-6) struck out three in six innings complete, though he was touched up for five runs and seven hits. 
 
The two teams will play the middle two games of their four-game weekend series in a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. (MT).