Utah Tech made a little bit of history on Friday night as the Trailblazers rolled past California Baptist in seven innings, 21-9, at Bruce Hurst Field.
 
The Trailblazers (14-41/10-19 WAC) scored all 21 runs in a four-inning stretch midway through the game, highlighted by batting around three times in three-consecutive innings for just the second time in the program's NCAA era, and the first time during its current Division-I transition. 
 
Down 3-0 in the home third, Utah Tech sent 12 batters to the plate and came away with seven runs on six hits to bolt out to a 7-3 advantage after three innings complete.
 
All seven Trailblazer runs came with two outs in the frame, two of which were driven in by an Aaron Perez single to center field that chased home Ethan Royal and Connor Tallakson, who both singled to lead off the inning.
 
Hank Dodson followed with a double down the left field line, with advancing to Perez to third and later scoring on a passed ball. Chase Rodriguez then singled home Dodson, while the Lancers committed two costly errors allowing three more runs to come into score, the latter of which came after Royal's second single of the inning.
 
CBU (33-22/17-12 WAC) answered an inning later with four runs, thanks in part to two Trailblazer miscues, to tie the game at 7-7.
 
Utah Tech came up with more two-out magic in the home fourth, sending 10 more runners to the dish, resulting five runs crossing the plate on two hits, four walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch, to jump back on top at 12-7.
 
Perez got the rally going with a two-out double, which was followed by consecutive walks issues to both Dodson and Garrett Cutting to load the bases.
 
After a CBU pitching change, Rodriguez squared up the first offering from Lancer reliever Cody New for a perfectly executed drag bunt single, which brought Perez in to score from third.
 
New then issued two walks and beaned Tallakson all with the bases loaded, leading to three more Blazer runs, while a wild pitch later in the frame allowed Petey Soto Jr. to scamper home with the fifth and final run of the rally.
 
Up 12-8 heading into the home fifth, 11 Trailblazer batters combined to put the game virtually on ice as Utah Tech extended to a commanding 20-8 advantage.
 
Utah Tech scored eight runs in that stanza, all on home runs, including a two-run Perez blast, along with a pair of three-run homers from both Rodriguez and Hunter Katschke.
 
Junior hurler Ky Decker (W, 2-6), who came on with one out in the CBU fourth, kept the Lancers at bay, striking out four and limiting CBU to only two runs and five hits in 2.2 innings of work to earn his second win of the season. Senior Trevor Meisner then came on and fanned one in a hitless seventh to close out the win. 
 
Rodriguez tied career highs with four hits and three runs scored as the senior outfielder finished the night going a perfect 4-for-4 with a season-high tying five RBI in his penultimate game as a Trailblazer. 
 
Meanwhile Perez drove in a career-best four RBI to go with three hits and three runs, all of which tied his previous career highs. In addition, Katschke and Royal each collected two hits as the Trailblazers finished with 14 total safeties, all while being the beneficiaries of 10 CBU walks and three HBPs. 
 
Utah Tech sent 33 total batters to the plate in batting around three times on Friday night. The Trailblazers first achieved that feat during the 2017 season in a 23-5 home victory over Holy Names (3/5/17), during which they sent 35 batters (12; 10; 13) to the plate over a three-inning stretch in that win. In addition, the 21 runs scored were a season high.
  
Utah Tech will look to clinch the series victory in its final game of the 2024 season on Senior Day Saturday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 12:05 p.m. (MT).