Utah Tech could not overcome a ninth-inning Northern Colorado rally as the Trailblazers dropped the final game of its 2025 season-opening series by a 5-4 count at Bruce Hurst Field.
 
Utah Tech (2-2) jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the second inning without benefit of a base hit. Aaron Perez was hit by a pitch by Bear starter Lucas Stone (ND) to lead off the frame, while Finnegan Stewart walked and Kyle McDaniel was plunked to load the bases.

Kace Naone would reach on an infield throwing error, which brought Perez home with the first run. Then with one out in the frame, Petey Soto Jr. was hit by a Stone offering to force in Stewart with Blazers' second run.
 
The early run support bolstered a strong start by junior righthander Dakoda West (ND), who retired the first 10 Northern Colorado batters he faced, five of which via the strikeout, before allowing his first base runner. Unfortunately that first Bear to reach was infielder Kai Wagner, who clubbed an opposite-field home run to left with one out in the fourth to cut the Utah Tech lead in half at 2-1.
 
UNC (2-2) later tied the game in the fifth inning on a two-out Brandon Sanchez double.
 
The game remained tied until the top of the eighth inning when the Bears loaded the bases with no outs and would take a 3-2 lead on a 6-4-3 double play.
 
Utah Tech's offense, which was limited to only one base hit through the first seven innings, finally came to life in the home eighth, striking for two runs to regain the lead at 4-3.
 
Grady Daniels walked to lead off the stanza, which was followed by a Stewart single to left that put runners at the corners with no outs.
 
McDaniel then stepped up and doubled to left center, which plated pinch runner Levi Randall carrying the tying run and advanced pinch runner Eliot Jones to third.
 
Naone followed with a flyout to left field to drive in Jones for the go-ahead run, while McDaniel scampered to third on a Bear throwing error.
 
However the Blazers could not do any more damage and had to settle for a one-run lead as the game moved to the ninth inning.
 
In the UNC ninth, the Bears quickly loaded the bases with no outs thanks to a single, hit batter and a walk. Then with one out in the frame, UNC outfielder Jake King laced a two-run double down the first-base line to put his team back on top at 5-4.
 
Utah Tech had a chance to tie or walk off with the win in the ninth after Ryan Kroepel reached on a one-out double and Hunter Katschke was intentionally walked. But UNC reliever Jack Tuttle (W, 1-0) would retire the final two hitters he faced to deny a Trailblazer series win. 
 
McDaniel, who batted .600 with five extra base hits in the series overall, accounted for two of the Utah Tech's four base hits, including his third double of the weekend in the Blazer eighth.
 
West struck out a career-high six while allowing only two runs and three hits over five solid innings of work, though he did not figure in the decision.  

Utah Tech continues its season-opening homestand with a four-game, non-conference home series vs. UC Riverside next weekend at Bruce Hurst Field.