Utah Tech closed out its 2025 season-opening homestand on the wrong end of a 4-0 shutout by visiting UC Riverside on Sunday afternoon at Bruce Hurst Field. 
 
The two sides were locked in old-fashioned pitcher's duel in the early going, with Blazer righthander Dakoda West and UCR starter Matthew Flores putting up matching zeroes on the scoreboard through the first four innings.
 
UC Riverside managed to break through with the game's first run in the fifth when Highlander catcher Ethan Bergan laid down a one-out suicide squeeze bunt to score Tyler Gordon, who tripled down the right field line.
 
Utah Tech (3-5) thought it had tied the game at 1-1 in the home half of the frame when with the bases loaded and one out, Gavin Long lined out to a diving Robert Pitts in center field.
 
Blazer catcher Ty Johnsen, who reached on a lead-off infield single, tagged up and scampered home with the apparent tying run. 
 
However the Highlanders appealed, and the umpire ruled that the Blazer base runner had left early from third base, which took the run off the scoreboard and ended the inning.
 
UCR (5-3) went on to score two unearned runs in the sixth, and added another unearned tally in the seventh to extend to a four-run cushion. Meanwhile Flores (W, 1-0) and two relievers combined to limit Utah Tech to only two hits and three total baserunners over the final four innings to salt away the four-game series win. 
 
Johnsen and infielder Ryan Kroepel each had two hits as Utah Tech was held to five total hits on the afternoon. 
 
West (L, 0-1) was saddled with the loss despite striking out two while surrendering only the one run and three hits in five innings complete.
 
After playing eight-straight home games to begin the season, Utah Tech opens the road portion of its 2025 schedule with a six-game swing that starts with a midweek date at nationally-ranked UC Irvine this Wednesday night. First pitch at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark in Irvine is set for 7 p.m. (MT).