(Abilene, Texas - March 29, 2025) - The Trailblazers wrapped up their series at Abilene Christian on Saturday afternoon dropping a heartbreaker, 9-8 at Poly Wells Field.
Utah Tech (14-21, 5-7 WAC), who won their second straight conference series with a pair of wins on Friday, were held to seven hits despite scoring eight runs. It was UT's eight time this season posting at least eight runs.
The duo of
Gabi Giroux and
Brooklyn Dowdle each notched two hits apiece with the pair also each scoring two runs.
Giroux added a pair of RBI on a two-run home run, the first round-tripper of her career, and drew a walk. Dowdle tacked on an RBI and stole her second base of the season.
In the circle,
Sauren Garton made her team-leading 16th start of the season tossing the first 2.1 innings before giving way to
Riley Price for the remainder of the contest.
How It Happened
The Wildcats got the scoring started right off the bat on Saturday with a run in the first, but the Trailblazers answered back in a flash bringing home five in the top of the second.
A pair of singles by
Carly Eldredge and Giroux got the offense going and
Baylee Howley followed reaching base after a Wildcat error at first. With the bases loaded, Dowdle singled to left to bring home Eldredge and
Cassidy Hornung pushed UT in front drawing a bases-loaded walk. Three more runs came across for the Trailblazers on a fielder's choice, a bases-loaded walk by
Rylie Haith and a passed ball.
Six unanswered runs for Abilene Christian (9-26, 5-7 WAC), two in the second and four in the third, put the Wildcats back in front, 7-5.
The Trailblazers again answered back with a three-run fifth inning to regain the lead. A one-out walk by Eldredge put one runner aboard for Giroux, who blasted a homer to right field to tie the game. An RBI single to left field by
Jorja Crider made it 8-7 in favor of Utah Tech.
ACU responded with a leadoff home run to start the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at eight.
Looking to take back the lead for the third time on the afternoon, the Trailblazers loaded the bases in the sixth on three walks and with one out, looked in prime position for the go-ahead run, but back-to-back strikeouts kept UT off the board.
With ACU loading the bases with two outs on a pair of walks and a single, Price was able to get pinch-hitter Catrin Hoffman to a 1-2 count, but on the next pitch, the Wildcat redshirt senior singled to left center for the walk-off victory.
Up Next
The Trailblazers open the month of April next weekend hosting Tarleton State (20-15, 6-6 WAC) on Friday and Saturday at Karl Brooks Field.
