Utah Tech came out on the wrong end of a 3-2 pitcher's duel at Abilene Christian in the first game of a three-game WAC series on Friday night at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark.

Righthander Cade Montgomery (ND) was solid once again on the hill for Utah Tech (15-18/1-6 WAC), striking out six while scattering only two runs and four hits over five innings complete. 
 
Unfortunately for the Trailblazer sophomore, both runs came on one swing of the bat on a two-run Benjamin Greer home run with two outs in the second inning.

Meanwhile the Trailblazers were limited to only five hits through their first six offensive frames, with no base runner advancing past second base over that stretch.

That all changed in the top of the seventh as Utah Tech finally broke through with a pair of runs to knot the game at 2-2.

Andrew Pyle and Aaron Perez both walked to lead off the frame, then after a foul out on a bunt attempt, Ethan Royal doubled down the first base line to drive in Pyle with the Blazers' first run.
 
Hunter Katschke followed two batters later with an opposite field single through the right side, beating the ACU shift to chase home Perez carrying the tying run.
 
However the game would not stay tied long when with two outs in the home seventh, ACU infielder Zandt Payne drilled a two-out, opposite-field solo homer over the right field wall to put the Wildcats back on top. 
 
Utah Tech had a chance to again tie or take the lead in the eighth after Ryan Kroepel and Perez both reached on singles, but ACU reliever Caden Greanead (W, 2-1) escaped the inning without further damage. Wildcat hurler Henry Cone (S, 1) came on and pitched a spotless ninth to close out the game. 

The Trailblazers lost despite outhitting ACU (18-14/3-7 WAC) 9-5, though two of the Wildcats' five safeties went for home runs. 
 
Kyle McDaniel went 3-for-4 to pace the offense, while Royal wound up going 2-for-3 with his first two doubles of the year to go with his seventh-inning RBI. 
 
Junior southpaw Brock Roundy (L, 2-1) fanned three in three innings of stellar one-hit relief, unfortunately he was saddled with the hard-luck loss as the one hit allowed was the Payne homer in the seventh.   
 
The two teams will play game two of their three-game conference series on Saturday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. (MT).