Utah Tech could not protect a late-inning lead as the Trailblazers were walked off at Abilene Christian, 8-7, on Saturday afternoon at Crutcher Scott Field at Bullock Brothers Ballpark.

The Trailblazers (15-19/1-7 WAC) drew first blood in their first swings of the day when Finnegan Stewart lined a one-out single up the middle to chase home Ethan Royal, who was plunked to lead off the game.
 
After ACU (19-14/3-7 WAC) tied the game with a single run in the home second, Utah Tech took the lead right back in the third on the strength of a two-out, two-run Ryan Kroepel (4) home run over the right field wall.
 
The Wildcats managed to scratch out another run in their half of the third, stringing together four-straight, two-out hits to cut the Blazer lead in half at 3-2.
 
Utah Tech clapped back with a two-out rally of its own an inning later, loading the bases with a Royal infield single, while Hunter Katschke was plunked and Kyle McDaniel was intentionally walked. 
 
Stewart then stepped up and doubled off the left field wall to plate both Royal and Katschke. 
 
Kroepel followed that four pitches later with a bloop single to left center that brought both McDaniel and Stewart around to score and extend the Blazer lead to 7-2.
 
Meanwhile, junior righthander Ryan Martinez (ND), who battled through the first three innings of his start, retired six of the next eight batters he faced after the big Blazer inning, recording two of his five total strikeouts on the day over that stretch.
 
However ACU inched closer in the home sixth, striking for two runs on a Jack Nielson homer, and would bring the tying run to the plate after two two-out Wildcat hits extended the inning and chased Martinez from the game.
 
Tyler Ray came in out of the Blazer bullpen and after a walk loaded the bases, the junior reliever struck out Nick Arias to end the threat.

Utah Tech nursed its lead through the seventh, but ACU would pull even at 7-7 with three eighth inning runs. The Wildcats then clinched the overall series win in the ninth when outfielder Benjamin Greer blasted a one-out, opposite-field homer over the left center field wall. 
 
McDaniel stayed hot at the plate for Utah Tech as he went 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored, this after the sophomore second baseman collected three hits in game one on Friday night.
 
Stewart finished with three hits and three RBI, while Kroepel tied a career-high with four RBI to go with his two hits as Utah Tech pounded out 11 in the game. 
 
Utah Tech will look to salvage the final game of the three-game set on Sunday beginning 11:05 a.m. (MT).