(Cedar City, Utah - April 12, 2025) - Despite an 11-4 lead, the Trailblazers were unable to hang on for the win falling 14-11 in the series finale at Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon at Kathryn Berg Field.
Utah Tech (15-27, 6-12 WAC) saw its offense continue to be a force totaling 14 hits as a team led by a 3-for-4 performance from
Baylee Howley, who added a double, RBI and scored two runs.
Kinley Pappas,
Carly Eldredge and
Gabi Giroux all added two hits apiece while
Rylie Haith belted her first career home run and scored a pair of runs.
In the circle,
Sauren Garton made her second start of the series tossing four innings, allowing seven runs and striking out one, before giving way to
Riley Price and
Lexie Wilson for the final two innings of work.
How It Happened
The Trailblazers raced out of the gates hot in the first inning putting up seven runs getting two RBI base hits each from
Jorja Crider,
Marisa Rubio and Pappas along with an RBI single to right-center by Eldredge.
Southern Utah (11-23, 6-9 WAC) answered back with a four-run bottom of the frame to cut Utah Tech's lead to 7-4.
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Trailblazers tacked on four more runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 11-4.
A leadoff home run by Haith got the scoring started and an RBI double by Howley and a two-run RBI single to left by
Kennedy Embrey completed the scoring as UT looked to be in the driver's seat for the win.
Unfortunately, the Thunderbirds had other plans slowly chipping away at the Trailblazers' lead scoring one in the bottom of the fourth before tying the contest at 11 with a six-run fifth.
After UT stranded the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, SUU completed the comeback victory with a three-run bottom of the sixth.
Loading the bases with a pair of singles and a walk, nine-hole hitter Taralyn Ollison cleared the bags with a triple to left field.
Drawing a walk with one out in the top of the seventh, Haith advanced to third base on wild pitch and fly out, but a line out back to the pitcher by Eldredge thwarted the Trailblazers comeback attempt.
Up Next
The Trailblazers are back home next weekend for their final home series of the season hosting California Baptist (19-24, 7-8 WAC) on Friday and Saturday.
