FIRST PITCH: Utah Tech (17-25/3-12 WAC) continues its homestand this weekend with a crucial three-game WAC series against Seattle U (15-27/4-11 WAC)
        Game one of the series will be played on Friday beginning at 12:05 p.m. (MT), followed by game two on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. (MT), and the series finale on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. (MT). 

ALL-TIME SERIES: Utah Tech is 10-6 all-time against Seattle U and has won three of its last four against the Redhawks overall, including a 2-1 series win last season in Seattle. 
        The Trailblazers are 6-4 vs. the Redhawks at Bruce Hurst Field, which includes a four-game sweep in the first-ever series played in played between the two sides during the 2021 season. 

FINALLY ELIGIBLE FOR POSTSEASON PLAY: Not only is the 2025 season Utah Tech's fifth Division I season overall, it is also the FIRST season that the Trailblazers are eligible for NCAA postseason play. 
        The NCAA Division I Board of Directors officially approved Utah Tech's move to active Division I status back on June 28, 2024. With that confirmation, Trailblazer Athletics is now officially eligible to participate in all NCAA postseason championships in its 15 intercollegiate programs.

COACHING STAFF: Two-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year Chris Pfatenhauer is in his 13th season as head coach of the Utah Tech Baseball program.                   
        During his tenure in the Utah Tech dugout, Pfatenhauer led the Trailblazers to consecutive PacWest titles in 2014 and 2015, and to five-straight trips to the NCAA West Regionals from 2013-17, including serving as the host institution in 2013. 
        Pfatenhauer, who picked up his 300th victory as Utah Tech skipper in the 2022 season finale at California Baptist (14-8; 5/21/2022), owns a 344-299-1 (.535) overall record at Utah Tech, and a 396-358-1 (.525) career mark. 
        Joining Pfatenhauer (UNLV, 2000) in the Trailblazer dugout this season is associate head coach Bobby Rinard (Arizona, 2014), who is in his 11th season on coaching staff overall, along with second-year pitching coach Daniel Stange (UC Riverside, 2015), and former Trailblazer Braxton Ipson (Utah Tech 2020), who returns for his second season as an assistant coach after serving as the program's director of baseball operations in 2022. 

NEARING ANOTHER CAREER MILESTONE: Coach Pfatenhauer continues to inch toward another career milestone. The long-time Trailblazer mentor now stands only four wins away from career victory No. 400 (396-358-1). 

LAST TIME OUT: Utah Tech saw its losing skid reach four-straight after a tough lopsided home loss to UNLV this past Tuesday night. Tuesday's loss came on the heels of the Blazers' dropping all three games in a WAC road series at Tarleton State last weekend. 

HOME SWEET HOME: Following Tuesday's loss to UNLV, Utah Tech fell to 326-172 (.654) all-time in 498 games played inside the friendly confines of Bruce Hurst Field since the start of its four-year era in the 2007 season.
        The Utah Tech program will reach another major milestone this Saturday afternoon when the Trailblazers play their 500th NCAA-era home date in the middle game of their WAC series vs. Seattle U. 
        The Trailblazers, who are and even 13-13 at home this season, have posted a winning home record in 15 of the 18 seasons since transitioning to NCAA status in 2007, which included an 11-11 mark at home in 2022. 
        Utah Tech has won 20 or more home games in eight of the previous 18 seasons overall, including 21-5 (.807) record in 2017, and a 24-6 mark (.800) in 2016, which was the second-best home record in terms of wins in the program's NCAA era (26-7 in 2009). 
        The 24 home wins in 2016 were the most under Head Coach Chris Pfatenhauer, while the .807 winning percentage in 2017 was the best W% in Pfatenhauer's tenure.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Despite being swept at Tarleton State last weekend, Utah Tech has managed to hold its own away from home in its NCAA era as the Trailblazers have played to a 182-231-1 overall road record (.441), including a 4-12 away mark this season. 
        Utah Tech has posted a winning road record in eight of their last 15 seasons overall, highlighted by a 16-7-1 road mark in 2017. The 16 road wins were the most since beginning NCAA play in 2007.
        In 2015, Utah Tech went a program-best 15-5 on the road (.750), and UT has won at least 10 road games in nine of its last 11 seasons overall. When you also figure in neutral-site games (15-11 in 26 games), Utah Tech is 197-239-1 (.452) all-time away from Bruce Hurst Field in the program's NCAA era.

900 DOWN: Utah Tech played its 900th NCAA-era ball game in its series finale vs. Northern Colorado back on Feb. 16. In all, the Trailblazers have played to a 523-414-1 (.558) record all-time through 18-plus years of NCAA competition.
        That record also includes a 90-171 (.345) mark in the program's current Division-I era, and a 56-85 (.397) mark in Western Athletic Conference play.  

9W vs. P5: Nine of Utah Tech's 90 D-I wins have come against Power-5 programs, including notching its second victory of the season over a Big 12 program in the Utah home win on March 25. The Blazers also picked up a 10-3 road triumph at Big 12 member BYU back on March 17.   
        The Trailblazers posted two P4 wins last year on the road at Big 12 member Oklahoma State (9-8; 3/5/24), and at home vs. Utah when the Utes were a member of the PAC-12 Conference (W, 11-8; 5/7/24).  
        Seven of the nine Trailblazers wins have come against three former PAC-12 member schools (4 vs. Utah; 1 each vs. Arizona/Arizona State/Washington State). 
        Of note, all three previous victories over BYU, which is in its second season of Big 12 play, were recorded when the Cougars were members of the West Coast Conference.

FREE BASEBALL: Utah Tech moved to 1-1 in extra inning games this season after posting a 3-2 road victory in its WAC opener at California Baptist on March 21. 
        That 10-inning win snapped the Trailblazers' six-game, extra-inning losing streak, and moved them to 5-11 in extra inning affairs during their current Division I era.
        Utah Tech saw its streak of not playing an extra inning game stopped at 76-straight after its 5-4 game two loss to UC Riverside (2/22) in 10 innings. 
        In all, Utah Tech is 36-25 (.590) in 61 extra-inning games in the program's four-year era. The Blazers are now 18-14 in 10-inning games, while the program has won 10 of its last 21 extra inning games overall.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE: Utah Tech heads into this weekend's series as the WAC's co-leader, and t-SEVENTH nationally, in defensive double plays with 41, which includes five twin-killings at Tarleton last weekend, and another double play vs. UNLV on Tuesday night. 
        The Trailblazers turned 17 of those double plays in 14 April ball games, 16 of which came in WAC play.  

AIN'T LIFE GRAND: We are 42 games into the 2025 season and Utah Tech has already tied the program's single season record with three grand slams, two of which came in the Portland road series in early March.
        Junior 3B/RHP Ryan Kroepel blasted the first slam in the sixth inning of game two (3/1). Meanwhile senior 1B Aaron Perez connected on his second grand slam of the year, and the 29th in the program's NCAA era overall, with one out in the Blazer ninth in Utah Tech's 8-6 come-from-behind win in the series finale (3/3). 
        Perez notched his first grand slam of the season in game two of the Trailblazers' season-opening series vs. Northern Colorado (2/15).
        In fact, Perez became just the third Trailblazer in the program's NCAA era to hit two grand slams in one season, joining former sluggers Chase Pittsenbarger (2010) and Drew Oldfield (2009), who both achieved the feat during Utah Tech's Division II era.
        Utah Tech has belted at least three grand slams in a season six times, including in their first D-I season in 2021, though it took them 52 games to do it. Utah Tech also did it four times in the D-II era (2009/2010/2011/2016). 

ONE TO WATCH: Sophomore RHP Cade Montgomery was named to the 2025 College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year watch list this past April 18. 
        Montgomery, who is the lone Western Athletic Conference representative, is one of 54 pitchers from 20 NCAA Division I conferences throughout the country who were named to the midseason list. 
        Unfortunately the sophomore's season came to an abrupt end after he suffered a season-ending lower leg injury on a sharp comebacker early in the third of his start last Friday at Tarleton State. Montgomery managed to finish the inning, but was replaced in the fourth. 
        Montgomery shined as the Trailblazers' Friday night staff ace, compiling a 4-2 overall record in 10 starts. He also leads all WAC starting pitchers with a 2.35 ERA (22nd in NCAA D-I). 
        The sophomore is also ranked in the WAC's top-11 in wins (4, t-7th), innings pitched (57.1, 10th), opponent batting average (.222, 5th), and strikeouts (48, t-11th; 7.53 K/9).
        Montgomery recorded at least six strikeouts in five of his 10 outings this season, highlighted by a career-high nine punch outs at California Baptist back on March 21. 

K-MAC GETTING ON BASE: Sophomore 2B Kyle McDaniel (.381/.484/.478) managed to extend his current Division I era school record on-base streak to 28-straight games with a three-hit effort vs. UNLV on Tuesday night.
        McDaniel had himself quite the month of April, during which he reached base safely in all 14 games, including 12 games via base hit, highlighted by a career-high 11-game hit streak that was halted in last Sunday's finale at Tarleton State.
        The sophomore batted a combined .442 (23-of-52) in his 14 April starts with six multi-hit outings, including two three-hit efforts and a career-high tying four hits (4-for-4) at Abilene Christian back on April 12. He also drew a combined four walks, scored eight runs, and drove in three runs during his incredible month.           
        McDaniel, who is currently ranked fourth in the WAC in both batting average (.381 - 65th in NCAA D-I) and base hits (59), has recorded at least two hits in 12 of his last 24 starts, and in 28 of his first 42 starts this season.
        In addition, McDaniel has reached base safely in 40 of 42 games this season, and in 81 of his 91 career games as a Trailblazer overall. 

STREAK NOTES: McDaniel's current on-base streak is inching him closer to more program history. 
        To date, only five former Trailblazers have seen an on-base streak extend to 30-plus games in the program's NCAA era overall. Former All-American outfielder Jake Engel (2017-21) was the last to achieve the feat, reaching base safely in 31-straight games, which included a school record 21-game hit streak.
        Engel's on-base streak spanned three seasons, including the final 14 games of the 2019 season, 16 games during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 campaign, and the first game of Utah Tech's D-I era in 2021.  
        Former Utah Tech shortstop Tanner Morache (2014-16) currently owns the school's four-year era record with a 39-game, on-base streak recorded during his senior season in 2016. 

BIG KAT LANDS BIG WAC HONOR: Senior OF/DH Hunter Katschke was named WAC Player of the Week back on April 21 for his efforts in the Trailblazers' home series win over conference co-leader GCU two weekends ago.
        Katschke batted .417 (5-for-12) in three starts in the series, with four of his five total hits going for extra bases. He also drove in a team-high six RBI and finished with two runs scored.
        The senior got off to a strong start in the series opener (4/17) by going 2-for-4 at the plate, highlighted by a clutch game-tying, two-run double in the home sixth to help Utah Tech rally for a 6-5 victory.
        After legging out another double as part of a 1-for-4 night in game two (4/18), Katschke went 2-for-4 in the 9-1 series finale (4/19) win with a pair of two-run home runs in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively.
        Katschke's two-homer day was his second multi-homer game in his near two seasons in a Trailblazer uniform. The senior clubbed three home runs and had five RBI in a home win last season vs. Utah (W, 11-8; 5/7/24). 

TRAILBLAZER QUICK HITS 
* - Katschke's (.248/.496/.302) big weekend vs. GCU came on the heels of a 4-for-36 skid since the BYU road win on March 17 ... that said, two of Katschke's four hits over that stretch left the ballpark, including a three-run shot in the Utah home win (3/25).
* - In fact, six of Katschke's last 12 hits overall have been home runs, including his team-leading ninth homer in last Sunday's finale at Tarleton State.
* - Katschke's two-run blast at Tarleton, his 22nd-career homer overall, moved him to within three long balls of vaulting into fifth place on Utah Tech's career HR list. 
* - Katschke had a night in the UC Riverside series opener (2/21), during which he tied a program NCAA-era record with five hits (5-for-5) with a double, home run and a career-high six RBI.
* - Katschke became the first Trailblazer in the program's relatively new NCAA Division I era to record five hits in a game, and he became the 16th-different player in the program's four-year era to drive in at least six runs in a single game. 
* - Perez (.321/.489/.409) has been on a tear at the plate since the calendar turned to March ... the senior has hit safely in 14 of his last 20 games, and in 23 of 30 of his starts since March 1, with 10 multi-hit games, highlighted by a 3-for-5 effort with his second GSHR and a career-high six RBI in the Portland series finale (3/3).
* - Perez, who saw his streak of reaching base safely end at 16-straight games after going hitless in the UVU series opener (4/4), hit .364 at ACU two weeks, highlighted by a 2-for-4 day in the series finale (4/13) with a two-run homer, three total RBI and two runs scored. 
* - Over his last five games, the senior first baseman is batting at a .437 (7-for-16) clip, which includes a 3-for-4 effort with a double in Sunday's finale at Tarleton State.
* - Perez opened WAC play by batting .385 (5-of-13) in the CBU series with two XBHs and two RBI, including belting the eventual game-winning HR in the 10th inning in the series opener (3/21).
* - Perez's first GSHR of the season vs. Northern Colorado (2/15) came nearly two years to the day of Utah Tech's last grand slam, and coincidentally it was another Blazer first baseman who hit it ... former 1B Sean Keating belted a bases-clearing homer, which was part of his three-homer day in Utah Tech's 12-4 home win over Wichita State (2/22/23).
* - Kroepel (.347/.533/.429) has been just as hot at the dish, batting a combined .437 (14-for-32) in the last three WAC series, including a .556 (5-for-9) clip in the GCU three-game set (4/17-19), highlighted by a 3-for-4 effort with pair of doubles, one RBI and three runs scored in the series clinching win (4/19). 
* - Kroepel hit .364 (4-for-11) in three starts at Tarleton State last weekend with an RBI, then followed that up with a two-run home run in the third inning vs. UNLV this past Tuesday night, which extended his hit streak to six-straight games.
* - Kroepel enjoyed a solid March in his own right ... he batted .308 (21-for-68) in the month and reached base safely with a hit in 13 of 18 starts with eight two-hit games. 
* - Kroepel carried that momentum into April, during which he hit .375 (18-for-48) in 14 starts with six more two-hit outings. 
* - Kroepel has also shown that he is a dual threat at the hot corner, and on the bump, after he picked up his fifth save of the season in the GCU series opener (4/17) ... Kroepel's five saves are good for third in the WAC and t-71st nationally.
* - Of note, Utah Tech recorded only six total saves in 54 games last season.
* - Freshman DH/RF Finnegan Stewart (.267/.404/.340) has been as steady as anyone in the Utah Tech line-up, having hit safely in 30 of his first 42 collegiate games ... Stewart batted a team-best .455 (5-for-11) with two RBI and one run scored in the Tarleton series, which was bolstered by his third career three-hit game in last Sunday's finale.
* - In the home win over Utah (3/25), Stewart came on as a pinch hitter in the eighth and drove the first pitch he saw off the wall in right center for an RBI-double to add the exclamation point to the Blazers' three-run rally.
* - Stewart combined to hit .308 (4-for-13) at ACU three weeks ago, highlighted by a 3-for-5 day with one double and three RBI in game two (4/12).
* - Stewart batted .278 (10-of-36) during the long March homestand with five XBHs and 13 RBI ... the freshman drove in 10 of those runs over a five-game stretch, with a career high four of those runs coming as part of a 2-for-5 night with a triple and homer in the walk-off win over Gonzaga (3/11) ... he also doubled and drove in three more runs in the opener vs. CSUB (3/13).   
* - Stewart made the most of his collegiate debut as he hit .333 (4-of-12) with five walks and five runs scored in four starts vs. Northern Colorado.
* - Stewart wasted little time making a name for himself as he became the first true freshman in the program's NCAA era to homer in a season-opening game (2/14) when he drilled a two-run shot over the left field wall on the first pitch he saw in the third inning.
* - Stewart became the 12th different Trailblazer to homer in a season opening game in Utah Tech's four-year era.
* - Sophomore SS Petey Soto Jr. (.266/.374/.335) had himself a solid series vs. GCU two weeks ago, against which he hit an even .400 (4-for-10) with three XBHs, two RBI and two runs scored.
* - Soto Jr. doubled in one run in the series opener (4/17), then followed that with another two-bagger and his third homer of the season, an eighth-inning solo blast, in the game three win. 
* - Soto Jr. has driven in 18 of his 22 total runs on the year over his last 27 games, including three RBI as part of a 2-for-3 day with two runs scored in the Utah win (3/25). 
* - The sophomore shortstop has hit safely in 14 of his last 19 starts, and has reached base safely in 33 of his 42 starts this season overall. 
* - Well it took him 72 games, but senior OF Ethan Royal (.181/.250/.330) belted his first homer as a Trailblazer when he muscled out a solo shot in the third inning vs. Utah Valley (4/4).
* - Royal enjoyed a solid series at ACU three weeks ago, against which he batted an even .300 (3-for-10) with two doubles, two runs scored, one RBI and one stolen base.
* - Junior LF Levi Randall (.306/.380/.380) had himself a day in the series opener vs. GCU (4/17), going 4-for-4 at the plate with a triple, two runs scored, and his team-leading fifth outfield assist as part of a second-inning double play.
* - Randall's triple kick-started a two-out, two-run eighth inning rally, and came nearly one year to the day of his first collegiate triple (vs. Nevada, 4/22/24).  
* - After four-straight no-decisions, junior RHP Ryan Martinez (2-2/4.68 ERA/44 K/59.2 IP) finally picked up his first win as a Trailblazer in game three vs. CSUB (3/15) ... Martinez scattered one earned run (4 total) and six hits with four strikeouts and no walks over 7.0 innings to earn the victory.
* - Martinez shined in series finale vs. GCU (4/19), against which he struck out three and limited the Lopes to only six hits and one run over 7.1 innings ... the junior's 7.1 IP marked his longest outing of the season overall. 
* - Martinez, who is slated to start Friday's series opener vs. Seattle U, enters the weekend ranked sixth in the WAC in innings pitched (59.2 IP), and in the top-15 in strikeouts, including a season-high eight over six innings in a no-decision at CBU (3/22).
* - Junior southpaw Brock Roundy (2-2/6.82 ERA/29 K/33.0 IP) turned in another solid effort in the series opener vs. GCU (4/17) ... Roundy scattered four runs (three earned) and six hits with a pair of punch outs, but did not figure in the decision. 
* - Roundy shined in his last two March midweek starts, including a gem in Utah Tech's road win at BYU (3/17) ... Roundy struck out a career-high eight and limited the vaunted Cougar offense to only two runs and six hits in six innings complete to collect his first win in a Trailblazer uniform. 
* - Roundy, who will start game two vs. Seattle U on Saturday, followed that up with five solid innings vs. Utah (3/25), during which he fanned five and scattered one run and four hits to earn his second win of the season.
* - Junior RHP Tyler Ray (3-2/3.64 ERA/33 K/42.0 IP) earned his third win of the season in relief of Roundy in G1 vs. GCU (4/17) ... Ray heads into the weekend ranked 10th in the WAC, and 153rd-nationally in ERA. 

NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech will quickly turn around and make the short trip down Interstate 15 for a Monday night road match-up at UNLV. 
        First pitch at Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas is set for 7:05 p.m. (MT).