Utah Tech opened its final season of Western Athletic Conference play with a thrilling 7-6 come-from-behind victory over visiting Sacramento State on Thursday night at Bruce Hurst Field.
 
After surrendering four second inning Hornet runs, the Trailblazers (19-11/1-0 WAC) answered with a four-spot of their own in the third to even the game at 4-4.
 
Utah Tech plated its first run of the rally on a one-out error, which was followed by two-out Ryan Kroepel RBI-single, and a two-run Ty Johnsen base hit to center.
 
Sacramento State (11-19/0-1 WAC) jumped back on top an inning later when after Luis Pimental-Guerrero singled to lead off the frame, Erick Dessens connected for a two-run opposite field home run to left center to give the Hornets a 6-4 advantage. 
 
The Blazers answered that long ball with one of their own in the home fourth when Finnegan Stewart belted his third homer of the year, a lead-off solo blast to center field that cut the deficit in half at 6-5.
 
Utah Tech had a golden chance to tie or take the lead in the seventh with runners on second and third and one out, but Hornet reliever Sean Carey (L, 1-2) managed to escape the jam with the lead intact. 
 
However the Trailblazers solved Carey an inning later, striking for two two-out runs to wrestle the lead away. With the tying run on third, Kace Naone laced a sharp single to left to chase home pinch runner Hudson Manwaring.
 
Then after a Petey Soto Jr. single, Kyle McDaniel singled through the left side to bring Naone around to score the go-ahead run.
 
In the Sac State ninth, Trailblazer closer Ryan Kroepel (S, 7) moved from third base to the mound and retired the Hornets in order with two strikeouts to cinch away the series-opening win.
 
Kroepel, Stewart and Mays Madsen each collected two hits to lead the Blazer offense, which rapped out 11 hits on the night.
 
Senior righthander Ryan Martinez (W, 3-1) came on in the sixth and fired three innings of one-hit relief with one strikeout to earn his third decision out of the bullpen this season. 
 
The two teams will play the middle game of their three-game weekend WAC series on Friday night beginning at 6:05 p.m. (MT).