Utah Tech wrapped up the non-conference portion of its 2026 home schedule with an 8-3 victory over future Mountain West Conference foe UNLV on Tuesday night at Bruce Hurst Field.
 
After spotting the Rebels with an early 2-0 first inning lead, Utah Tech (29-16/6-3 WAC) scored all eight of its runs over its first four offensive frames.
 
The Trailblazers quickly tied the game at 2-2 in the home first thanks to a wild pitch and a Ryan Kroepel RBI-single. Utah Tech went on to load the bases later in the frame, but had to settle for just the two runs.
 
Utah Tech put up another crooked number an inning later, striking for three two-out runs to jump out to a 5-2 lead. Kroepel drove in his second run in as many at-bats with a base knock to center.
 
Then after a Ty Johnsen single and a balk, Bryan Martinez chased home both Kroepel and Johnsen with a ground-ball base hit through left side of the infield.
 
The Blazers tacked on three more runs in the fourth, which got off to a great start when Kroepel tripled off the center field wall.
 
Johnsen chased home Kroepel two pitches later, and the Blazer designated hitter would come around to score two batters later on a towering two-run Finnegan Stewart home run to left center. 
 
Meanwhile, eight Trailblazer pitchers combined to limit UNLV (24-20) to just one run and five total hits from the second inning on to close out the win.
 
Utah Tech wound up with 11 hits on the night, with Kroepel leading the way with three safeties, including his third-career triple.
 
Hudson Manwaring (two doubles), Johnsen and Stewart each collected two hits apiece, with Stewart's long ball serving as his sixth on the season. 
 
Senior righthander Ryan Martinez (W, 6-1) was credited with the decision in Tuesday's bullpen game, while senior southpaw Brock Roundy recorded a season-high four of the staff's eight combined strikeouts on the night in 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. 
 
Utah Tech returns to Western Athletic Conference play this weekend by hosting Tarleton State for a three-game series featuring the top-two teams in the league standings.