Utah Tech baseball secured a series win against Pacific with an 8-5 victory on Saturday at Klein Family Field, marking the end of their season-opening eight-game road trip. The Trailblazers now hold a 7-1 record, surpassing last year’s total number of road wins.
The team built an early lead, scoring three runs in the third inning and four more in the fourth. Kyle McDaniel started the scoring with a single that brought home Petey Soto Jr., who had singled and stolen second base earlier in the inning. McDaniel then advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Ryan Kroepel’s two-run home run.
In the fourth inning, Utah Tech took advantage of four wild pitches and two errors by Pacific to widen their lead. Starting pitcher Brandon Kosel held Pacific hitless through three innings but gave up four runs in the fourth, including a three-run homer by Grant MacArthur.
Pacific narrowed the gap further in the fifth inning before Utah Tech responded with another run from Hudson Manwaring’s ground out. The bullpen limited Pacific to one hit for the remainder of the game, while double plays in both the sixth and eighth innings helped secure Utah Tech’s second series win this year.
Utah Tech outhit Pacific 9-6. Petey Soto Jr. led with three hits, one RBI, and three runs scored. Kyle McDaniel set a new school record by extending his hitting streak to 22 games, breaking Jake Engel’s previous mark of 21 games set between 2019 and 2021 during Utah Tech’s transition into NCAA play. McDaniel also extended his program NCAA-era record on-base streak to 49 consecutive games.
Ryan Martinez earned his first win after pitching two innings of relief against his former team. David Sheppard and Ethan Gardner each pitched scoreless outings, while Brock Roundy recorded his first save for Utah Tech.
The Trailblazers will begin their home schedule next weekend with an eight-game homestand at Bruce Hurst Field against Northern Colorado.
“McDaniel’s third inning run-scoring single made history as it extended his career-long hit streak to 22-straight games.”
“With that hit, the junior second baseman broke Utah Tech’s four-year era school record for consecutive games with at least one base hit previously held by former Blazer slugger Jake Engel, who hit safely in 21-straight games over a three-year stretch from 2019 to 2021, which included the COVID pandemic shortened 2020 season.”
“In addition, McDaniel’s single extended his program NCAA-era school record on-base streak to 49-straight games.”
