Utah Tech defeated in-state rival Brigham Young University 9-4 on April 20 at Miller Park, marking the Trailblazers’ fifth consecutive win.
The victory is significant for Utah Tech as it strengthens their position with a record of 27-14 overall and 5-1 in the Western Athletic Conference. The team started strong by scoring three runs in the first inning and four more in the second, quickly building a commanding lead over BYU.
Kyle McDaniel opened the game with a double and scored on a double steal after Hudson Manwaring singled. Manwaring then advanced to third base due to an error and later scored on Ryan Kroepel’s sacrifice fly. Another run was added following BYU’s second error of the inning. In the second inning, Miller Durham hit his seventh home run of the season, bringing in three more runs for Utah Tech.
Freshman pitcher David Sheppard limited BYU to one run and two hits over his first three innings but faced challenges in the fourth when BYU scored twice with bases loaded before he managed to end the threat with a fly out. The bullpen combination of Ethan Gardner and Easton Brooks held BYU to only one unearned run and no hits over five innings, while Trailblazer defense contributed key plays including a double play by Mays Madsen.
Offensively, Utah Tech recorded thirteen hits during the game. Hudson Manwaring and Petey Soto Jr. each had three hits; Soto Jr.’s performance extended his hitting streak to fourteen games and his on-base streak to thirty-four games. Ryan Kroepel finished with two hits and two runs batted in, while seven different players registered at least one hit overall.
Looking ahead, Utah Tech will conclude its seven-game road trip this weekend with an important three-game series against California Baptist.
