Thanks to the crossover season, it was another full week of Utah Tech University sports.
Seven different Trailblazer athletic programs competed, highlighted by baseball opening its season with a four-game sweep and men’s basketball winning twice to move into a tie for first place in the conference standings.
Baseball
Traveling to Riverside, California, to begin the 2026 season, the Utah Tech baseball team secured a four-game sweep over the University of California, Riverside, Feb. 13-15.
Game 1 saw the Trailblazers break the game open with a six-run seventh inning, recording a 12-5 victory on Opening Day.
Tyler Ray took the ball on the mound for Utah Tech, tossing six innings and striking out three while scattering seven hits and two runs.
Kyle McDaniel had a big day at the plate in the opener, going 3-for-4 with three walks, an RBI, and four runs scored.
WAC Preseason Player of the Year Ryan Kroepel added two hits, four runs driven in, two runs scored, and a walk.
Utah Tech then played a pair of seven-inning contests Feb. 14, winning 4-3 and 12-8 against the Highlanders.
UC Riverside would take an early lead with a two-run first inning, but two runs in the third and one each in the two following frames gave the visitors the edge.
David Sheppard made his collegiate debut on the mound in the day’s first game, going 4.1 innings while allowing four hits, three runs, and striking out two.
Dakota West got the start and the win on the mound in the second contest, tossing 4.2 innings and scattering six hits and two runs while adding three strikeouts.
Kroepel would show off his two-way ability in the doubleheader, recording three hits at the plate while picking up a pair of saves in relief on the mound.
Utah Tech then finished off the season-opening sweep Feb. 15 with an 8-1 victory.
The Trailblazers once again got a solid start on the hill, as transfer Brandon Kosel made his UT debut memorable. Kosel threw 6.1 innings, striking out four and allowing only three hits and no runs.
A big fourth inning made the difference in the game, as Utah Tech scored six runs in the frame to break a scoreless deadlock.
Ty Johnsen led UT offensively, clubbing a pair of doubles and adding two RBI.
“I feel great, really good,” Utah Tech head coach Chris Pfatenhauer said following the sweep.
“That’s a team (UC Riverside) we lost a series to last year, and to show up opening weekend and play the way we did, I think it’s a huge thing for our players, just the work they’ve put in,” he added.
The team’s 4-0 start to the season is the best in the Division 1 era, and the best since the 2020 team began the year 9-0 before the remainder of the season was ultimately canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Up next, the Trailblazers continue their season-opening eight-game road swing across the Golden State, facing California State University, Bakersfield, Feb. 17, before a three-game series at the University of the Pacific Feb. 19-21.
The team’s first home series at Bruce Hurst Field is slated for Feb. 27-March 1 vs. the University of Northern Colorado.
Men’s basketball
Utah Tech hosted Utah Valley University Feb. 12, holding off a second-half rally by the Wolverines to secure an 81-77 victory.
The Trailblazers led from start to finish, but UVU still managed to cut a 17-point UT halftime lead to two, 79-77, with 17 seconds remaining.
A pair of free throws by Jusaun Holt with 10 seconds to play sealed the result and secured Utah Tech’s first win over UVU in the Old Hammer Rivalry since Dec. 2, 2023.
Five Trailblazers scored in double figures, led by 14 from Chance Trujillo.
Utah Tech then welcomed California Baptist University to Burns Arena Feb. 14, battling to an 80-75 win to move into a first-place tie in the Western Athletic Conference standings.
The game was a close affair, as neither side could push ahead by more than seven.
With the score tied at 63 with 2:24 to play, the Trailblazers would end the game on a 7-2 run to pull out the win.
Utah Tech’s defense was on full display in the victory, as they held CBU to just 29% shooting from the field.
Noah Bolanga led the Trailblazers with 18 points, while Dario Domingos added 11 off the bench.
With the two wins, UT is now on a six-game winning streak and has a 16-11 overall record, including a 9-4 mark in WAC play.
Utah Tech now heads to the Lone Star State for a pair of games, battling the University of Texas at Arlington (Feb. 19) and Tarleton State University (Feb. 21).
Women’s basketball
The Trailblazers dropped a pair of road contests during the week, extending their losing streak to nine while falling to 1-12 in WAC play.
First, Utah Tech traveled up I-15 to battle Utah Valley, falling 58-55 Feb. 12.
While the score was knotted 33 all at halftime, an 8-1 run saw the Trailblazers take a 48-43 lead late in the third quarter.
The lead would not last, however, as the Wolverines ended the game on a 15-7 run to secure the Old Hammer Rivalry win.
Brie Crittendon led UT with 18 points in defeat.
Utah Tech then faced Cal Baptist Feb. 14, suffering an 82-70 loss.
The Trailblazers fell behind 20-7 after the first quarter and could never recover while dropping its 17th contest of the season.
With both defeats, UT has yet to win a road game this season, dropping to 0-9 away from St. George.
Utah Tech now returns to Burns Arena, hosting UT Arlington Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. and Tarleton State Feb. 21 at 1 p.m.
Softball
The Trailblazer softball team traveled to California to take part in a tournament hosted by the University of California, San Diego, and the University of San Diego Feb. 12-14.
Playing five games over three days, UT dropped the first three games before picking up its first two wins of the season vs. Colorado State University and Weber State University.
The Trailblazers lost 9-0 and 9-8 to tournament co-host UC San Diego Feb. 12, before falling 9-2 to the University of Nebraska Omaha in the first game Feb. 13.
Having lost eight straight to start the season, Utah Tech secured its first win in the second game, Feb. 13, over Colorado State, 6-4.
The Trailblazers capped the weekend Feb. 14 by taking down in-state and future conference rival Weber State, 8-2.
Sadie Phillips currently leads the team in batting average (.435), while Kinley Pappas leads in home runs (2) and RBI (5).
Through two weeks of the season, Utah Tech has a 2-8 win-loss record.
Up next, UT makes its 2026 home debut, hosting the Lyman Classic Feb. 20-22.
The Trailblazers take on the University of California, Davis, CSU Bakersfield, and Weber State during the tournament.
Utah Tech’s first game in the four-team tournament is Feb. 20 at 12:30 p.m. vs. the Aggies of UC Davis.
Women’s tennis
The Trailblazer tennis team hosted two matches over the holiday weekend, defeating the University of North Dakota 4-3 Feb. 14 before dropping a 5-2 contest vs. Idaho State University Feb. 15.
Utah Tech won four of six singles matches against the Fighting Hawks, but dropped all three doubles matches.
Against the Bengals, UT would once again go 0-3 in doubles matches, picking up both points in the singles competition.
Cameron Hendrix and Maya Inouye each won both of their singles matches on the weekend.
The Trailblazers are now 3-6 on the season and will face the University of Colorado next in Las Vegas Feb. 21.
Women’s track and field
Taking part in the Mountain States Games at Idaho State University Feb. 13-14, Utah Tech set five new school records and totaled 17 top-ten event finishes.
Averie Perriton’s 5000-meter time of 17:27.63 was the highlight of the all-time indoor marks set at the two-day meet.
The Trailblazers conclude their indoor season Feb. 27-28 at the WAC Indoor Track & Field Championships in Spokane, Washington.
Women’s swimming
The women’s swim team was in action Feb. 13 in Sin City at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas First Chance Invite, but as of writing, no results or recaps have been posted.
Utah Tech now turns its attention to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships, taking place Feb. 25-28 in McAllen, Texas.
For the full Utah Tech Athletics schedule, click here.
This article was originally written for Utah Tech’s student newspaper, Sun News.
Photo credit: Utah Tech Athletics.
