In a game that swung back and forth over 10 innings, one final big swing from Utah Tech’s Finnegan Stewart gave the Trailblazers an 8-7 walk-off victory over Fresno State University March 20.
After the Bulldogs pushed the go-ahead run across in the top of the 10th, Utah Tech headed to the bottom of the frame, only three outs away from defeat.
Following a strikeout of shortstop Petey Soto Jr., second baseman Kyle McDaniel drew a five-pitch walk that sent Stewart to the plate.
On a 1-1 count, Stewart crushed a pitch over the tall center field wall, sending the Trailblazers into celebrations after securing a sweep of the defending Mountain West Conference champions.
“First off, all glory to God, I don’t think it would be possible without him,” Stewart, a sophomore general studies major from Anaheim Hills, California, said postgame.
“Came into the game late, tried to stay locked in in the dugout and get behind my boys and cheer them on. Then at the dish, just try to see something up and honestly do damage. And I got it and delivered,” he added.
Stewart’s heroics nearly didn’t happen, as Utah Tech’s regular starter in left field began the game in the dugout.
“Speechless, honestly,” Utah Tech head coach Chris Pfatenhauer said after Stewart’s clutch hit. “We didn’t start him today; he struggled a bit yesterday. But we got him in there an inning or two earlier and thought it was a big moment we could use him, and he cashed in. Couldn’t be happier for him and the club.”
The dramatic finish capped an exciting two-game series filled with back-and-forth action and a lot of big moments at the plate.
Fresno State started the game off with a run in the opening frame, before Utah Tech would tie things up in the bottom of the inning.
Then, in the third, the Trailblazers would add three runs to the scoreboard to take their first lead, 4-1.
A two-run home run from the Bulldogs in the fourth made it a one-run game, 4-3, before the offenses for both teams went quiet.
That was until the eighth inning, when Fresno State plated three runs to take a 6-4 lead.
That seemingly woke up the Trailblazers’ bats, as a McDaniel RBI double and a Bulldogs’ wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth would knot the score at 6-6.
Utah Tech would have a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth after getting two runners on base, but the inning would end on a double play to send the game to extras.
Fresno State would then hit a solo home run in the top of the 10th, putting the visitors in front 7-6 and needing just three outs to secure the win.
From there, McDaniel’s walk and Stewart’s two-run shot secured the 8-7 win, the third walk-off victory of the Trailblazers’ season.
McDaniel led the way for the Utah Tech offense, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a walk.
Third baseman Ryan Kroepel and designated hitter Ty Johnsen each added two hits apiece.
“The offense has really stepped it up the last couple of days, which has been huge,” Johnsen, a senior management major from Pittsburgh, said after the win.
Over the two-game series sweep of Fresno State, the offense lit up the scoreboard with 25 total runs.
The Trailblazers then headed to Sin City to battle the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, splitting a two-game series March 21-22.
Utah Tech fell 11-1 in Game 1, before reversing fortunes and defeating the Hustlin’ Rebels 11-1 March 22.
With three wins during the week, Utah Tech’s record now sits at 16-9 overall.
The Trailblazers now head to the Midwest to play four games March 27-30.
First, UT will battle Southern Illinois University in a three-game series March 27-29 before finishing the five-game road trip at Saint Louis University March 30.
