ST. GEORGE, Utah. – Saint Mary's kicked off their four-game road trip in Utah with a doubleheader against UNLV and Utah Tech. The Rebels got off to a quick start and run-ruled the Gaels 11-1. The night would end in dramatic fashion but in favor of Utah Tech as the Trailblazers walked it off in the bottom of the ninth with a bases loaded single to win 4-3.
Diego Castellanos singled in the top of the ninth to score pinch runner
Joe McGee, tying the game at three but Utah Tech would get runners on and single with the bases loaded to win the game.
Ian Armstrong finished with two extra base hits including a two-out double in the ninth to help tie the game. Freshman
Sam Kretsch put together a solid outing with five innings pitched, allowing just three runs.
Talin Gardini pitched into the ninth before being replaced by Noah waldeck.
GAME ONE SMC 1-11 UNLV
Saint Mary's got on the board first but UNLV scored eleven unanswered runs to run-rule the Gaels 11-1. Leadoff hits from
Cody Kashimoto and a bunt single from
Tanner Griffith put runners on the corners in the first inning.
Ryan Pierce grounded out to third but plated Kashimoto to give the Gaels a 1-0 lead.
Senior lefty
Derik Eaquinto made his fourth start of the season and worked around two runners in the second inning to maintain the Gaels lead. The Rebels broke through though in the third inning with three runs on five hits. After striking out the first batter, UNLV rattled off four straight singles to score two runs and then a two-out RBI would give them a 3-1 lead.
Eaquinto would get booted from the game in the fourth inning as UNLV scored four more runs on five hits. Another four-spot in the seventh would run-rule the Gaels, losing 11-1 at Bruce Hurst Field. The Gaels hitters were held to just three hits with two coming from Kashimoto and two of their three in the first inning.
Daniel Guevara Castro,
Lukas Sarantos and
Sean Cannon finished out the game for Saint Mary's with Sarantos pitching 2.2 innings, allowing three runs off four hits.
GAME TWO SMC UTAH TECH
Saint Mary's went down 2-0 in the first inning but an RBI triple from Armstrong would get them on the board in the second.
Ryan Pierce would ground out to third but score
Cody Kashimoto an inning later to tie the game at two. Utah Tech would retake the lead in the fifth with an RBI double but both pitchers would put up clean innings into the ninth.
Down to their final out,
Ian Armstrong would rope a double down the left field line to put himself in scoring position.
Diego Castellanos would then take the 1-0 pitch and rifle it the opposite way into left field to score pinch runner
Joe McGee and tie the game at three.
Gardini would start the bottom half of the ninth but Utah Tech got two runners on with one out. The next batter would hit a high chopper to third that was smothered by Pierce but the Gaels didn't have a play at any base, loading the bases for the Trailblazers. The next batter would single through the right side with the infield in to complete the walk-off victory.
Saint Mary's falls to 9-6 after defeats to UNLV and Utah Tech. Their three-game series with the Trailblazers will continue tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 PM. Additional game information and links can be found at smcgaels.com and the game will be streamed live on WAC International.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
