ST. GEORGE — Behind a four-hitter by fifth-year righthander Kate Dolinksi, conference-leading Utah Tech completed a three-game softball sweep of visiting Seattle U with a 2-0 shutout victory on Saturday afternoon at Karl Brooks Field.
UT started the series by sweeping a Friday doubleheader, run-ruling the Redhawks 10-2 and 12-4.
The Trailblazers (24-13 overall, 9-3 Western Athletic Conference) will now play seven of their next 10 games on the road, beginning with a key WAC series at Grand Canyon next weekend in Phoenix. Additionally, starting pitcher Dolinski, who is 8-4 this season, was named WAC Player of the Week.
Utah Tech 2, Seattle U 0
The Trailblazers cracked the scoreboard in the home third when after a Carly Eldredge lead-off walk and a Tanya Windle double, LB Kahahawai-Kekona flew out to left field to drive in Windle.
Utah Tech then made it a two-run cushion an inning later with a two-out Laura Lockard RBI single.
That would be all the offense Dolinski would need as she and the Blazer defense combined to retire 16 of the first 20 Seattle U (24-14, 5-7) batters through the first five innings. Meanwhile, only one Redhawk managed to reach third base on the day.
Windle and Hannah Hughbanks each collected two hits, while Lockard accounted for the other safety as Utah Tech finished with five hits.
Utah Tech 10, Seattle U 2
Trailing 2-0 heading into the home second of game one, Utah Tech sent nine batters to the plate as part of a five-run, seven-hit rally to open up a 5-2 advantage. Madisen Duryea provided the big blow for the Trailblazers as she connected for a three-run home run, her second round-tripper of the season.
The Trailblazers then put the game on ice with five more runs in the fifth inning, as eight of the nine UT batters in the frame reached base safely, including seven on base hits.
Utah Tech rapped out 14 hits in the opener, with the top-four batters in the order – Windle, Kahahawai-Kekona, Shea Clements and Lauren Almeida, each collecting two hits, one RBI and one run scored. Duryea also tallied two hits and finished with four RBI, as all nine batters in the Blazers’ starting line-up had at least one base hit.
Dolinski locked the Redhawks down from the third inning on, surrendering just two hits over her final three innings of work en route to her seventh win of the season.
Utah Tech 12, Seattle U 4
The Trailblazers picked right up where they left off to start the nightcap, striking for five runs in the home first to jump out to a commanding lead. The first five UT hitters reached safely to begin the frame, with Kahahawai-Kekona, Almeida and Hughbanks all doubling in the rally.
After Utah Tech tacked on two more runs in the fourth, Seattle U clawed back into the game with four unanswered runs, three of which came in the sixth, to cut the deficit to 7-4.
However the Trailblazers would again put together another five-run frame in their half of the sixth, highlighted by a Rachel Campbell two-run homer to left, and Carly Eldredge capped UT’s offensive firework show with a single to center to close out the Friday sweep.
Hughbanks tallied five RBIs to go with a pair of hits, while Kahahawai-Kekona and Clements picked up two more safeties in the nightcap.
Freshman hurler Sauren Garton (W, 9-4) pitched into the sixth and scattered two runs and eight hits with five strikeouts on her way to her ninth season win in the circle.