ST. GEORGE, Utah (Interstat) — Utah Tech erupted for 22 runs on 25 hits Thursday night to defeat Abilene Christian 22-12 in a Western Athletic Conference slugfest at Burns Arena.

The Trailblazers improved to 29-21 overall, while the Wildcats dropped to 24-26. Utah Tech’s 25 hits matched a season high, and the team scored in every inning except the sixth.

Kyle McDaniel led the onslaught, going 5-for-6 with four runs batted in and two stolen bases. The second baseman’s five hits tied a career best. Miller Durham added a homer and four RBIs, finishing 3-for-6. Catcher Ty Johnsen drove in four runs on two hits, and third baseman Ryan Kroepel homered and drove in two.

Abilene Christian’s Maddox Miesse had a standout performance in defeat, going 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs. Grant Watkins also homered, driving in two.

The game featured 41 combined hits and eight home runs.

Utah Tech seized control early, answering Miesse’s solo homer in the top of the second with a five-run bottom half. The Trailblazers sent 11 batters to the plate, highlighted by Durham’s three-run homer to right-center that made it 8-2. Abilene Christian had closed to 8-4 after Watkins’ RBI groundout in the top of the second.

The Wildcats struck for four runs in the top of the third, with Miesse hitting his second homer of the night, a two-run shot, and Watkins following with a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to 9-8.

But Utah Tech answered immediately. In the bottom of the third, the Trailblazers scored three more runs on four hits, including a run-scoring single by Durham and an RBI single by Finnegan Stewart, pushing the lead to 12-9. Kroepel doubled earlier in the inning.

Abilene Christian tied the game in the top of the fourth. With the bases loaded, Thompson singled to left-center, scoring two runs. Watkins was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, but reliever Aaron Morris induced two strikeouts to escape the jam, keeping the score 12-12.

The Trailblazers broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth. Petey Soto Jr. doubled and stole third, then scored on a fielder’s choice by Hayden Manwaring. Utah Tech added two more in the fifth on Johnsen’s RBI single, making it 14-12.

Utah Tech pulled away in the seventh. With two on and one out, McDaniel singled up the middle for two runs, extending the lead to 17-12. The Trailblazers then scored five more in the eighth, capped by McDaniel’s two-run double to center field that made it 22-12.

Morris earned the win in relief, throwing 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and one earned run while striking out three. Bryce Intagliata recorded the final two outs of the top of the eighth without allowing a hit.

Abilene Christian starter Coleman lasted only two innings, giving up nine runs on seven hits. The Wildcats used five pitchers total.

For Abilene Christian, Thompson finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Borho and Gray each had two hits. The Wildcats left 12 runners on base.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Abilene Christian 6, Utah Tech 3, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Abilene Christian a 58.50 percent probability to win. The two teams meet again Friday and Saturday to conclude the series.