ST. GEORGE, Utah (Interstat) — Abilene Christian and Utah Tech meet Friday in a Western Athletic Conference series opener at Burns Arena, with the Trailblazers holding a slight edge in the standings and the Wildcats bringing a potent offense that erupted for 16 runs in their most recent win.

The game is set for a 6 p.m. MDT first pitch under clear skies and a forecast temperature of 89 degrees.

Utah Tech (28-21) enters the contest after a 16-9 loss at Utah on Tuesday, but the Trailblazers have won four of their last seven. Abilene Christian (24-25) took two of three from Utah Valley over the weekend, including a 16-6 victory Sunday in which left fielder Brady Ladusau went 4-for-6 with six RBIs.

Ladusau, a key bat in the Wildcats’ lineup, has been inconsistent of late. In his last 10 games, he has recorded multiple hits only twice (Interstat) — the Utah Valley outburst and a 2-for-4, one-RBI effort April 28 against Dallas Baptist. Over that span, he has gone hitless in six of those contests, including an 0-for-2 in a 5-3 loss to Utah Valley on May 9. Still, his power potential makes him a player to watch Friday.

Utah Tech will counter with right-hander Bryce Intagliata, who has been effective in limited relief appearances. In his last four outings, covering 2 2/3 innings, Intagliata has allowed one hit and zero earned runs. He tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings against Utah on Tuesday, striking out one and walking none. The Trailblazers will need similar efficiency from their bullpen against an Abilene Christian offense that averages 6.7 runs per game.

The series opened Thursday with a game not detailed in available results, but the Wildcats and Trailblazers have a history of close contests. Abilene Christian’s most recent win came Sunday, when Diego Cardenas homered twice and drove in two, and JT Thompson added two hits and four RBIs. Utah Tech’s most productive player in Tuesday’s loss was Hudson Manwaring, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs.

According to the Interstat game simulator, Abilene Christian is projected to win 6-3.

The two teams will meet again Saturday in the second game of the series, with both squads jockeying for position in the WAC standings. Utah Tech owns the better overall record, but Abilene Christian’s offense has shown it can erupt at any time. Friday’s matchup will test whether the Trailblazers’ pitching can contain the Wildcats’ bats under the desert heat.