ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — Krew Bond’s two-run homer capped a three-run fifth inning and a parade of Saint Louis relievers combined for six scoreless frames as the Billikens edged the Utah Tech Trailblazers 3-2 in a nonconference baseball game Monday evening at Billiken Sports Center.

The game’s decisive sequence came in the bottom of the fifth, erasing Utah Tech’s early two-run lead. Saint Louis, held hitless by Utah Tech starter Tyler Ray through four innings, broke through when Jack Canzoni singled and Mason Deutsch followed with a double. Austin Neuweg’s sacrifice fly drove in Canzoni for the Billikens’ first run. Bond then stepped up and launched a two-run shot to left field, giving Saint Louis a 3-2 advantage it would not relinquish.

That rally made a winner of reliever Andrew DuMont and overshadowed a strong start from Utah Tech’s Ray, who took the hard-luck loss. Ray pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs on just those three fifth-inning hits while striking out three. After Bond’s homer, the Trailblazers’ bullpen of Easton Brooks, Jonah Marshall and Ryan Martinez shut out Saint Louis over the final four innings, allowing just one hit.

The Saint Louis bullpen, however, was even more effective. After starter Caden Earing worked three hitless innings, DuMont earned the win with three scoreless frames of his own, scattering five hits. Colin Hawkins allowed both Utah Tech runs in the seventh and eighth innings, but Drew Welk recorded the final four outs, stranding the bases loaded in the eighth and working a scoreless ninth for the save.

Utah Tech built its initial lead without a hit in the first inning, using a hit batter and a walk to set the table, but could not capitalize. The Trailblazers finally broke through in the eighth against Hawkins. Parker Soto Jr. and Kade McDaniel led off with singles, and after a sacrifice bunt, Ryke Kroepel lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Soto. McDaniel later scored on a bases-loaded walk by pinch-hitter Gage Glasgow to pull Utah Tech within a run. Welk entered and struck out Fisher Stewart looking to end the threat with the bases full.

The Trailblazers threatened again in the ninth, putting the tying and go-ahead runs on base after a Saint Louis error and McDaniel’s fourth single of the game, but Welk induced a flyout from Kroepel to end it.

Utah Tech out-hit Saint Louis 9-6, with McDaniel going 4 for 5 with a run scored. Bond’s homer accounted for the only extra-base hit for the Billikens.

With the win, Saint Louis improved to 13-15 overall, while Utah Tech fell to 18-11. The game was a single nonconference meeting between the teams.

The Billikens open a three-game Atlantic 10 series at Saint Joseph’s on Thursday. The Trailblazers return home to begin a three-game set against Sacramento State on Thursday.