Feb. 5, 2007
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Orem, Utah - Utah Valley State baseball opens the 2007 season this week when the Wolverines travel to Pac-10 foe Arizona on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both games are slated for the 4pm MT start.
A live webcast and live stats of both games can be found by going to www.ArizonaAthletics.com and accessing the multimedia section. The live stats are free while there is a subscription fee to view the webcast.
The Wolverines are expected to start two newcomers on the hill, Eastern Utah JC transfers Bryan Smith (Tuesday) and Tai Penrod (Wednesday).
Arizona is 3-0 after sweeping Gonzaga to open the season (14-0, 10-3, 12-1) last weekend in Tucson.
Sophomore Preston Guilmet was named one of three Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week after taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning of a 14-0 win in the season opener.
The Wildcats are 3-0 all-time against Utah Valley having swept the only series between the two teams during the 2005 season.
2007 Season Preview:
The Utah Valley State baseball team heads into year four of its Division-I life with a roster that touts 18 newcomers, nine freshmen and two returned missionaries. But heading into the season head coach Steve Gardner insists his expectations have never been higher and that while this year will have its share of learning curves, the team is by no means rebuilding.
"We've got a lot of talented guys: it's just a matter of them getting comfortable and playing," Gardner. "In fact, our talent level is as good as we've ever had but we're just going to have to take some time to develop that."
POSITION PLAYERS: Despite a team that lost seven position starters, either to graduation or LDS missions, the team still returns pre-season Wallace Watch candidate Dan Bulow, who hit .337 with a team high 13 home runs in 2006.
"There's a guy that can make a big difference," said Gardner of Bulow. "He's got great hands and he's strong and he's got a ton of power but he'll need to discipline himself and when pitchers make mistakes then he needs to make them pay."
Bulow leads a string of hitters in the middle of the lineup that can produce a lot of power for Utah Valley, along with returned missionary Josh Hinckley, freshman Austin Heaps and junior Adam Openshaw.
"The middle of the order is strong," said Gardner. "We've got a lot of guys that can put a charge into the ball."
Openshaw, who hit .326 with four home runs a season ago, will change from being the every day designated hitter to third base defensively. Freshman Jace Brinkerhoff, all-everything in Utah after leading Spanish Fork to a State Championship, will push Openshaw at third and will also see a lot of time on the mound.
Eli Slesk returns for his senior season at shortstop for Utah Valley and will bat near the top of the lineup for the Wolverines. He hit .311 as a junior but Gardner expects that average to go up for Slesk.
"Eli's just a great team leader. He leads by example," said Gardner. He works hard and has a good attitude and you won't find a better defensive player. He's just a heady, smart player."
In the outfield, transfers Tyler Garretson, Cole Anderson and freshman Austin Heaps will all get playing time. Also making a push for time in one of the corner spots will be junior Scott Crowshaw.
Freshman Dick Bargewell could also crack the lineup on some afternoons, with the ability to play nearly every defensive position.
"Bargewell was one of our best hitters in the fall and he's gonna push guys," said Gardner. "He's really going to be good."
PITCHING: Utah Valley lost its top four leaders in innings pitched from 2006 in draftee Kam Mickolio, Brett Guerrero, Kyle Tash and Kalen Parsons.
The 2007 staff will include just one senior, right-hander Turreal Moore, along with returning juniors Dan Christensen, 2006 ERA leader Marcus Moore and sophomore Jory Jensen.
With the top of the staff and each hurler's role still to be determined, Gardner will go to JC transfers Bryan Smith and Tai Penrod early on but will also expect big innings from Christensen.
THE SCHEDULE: As is typical from a school in a cold weather area, the season starts on the road for Utah Valley. The team will play its first 23 games on the road beginning at Arizona on February 6-7 and St. Mary's in picturesque Moraga, California February 16-18th.
During the opening stretch away from home, UV will also travel to Washington State, Lewiston, Idaho for the Banana Belt Tournament, New Mexico State, Nevada and Gonzaga.
The Wolverines will play in-state foes BYU (three games), Utah (six games) and Southern Utah (seven games) while Dixie State is also on the schedule in its first season as an NCAA Division-II program.
In what will be the biggest "name" school to come to Orem, Pac-10 Washington will play at Wolverine Stadium at the end of April. Utah Valley will play Pac-10 powerhouse Arizona State in a single game on May 16th in Tempe, Arizona. Two seasons ago, the Wolverines stunned the then #16 Sun Devils for the school's only win over a ranked program.
Also coming to Orem in 2007 is the Division-I Independent Tournament. Defending champion Northern Colorado, New York Tech, New Jersey Tech, Chicago State, North Dakota State and South Dakota State will be in Utah May 23-26 with every team playing four times during the week.
