May 12, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley University will cap its 2009 baseball season with a four-game series in Honolulu against Hawai'i. The teams will play Thursday and Friday at 6:35 p.m. HT, Saturday at 7:35 p.m. HT and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. HT. Fans can get live video, audio and stats from HawaiiAthletics.com.

The Wolverines (16-33) were swept last weekend at Dallas Baptist, losing two of the three games by a single run. UVU led in the sixth inning or later in all three games against the Patriots.

Utah Valley is led by junior Jace Brinkerhoff, who ranks fifth in the country with a .443 batting average. Brinkerhoff is tied for sixth in total hits, with 89 and has 27 multi-hit games. Freshman Billy Burgess is batting .388 with eight home runs and 42 runs batted in. Burgess is currently on a 10-game hitting streak while sophomore Chris Benson is on a 12-game streak.

As a team, the Wolverines are batting .331 entering the final weekend. That average leads the school record by 21 points. UVU hit .310 in both the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Junior Justin Smith is 7-4 with a 5.10 ERA to lead the pitching staff. A loss in game two of the Dallas Baptist series ended a streak of six straight wins over a stretch of seven starts for Smith.

Hawai'i is 29-22 overall and 17-11 in the WAC after splitting four games in its final conference series at Fresno State. The Rainbows will host the 2009 WAC Tournament beginning May 21. Hawai'i has an NCAA RPI of 29 and has a strength of schedule that is ranked 31st by Boydsworld.com.

Against WAC schools this season, Utah Valley is 2-6, winning one time each in four game series at Nevada and Sacramento State.