March 22, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Wolverines Play at Utah on Tuesday
Utah Valley plays its first mid-week contest of the season against Utah at Spring Mobile Ballpark on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The Wolverines and Utes will meet three times this season overall including next Tuesday, March 30 at Utah and again on April 13 at Brent Brown Ballpark in Orem.
The Wolverines (5-8) lost their home-opening series to Portland after dropping the final two games of the weekend series. UVU won in dramatic fashion in the opener when Sage Thorpe delivered a pinch-hit, solo home run with one out in the bottom of the 10th to win 8-7. It's the first walk-off home run for Utah Valley since the 2006 season when Derrick Thomas did it against North Dakota State.
Chris Benson continues to swing a hot bat and leads the team with a .508 average. Benson, who homered in the UVU win over Portland, has seven doubles, two triples and three home runs on the year. Jace Brinkerhoff hit two home runs in the series and has upped his average to .322 after a slow start.
The bullpen has also provided much-needed relief for Utah Valley. In last Thursday's win over Portland, Blake Krahenbuhl threw 5.0 solid innings and struck out eight and Brian Whatcott retired all seven batters he faced, including the first five via strikeout and earned the win. Whatcott came on in the eighth with the bases loaded and two outs and got a strikeout to preserve a 7-7 tie. He then struck out the side in the ninth and the first batter in the 10th.
In Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Pilots, Craig Brimhall followed a solid starting job by Zane Gray by throwing 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two baserunners.
On Deck
The Wolverines continue four straight weekends of home series Gonzaga beginning Thursday at 6 p.m. The teams also play Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.
About the Opposition
Utah is 9-8 after taking two out of three at New Mexico over the weekend in Mountain West Conference action. The Utes are led at the plate by C.J. Cron, who is batting .414 with four home runs and 20 RBI so far in 2010. Tuesday's game is the first home game of the year for Utah and first of 12 straight at Spring Mobile Ballpark.
