May 17, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Wolverines Play Final Regular Season Games This Week
Utah Valley plays its final non-conference game of the season on Tuesday at BYU at 6 p.m. MT. The Wolverines (33-17, 22-2 in GWC) then travel to Texas to face Houston Baptist in the final Great West Conference series of the year beginning on Thursday.
About the Wolverines
UVU has won seven of its last eight games after sweeping NJIT over the weekend, outscoring the Highlanders 67-13 during the four-game series. The Wolverines set a new school record with 28 hits in a 24-7 win in the third game of the series before recording their most lopsided win a day later -- 23-2 -- behind home runs from seniors Jace Brinkerhoff and Kevin Arendse.
It was the final home game of the year for Utah Valley and the 200th career game for Brinkerhoff, who drove in four runs and scored four times to help the Wolverines clinch the first-ever Great West Conference title and the top seed in the conference tournament.
Brinkerhoff is batting .447 on the year, which is tied for fourth in the country as of Monday. He ranks second with 98 hits -- a school record -- and is among the national leaders in runs scored along with shortstop Jake Rickenbach. Each player has scored 72 times, putting them fourth in that category.
In last Friday's series-opening 13-3 win, the Wolverines set another school record with five triples -- two each by Rickenbach and Chris Benson -- and also got a two-run home run from Arendse as he hit two over the weekend.
On Deck
The Great West Conference Tournament begins May 26 in Edinburg, Texas. Official pairings haven't been released but the Wolverines are set to face Chicago State in the opening contest. The tournament will be divided into two pools with the top finisher from each pool meeting in the tournament championship on Saturday, May 29.
Where UVU Ranks
Utah Valley ranks in the top 10 in the country in several offensive categories. In addition to leading the nation with 166 doubles, the Wolverines are also second in team batting average (.366), third in slugging (.592), sixth in on-base percentage (.438), third in on-base plus slugging (OPS, 1.030), third in runs (508), fourth in total hits (690), third in runs batted in (458), tied for ninth in triples (25) and third in total bases (1,116).
Individually, in addition to Brinkerhoff's average, total hits and runs scored along with Rickenbach, Benson is tied for fifth with nine triples, is tied for ninth with 71 RBI and is 10th in total bases with 160.
About the Opposition
BYU (23-27) swept San Diego State at home over the weekend and will play its final home game of the season on Tuesday. The Cougars defeated the Wolverines 14-10 on May 4 in Orem, erasing an early five-run deficit and hitting five home runs to get the win.
UVU is 5-13 all-time, including 0-9 at Miller Park, vs. BYU. Wolverine coach Eric Madsen is 2-2 in four games vs. the Cougars.
Houston Baptist sits in third place in the GWC at 15-9 in league play and 26-26 overall. The Huskies won three out of four last weekend at North Dakota. This weekend's series will be the first meetings between UVU and HBU.
