April 12, 2012

OREM, Utah -- The Utah Valley University baseball team heads to the Windy City this week for a four-game, Great West Conference series at Chicago State University beginning Friday.

The series was originally scheduled for a single game Friday, and doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. Due to the weather throughout the weekend, the schedule has now been shifted to a to two doubleheaders, on Friday and Saturday at noon.

The Wolverines (18-11, 4-0 in GWC), winners of 11 straight, defeated the University of Utah, 4-1, on Tuesday in Salt Lake City. Goose Kallunki homered for the second game in a row and the third time in the last four games.

Kallunki leads the Great West with six home runs and 31 RBIs on the season. Jake Rickenbach had two hits, including an RBI double against Utah, and is in the midst of a 12-game hitting streak.

Jeremy Gendlek pitched six scoreless innings against the Utes to move to 5-3 on the season. He has now won his last five decisions and sports a 3-0 mark against the Pac-12. Taylor Mangum pitched two scoreless innings, getting out of a seventh-inning jam, to help preserve the win.

Preston Olson is slated to start Friday's opener. Olson is 3-0 on the season and leads the Great West with a 1.82 ERA.

Chicago State enters the weekend series on a two-game winning streak. The Cougars defeated IPFW, 4-3, on Wednesday with a two-run ninth inning in CSU's home opener. Chicago State is led by Albert Carpen, who ranks third in the league with a .422 batting average.

Next week the Wolverines will be home for four games with Texas-Pan American, which leads the GWC overall with a 16-7 record and is also 4-0 in league play. The Broncs host North Dakota this weekend.