April 25, 2012

OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley University enters this weekend's key Great West Conference series against second-place NJIT in possession of the nation's longest winning streak at 19 games. The Wolverines (26-11, 12-0 GWC) and Highlanders (17-15, 9-3) begin the four-game set on Thursday at 6 p.m. MT at Brent Brown Ballpark.

The teams will play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 4 p.m. before Saturday's finale, set for 1 p.m.

UVU swept a series against Texas-Pan American last week to extend its school-record streak, garnering the Wolverines and senior Goose Kallunki some national attention.

Kallunki was honored by Collegiate Baseball as one of "Louisville Slugger's" National Players of the Week after batting .529 with three home runs, five doubles and 11 RBIs against UTPA.

CollegeBaseballInsider.com also named the Wolverines the West Region's Team of the Week along while Kallunki and junior hurler Adam Gunn swept the Great West Conference weekly awards, winning the offensive player and pitcher of the week awards. Kallunki leads the GWC with 10 home runs and 51 RBIs, and also is ranked third in the country in runs batted in.

NJIT (17-15, 9-3 GWC) topped Farleigh Dickinson, 12-5, on Tuesday and has won six of its last seven. The Highlanders won three of four from North Dakota last week and enter the weekend with a one-game lead in conference in front of Texas-Pan American. Both Northern Colorado and Houston Baptist are 7-5 in league play, two games behind NJIT.

The Wolverines lead the nation in team batting with a .343 average and are also first in slugging (.515) while the Highlanders lead the GWC in team ERA (4.45).

After the weekend series, UVU hosts BYU next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the only game between the neighboring school this season.