Utah Valley at North Dakota
Friday, May 8 - Sunday, May 10
4pm MTÂ |Â 2pm MTÂ |Â 11am MT
Grand Forks, N.D. | Kraft Field
Live Video | Live Stats | Series NotesÂ
OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley University travels to North Dakota this weekend for a pivotal three-game WAC series beginning Friday at Kraft Field. The Wolverines (15-30, 11-10) enter the weekend in sixth place in the WAC with North Dakota (18-22, 12-9) tied with both Sacramento State and Northern Colorado.
The Wolverines are attempting to be the sixth and final team to qualify for the WAC Tournament at Hohokam Park in Mesa, Ariz. May 20-24. UVU needs one win or one New Mexico State loss over the final two weekends to qualify.
Utah Valley lost its home finale to Utah, 15-3, on Tuesday night in a game the Utes jumped ahead early and never allowed the Wolverines back in. The Wolverines took two of three from New Mexico State over the weekend, winning the rubber match after erasing a five-run deficit.
Palmer Page had the game-winning two-run double in the eighth inning of the finale and
Kyle Valgardson picked up the win after earning a save in the series opener.
North Dakota won two of three against Texas-Pan American last weekend to eliminate the Broncs from a chance at the postseason. Since being swept in the third conference weekend of the season at CSU Bakersfield, UND has won its last four league series including two of three at Seattle and two of three against preseason favorite Sacramento State.
Tyler Follis is batting .401 to lead North Dakota and ranks second among all WAC hitters. Jeff Campbell ranks fifth with a .376 average and also has six home runs and league-leading eight saves on the mound.
UVU is 12-3 all-time against North Dakota but all three UND wins have come in the last four meetings between the teams, including two of three last season in Orem.
Utah Valley has played at Kraft Field before, winning the 2011 Great West Conference Tournament there, including a 3-2 win over North Dakota. However, the two prior scheduled four-game series -- in 2011 and 2013 -- were both cancelled due to snow in Grand Forks. Thankfully, this weekend's forecast calls for upper 50's to low 60's and the possibility of rain on Sunday.
The Wolverines close out the regular season next weekend at Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas. The series begins a day earlier than normal, on Thursday, May 14, to accommodate travel to the conference tournament.
