Utah Valley vs. Utah State
Tuesday, March 15, 2016   |   2 p.m. MT  
Orem, Utah   |   Wolverine Field
Live Stats   |   UVU Game Notes   |   USU Game Notes
 

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OREM, Utah – Following 24 straight games away from home to open the 2016 season, the Utah Valley University softball team will return to Wolverine Field to welcome in-state rival Utah State to town for its 2016 home opener on Tuesday afternoon. First pitch for the in-state contest is slated for 2 p.m. MT.
 
"We are so excited to kick-off our home opener against USU," head coach Nikki Palmer said. "It's always a honor to host an in-state opponent and we can't wait to get a win in front of our home crowd."
 
The Wolverines (4-20) will enter the ballgame having dropped 14 straight contests after going 0-4 at the Long Beach Louisville Slugger Invitational in Southern California last weekend. There, UVU fell to No. 14 UCLA (19-0), Cal State Fullerton (9-2), the host Long Beach State 49ers (9-0) and UC Santa Barbara (8-4).
 
Utah Valley had its best chance to snap the streak against Iowa State of the Big 12 Conference over the weekend, as it held to a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning. But the game was officially ruled a no-contest after play was halted in the last of the fourth due to rain.
 
Brianna Gatlin led UVU at the Louisville Slugger Invite by hitting .375 (3-for-8) with two walks, a double and a run scored. The junior slugger will enter Tuesday's ballgame having reached base safely in 10 straight games after reaching base in all four games last week.
 
Senior outfielder Morgan Smith leads the Wolverines on the season with a .338 batting average and in steals, as she is 10-for-11 in that category. Gatlin is next, as she holds a .328 average with two home runs, eight doubles, 16 RBIs and 19 walks. Sophomore Kellee Ramsey fronts the UVU pitching staff with a 4.81 ERA and a 1-5 record.
 
The Wolverines hold a 6-5 record all-time in home openers at the NCAA Division I level.
 
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
The Aggies will come to town on Tuesday with a 9-10 record after going 3-2 at the Rebel Classic in Las Vegas over the weekend. USU recorded wins over Wisconsin (5-2), Santa Clara (8-3) and Valparaiso (18-4) while in Las Vegas. Utah State was picked to finish sixth in the Mountain West this year taking sixth with an 11-13 league record a year ago (25-30 overall).
 
Bailey Lewis leads the Aggie offense with a .409 average, while Sarah Chow and Sarina Jaramillo are right behind her with respective averages of .362 and .350. April Brown is the top pitcher for USU with a 3.22 ERA and a 4-3 win-loss record.
 
Tuesday's contest will mark the 29th all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Aggies. USU will enter play holding an 18-10 series advantage, but UVU came away victorious in Logan last year by a score of 8-6 thanks to a pair of seventh-inning home runs from Dynasty Lauvai and Hailey Kofler.
 
ON DECK FOR UVU
With Tuesday's game marking UVU's lone contest of the week, the Wolverines will be off until Tuesday, March 22 when they'll head to Provo to face fellow in-state foe BYU at 5 p.m.