Utah Valley at CSU Bakersfield
Friday, April 1 - Saturday, April 2 (Fri. at 3 MT/2 PT, Sat. at 2 MT/1 PT, Sat. at 4 MT/3 PT)  
Bakersfield, Calif.   |   Roadrunner Softball Complex
WAC Digital Network (Sat. Game 1 of DH Only)  |  Live Stats  |  UVU Game Notes
 

---

OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University softball team will look to start anew this weekend when it opens Western Athletic Conference play at CSU Bakersfield. The Wolverines and Roadrunners will open a three-game conference series on Friday afternoon in Bakersfield, California.
 
Friday's 2016 WAC opener will begin at 3 p.m. MT/2 p.m. PT at CSUB's Roadrunner Softball Complex. A doubleheader will then follow on Saturday with game times slated for 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT and 4 p.m. MT/3 p.m. PT. Live stats will be available for all three games by visiting GoRunners.com, while Saturday's first game of the twin bill will also be streamed live the WAC Digital Network.
 
"We're anxious to move forward into conference play," UVU head coach Nikki Palmer said. "We've played a tough schedule so far and are hopeful that we can show the conference what we've learned."
 
The Wolverines will enter the series with a 4-22 overall record after falling at BYU, 8-0, in their last contest on March 22. BYU's McKenna Bull pitched a two-hit shutout for the Cougars in the ballgame, as she struck out seven in five innings of work.
 
UVU freshman Kendall Ohman broke up Bull's no-hit bid in the fourth with an infield hit, while senior Dynasty Lauvai added the Wolverines' second hit of the game with a leadoff single in the fifth.
 
Junior Brianna Gatlin leads Utah Valley on the season with a .344 batting average, 18 RBIs, 20 walks and eight doubles. She also enters the weekend leading the way in both slugging (.563) and on-base percentage (.512), as well as holding a current 11-game reached base safely streak.
 
Senior Morgan Smith is next for UVU with a .312 average. Smith is tops on the team in stolen bases with 10 (10-for-11) and runs scored with 16. Sophomore Kellee Ramsey fronts the Utah Valley pitching staff with a 4.78 earned run average and a 1-5 record.
 
The Wolverines were picked to finish sixth in the WAC this season after going 3-12 in league play a year ago. UVU will enter the series having dropped 16 consecutive ballgames.
 
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
CSU Bakersfield will enter Friday's conference opener with an 8-21 record after dropping both games of a doubleheader to CSUN on March 29 at home. The 'Runners lost the opener 7-4 before falling in the nightcap by a score of 4-1. CSUB was picked finish third in the WAC this season after taking fourth a year ago with a 7-8 record.
 
Julea Cavazos leads the 'Runners with a .370 batting average, six doubles and a .457 slugging percentage. Selena Gonzalez is next offensively with a .364 clip, while Amber Mills leads the way in the circle with a 4-6 record and a 2.77 ERA.
 
Friday's series opener will mark the 24th all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Roadrunners. UVU will enter play holding a 15-8 series advantage and having won nine of the last 11 ballgames, including taking two of three last year and all four meetings in 2014.
 
ON DECK FOR UVU
Utah Valley will step out of conference play on Tuesday, April 5 for a doubleheader at in-state foe Weber State. Following the twin bill versus the Wildcats, the Wolverines will return to conference play next weekend (April 8-9) when New Mexico State comes to Orem.