OREM, Utah – Three different players hit home runs as Utah Valley University notched its first series sweep of the WAC season, defeating CSU Bakersfield, 10-1, on Sunday at Brent Brown Ballpark.
 
Trevor Howell hit his first career home run, Jake Atkinson had his first of the season and Craig Brinkerhoff hit a grand slam in the eighth to put the game away. Atkinson and Jordan Schlehuber each had three hits for the Wolverines (25-18, 11-7). Jackson Cofer pitched 6.1 innings and allowed one run on four hits to move to 4-4 on the season.
 
"I was really pleased with our guys," said UVU head coach Eric Madsen. "We stayed in it and found a way to compete and get the job done. We were more disciplined than we've been and guys did a good job of getting pitches they could handle. We made some good strides this weekend."
 
Howell hit a two-run shot in the third to break a scoreless tie before Atkinson homered in the bottom of the fourth, answering a run by the Roadrunners (9-33, 4-13) in the top half of the inning.
 
Schlehuber led off the fifth with a base hit and later scored on a Zac Willis double into the corner in left.
 
The Wolverines caught a break in the seventh when a fly ball to deep left was lost in the sun, allowing Gothberg to end up at third with a triple. The hit scored Krueger and gave UVU a 5-1 lead.
 
Utah Valley added five runs in the eighth to put the game away. Krueger walked with the bases loaded before Brinkerhoff's team-leading sixth home run of the year. It was the Wolverines' second grand slam of the season.
 
CSUB was limited to six hits, with David Metzgar and Drew Seelman finishing with two apiece. Seelman had the 'Runners' lone RBI.
 
Kaden Schmitt followed Cofer and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings while Greg McCuch pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the game. AJ Monarrez (3-5) took the loss for CSU Bakersfield after allowing five runs on 10 hits in seven innings of work.
 
Utah Valley plays at BYU on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. before heading to Sacramento State for a key WAC series beginning Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT. The Wolverines sit in fourth place in the standings, one game back of the Hornets, who were swept at New Mexico State. Seattle U leads the WAC, two games in front of NM State and three of Sac State.