ON DECK
The second half of the WAC regular season begins this week for Utah Valley University in a three-game road series at Northern Colorado beginning Friday. The series schedule has been altered due to impending weather, with the teams schedule to play a doubleheader on Friday starting at 1 p.m. MT with the finale on Sunday at noon MT. 

IN THE HOLE
The Wolverines host BYU next Tuesday in the second of three games against the Cougars. The teams will also meet May 16 in Provo. Next weekend UVU hosts current WAC leader New Mexico State. 

WAC UPDATE
Utah Valley is currently tied for third in the WAC standings at 6-6 overall. Northern Colorado is 4-8 in conference with all four wins coming at home, where the Bears are 11-4 overall this season. 

New Mexico State is percentage points in front of Grand Canyon for the top spot with UVU and CSUB both third. Chicago State is fourth, one game back of UVU, while Sac State, and Northern Colorado follow. The top six teams (minus Grand Canyon) make the WAC Tournament. If the tournament started today, UT Rio Grande Valley and Seattle U would both be out. 

LAST TIME OUT
UVU caught a hot Utah team that was coming off of a three-game sweep at No. 7 Arizona and fell in a lopsided, 23-5, contest. Jake Berry and Jake Atkinson both hit two-run home runs for the Wolverines. 

Last weekend, UVU took two of three from Chicago State after entering the series tied with the Cougars. Jackson Cofer lasted 7.2 innings and struck out seven in a 4-1 win in the series opener on Friday. 

The teams split a Saturday doubleheader to wrap up the series. A six-run third inning gave Chicago State a big lead, but that output was matched in the bottom half of the third by Utah Valley. The Wolverines earned the come-from-behind win, 11-10, with the two clubs combining to hit seven home runs. Callahan Moltzan had a three-run shot in the third while Jake Atkinson and Jackson Overlund, who had four RBIs, also homered. 

Closer Patrick Wolfe had saves in both wins in the series, giving him nine on the year, which ties the school record set by Kyle Valgardson in 2016. Wolfe retired all eight hitters he faced over the two appearances and has allowed just one hit without surrendering a run while striking out 10 in six WAC appearances. 

ABOUT THE BEARS
The Bears were swept at WAC-leading New Mexico State last weekend and have lost five of six overall. All five of those losses have been on the road though, with the Bears having won three straight and four of five at home. Northern Colorado, which had its Tuesday game against Air Force cancelled due to weather, is 11-4 overall at home this season.

Sophomore Jack Pauley leads the Bears with a .340 batting average, seven home runs, and 32 RBIs while Brett Minnick has a WAC-best 18 doubles. As a club, Northern Colorado is tied with New Mexico State for the league lead with 39 home runs. 

SERIES HISTORY AGAINST NORTHERN COLORADO
Utah Valley has faced Northern Colorado more than any other non-Utah program, owning a 32-16 all-time record against the Bears. The Wolverines are 13-11 all-time in Greeley, but were swept in their most recent trip there, during the 2015 season. UVU is 5-4 against UNC since the teams joined the WAC in 2014.