UTAH VALLEY VS. UMKC
Saturday-Sunday, April 29-30, 2017  |  2 & 4 p.m. MT (Sat.)/11 a.m. MT (Sun.)
Orem, Utah   |   Wolverine Softball Field
Live Video (Sat.)  |  Live Video (Sun.)  |  Live Stats  |  UVU Game Notes
 

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WOLVERINES WELCOME UMKC TO TOWN FOR KEY WAC SERIES
OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University softball team will close Western Athletic Conference play at home this weekend when it welcomes UMKC to town for a key three-game series. With inclement weather slated for Friday, the series will now feature a Saturday (April 29) doubleheader at 2 and 4 p.m. and a single game on Sunday (April 30) at 11 a.m.
 
All three games will be played at Wolverine Softball Field, and Saturday's twin bill will air live on the WAC Digital Network. Sunday's finale will be streamed live at WolverineGreen.com/watch and all three contests will feature live stats by visiting UVUStats.com.
 
The Wolverines will enter the league series with a 12-21 overall record and currently in fifth place in the WAC standings with a 4-8 conference clip. UVU will enter the final series just a game back of UMKC for fourth place (5-7) and two games back of Seattle U for third (6-6). The Wolverines also hold a two-game lead over CSU Bakersfield for sixth (2-10). New Mexico State (10-2) will enter the final weekend a game up on Grand Canyon (9-3) for first.
 
UVU will enter play having dropped four straight ballgames after getting swept by GCU in Phoenix last weekend and finding itself on the wrong end of a 12-4 run-rule decision to No. 21 BYU on Wednesday evening in Provo. The Wolverines scored the first four runs of the ballgame to jump out to a 4-0 advantage over the ranked Cougars, but back answered BYU with 12 unanswered runs to take the UCCU Crosstown Clash.
 
Freshman Lyndsay Steverson led Utah Valley on Wednesday against BYU by going 1-for-2 with a walk and a two-run home run. Steverson blasted out the two-run bomb in the top of the first inning to give UVU an early 2-0 advantage. The home run marked her ninth of the season, but her first since mid March when she hit out eight home runs during a seven-game stretch.
 
Freshman Basia Query too drove home a first inning run with an RBI triple off the centerfield wall to extend UVU's early lead to 3-0. Fellow freshman Caragh Morris capped the scoring for Utah Valley with a second-inning RBI single to left to give Utah Valley a 4-0 advantage.
 
The lead didn't hold up, however, as the Cougars hit out a total of five home runs on the night and BYU ace McKenna Bull came on in relief and gave up just one hit and no runs en route to leading Brigham Young to the victory.
 
Senior Brittney Vansway leads the Wolverines at the plate on the season with a .392 batting average, 10 home runs and 47 runs batted in. Her 47 RBIs are also good enough to lead the WAC. Morris is next for UVU with a .369 average, six doubles and 23 RBIs, while junior Lauren Frailey fronts the Utah Valley pitching staff with a 9-8 record and a 2.99 ERA.
 
ABOUT UMKC
The Kangaroos will come to town with a 15-33 overall record and just a game ahead of UVU in the WAC standings with a 5-7 conference mark. UMKC has lost three of its last four ballgames after dropping two of three to Seattle U last weekend in Kansas City as well falling at home to Creighton in a non-conference midweek contest. The Roos lone WAC series victory of the season came in a three-game sweep over CSU Bakersfield last month. UMKC was picked to finish in fifth in the conference standings this year after tying for second a year ago with a 10-5 WAC record in 2016.
 
Kendra Leach paces the Roo offense with a .398 batting average, 10 doubles and 10 stolen bases. Her .398 average is good enough to rank her third in the WAC. Morgan Byrn leads the way in the power numbers with 11 home runs and 25 RBIs, and her 11 homers currently rank her second in the conference.
 
Saturday's first game of the twin bill will mark the 14th all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Kangaroos. UMKC will enter play holding to a 9-4 series lead, including having won five of the last six contests.
 
ON DECK FOR UVU
Following the series, the Wolverines will conclude their final homestand of the 2017 season with a midweek in-state rivalry game against Weber State. The Wolverines are Wildcats will square off on Wednesday, May 3 at 1:30 p.m. at Wolverine Softball Field for Utah Valley's Senior Day.