UTAH VALLEY at BYU
UCCU Crosstown Clash
Tuesday, March 5 | 6 p.m. MT
Larry H. Miller Field at Miller Park | Provo, Utah



OREM, Utah – After spending the first three weeks of the 2019 season out of state, the Utah Valley University baseball team will return to the Beehive State for a UCCU Crosstown Clash at neighboring rival BYU on Tuesday evening at Miller Park. 
 
The contest is scheduled for a 6 p.m. MT start and will be streamed live on TheW.tv (for a fee). Live audio will also be available on both GoUVU.com as well as on ESPN 960 and live stats can be followed by visiting BYUStats.com. The contest will mark the final game before UVU opens a 10-game homestand beginning this weekend (March 8-10) against Saint Mary's. 
 
UVU (2-8) will enter the ballgame off of an 11-9 extra-inning victory in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at UC Davis. After dropping the first three games of the series, the Wolverines managed to salvage a game on the weekend by overcoming an early six-run deficit en route to recording an 11-9 win in 10 innings. The victory snapped a seven-game skid by the Wolverines. 
 
With UCD holding to a 7-1 lead in the sixth inning of the series finale, UVU managed to piece together a six-run sixth to tie the game at 7-7. The Aggies again countered with two in the last of the eighth to take a late 9-8 advantage, but UVU responded with a run in the ninth behind a clutch one-out RBI single up the middle from Kade Poulsen to plate Kody Hall and tie the game at 9-9. After Jesse Schmit pitched around a hit batter in the last of the ninth to send the game to extras, UVU quickly loaded the bases with just one away in the 10th. The Wolverines then took the lead on an RBI fielder's choice from Hall and followed with an insurance run on a UCD throwing miscue. After allowing a leadoff walk, Schmit then struck out the side in the last of the 10th to help seal the win for the Wolverines. 
 
Senior Paul Estrada led Utah Valley in the UCD series by hitting .438 (7-for-16) with two runs scored and an RBI, while both Michael Beltran and Poulsen each hit an even .400. Poulsen also added five RBIs, a stolen base and a run scored after going 3-for-5 in Sunday's finale with four runs batted in. 
 
On the season, Beltran leads UVU with a .389 batting average, along with eight walks, seven runs scored, three extra-base hits and four RBIs. Poulsen is next with a .323 clip, six RBIs, a stolen base and a pair runs scored, while Alexander Marco is batting .306 with a home run and five RBIs. Right-hander Paxton Schultz fronts the UVU pitching staff with an 0-1 record, a 4.09 ERA, a complete game, and 22 strikeouts while walking just four in a team-high 22.0 innings of work.
 
TUESDAY'S STARTERS
Junior right-hander Matt Dalke (1-0, 5.40 ERA) is scheduled to get his first start in a Wolverine uniform for UVU on Tuesday, while BYU righty Jarod Lessar (1-1, 4.66 ERA) will start for the Cougars. 
 
ABOUT THE COUGARS
Brigham Young will enter the contest with a 7-3 record on the season after taking two of three at Lamar this past weekend. BYU has won five of its last six after going a perfect 3-0 at the Kleberg Bank College Classic the previous week with wins over Ohio State, Oral Roberts and host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Cougars also hold a pair of wins on the year over Northwestern. BYU was picked to finish sixth in the West Coast Conference this season after going 22-28 a season ago and 11-16 in WCC play.  
 
Noah Hill leads BYU offensively on the season with a .387 batting average and four RBIs, while Brian Hsu is batting .344 and Jackson Cluff paces the team in the power numbers with a homer, a trio of doubles and 11 RBIs. Justin Sterner fronts Brigham Young's pitching staff with a 2-1 record, a 1.20 ERA while striking out 19 and walking just six, while reliever Easton Walker is yet to allow a run in 10.1 innings of work and holds a 0.00 ERA and a save. 
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Tuesday ballgame with mark the first of two season meetings between the Wolverines and Cougars. BYU will enter play holding to a 27-9 all-time advantage and having won 11 of the last 12 meetings. UVU's last win was on May 3, 2016 when the Wolverines defeated No. 26 BYU, 7-6, in Provo. Brigham Young also holds a 14-3 series advantage all-time in Provo and the neighboring rivals are scheduled to meet again in two weeks on March 19 in Orem. 
 
ON DECK FOR UVU
Following the game, Utah Valley will open its home schedule with a 10-game homestand at UCCU Ballpark. The Wolverines will first host Saint Mary's of the WCC in a four-game series this weekend (March 8-10), before welcoming Niagara to town next Monday and Tuesday (March 11-12), UC Irvine for three games next weekend (March 15-17) and BYU on Tuesday, March 19.