OREM, Utah – The Utah Valley University baseball team will return to Southern California for another key conference series at new WAC foe California Baptist this weekend (May 3-5). 
 
The three-game WAC series will run Friday to Sunday at CBU's Totman Stadium in Riverside. The series opener is set for Friday at 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT, while game two will take place on Saturday at 6 p.m. MT/5 p.m. PT. Sunday's finale is then set for a 1 p.m. MT/noon PT start. All three games will be streamed on the WAC Digital Network and live stats will be available by visiting CBULancers.com.
 
The Wolverines will enter the series with an 11-32 overall record and currently tied for sixth in the WAC standings with a 7-11 record after dropping two of three at CSU Bakersfield last weekend. CBU will enter the weekend in fourth place in the WAC standings with an 11-7 league clip. The top six teams in the conference standings will qualify for the WAC Tournament other than California Baptist, as the Lancers are currently transitioning from NCAA DII to DI and are ineligible for postseason competition for the next couple of years.
 
After taking the opener over CSUB last weekend, 5-3, UVU then dropped game two on a walk-off ninth-inning home run in game two (9-6) as well as dropped a tightly contested finale by a mere run (6-5) to drop the series to the Roadrunners. In the opener, senior right-hander Jake Carr went the distance for his first time in a UVU uniform and allowed just three runs while striking out six and not walking a batter to lead the Wolverines to the opening victory. 
 
Senior outfielder Ryan Eastburn too had a big series opener offensively for the Wolverines by blasting out a third-inning grand slam. UVU scored all the runs it would need in the third inning by driving in five that inning en route to earning the 5-3 victory. 
 
Utah Valley then held a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the ninth in game two before the 'Runners responded with a game-tying homer from Jake Ortega followed by a two-out walk-off home run form Damian Henderson to propel CSUB to a 9-6 win. Then with the series finale all knotted up at 6-6 following a four-run fifth from the Wolverines, an unearned run in the sixth proved to be the difference as Bakersfield would go on to take the finale, 6-5, and the series.
 
Sophomore catcher Drew Sims had a big series for UVU by hitting .556 (5-for-9) with a trio of extra-base hits, two runs scored, four RBIs and three walks, while freshman third baseman Mick Madsen followed by going 5-for-11 (.455) with a pair of runs scored and a walk. Carr led the way on the mound by going 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, while junior reliever Travis Parker led the way in relief by pitching 4.1 innings of shutout relief. 
 
Eastburn leads the way for UVU on the year with a .356 average and a .484 on-base percentage, while fellow senior outfielder Michael Beltran follows with a .341 clip and 36 runs scored, and junior outfielder Alexander Marco leads the way in the power numbers with 18 extra-base hits, six homers and 35 RBIs. 
 
Carr is scheduled to start game one for UVU while junior right-hander Paxton Schultz will take the ball in game two and senior righty Walker Ramsey in game three. Schultz currently ranks fifth in the WAC in strikeouts on the year with 64 while Carr is eighth with 61. 
 
ABOUT CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
In their first year of Division I competition, the Lancers will enter the series with a 26-18 record and currently in fourth in WAC play with an 11-7 clip. CBU has currently dropped two straight after falling in the series finale at Northern Colorado last weekend (6-1) and losing to Hawaii in a midweek game at home on Tuesday. In conference play, California Baptist holds series wins over the preseason favorite Grand Canyon Lopes, Seattle U, Northern Colorado and a sweep over CSU Bakersfield. CBU has also take one of three from first-place UT Rio Grande Valley and second-place Sacramento State. The Lancers were picked to tie for fifth in their first season in the WAC after going 35-19 and advancing to the NCAA Division II West Regional a season ago. 
 
Luke Navigato leads CBU offensively with a .371 average, 18 extra-base hits and 36 runs scored. Chad Castillo is next with a .353 clip while Ryan Mota leads the club in the power numbers with 13 homers and 39 RBIs. Sunday's scheduled starter Andrew Bash leads the Lancers from the mound with a 2.10 ERA, a 4-4 record and a save, while Friday's starter Logan Rinehart is a perfect 6-0 with a 3.40 ERA. 
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. CBU
Friday's opener will mark the first all-time meeting between UVU and CBU.
 
ON DECK FOR UVU
The Wolverines will next return home to open their final home stretch of the 2019 season next weekend. UVU will first welcome Sacramento State to town for a three-game WAC series May 10-12, before hosting Washington State of the Pac-12 for the home finale on May 14.