OREM, Utah – After having the 2020 season cut short to just 19 games due to COVID-19, the Utah Valley University baseball team will return to the diamond this weekend, Feb. 19-21, with its 2021 season-opening non-conference series at Saint Mary's in Moraga, California. 
 
The four-game weekend series will take place at SMC's Louis Guisto Field and will open with a Friday afternoon contest at 3 p.m. MT/2 p.m. PT. The two teams will then play a Saturday doubleheader with game times slated for 11 a.m. MT/10 a.m. PT and 2:30 p.m. MT/1:30 p.m. PT. The opening series will then close on Sunday with a 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT contest. 
 
All four games will be streamed live on the WCC Network as well as the Stadium app and live stats will also be available for each game of the series by visiting SMCGaels.com. Due to COVID-19, no fans will be permitted into the Louis Guisto Field for the series.
 
"Everyone is excited to head to California this weekend and we are grateful to be playing," head UVU coach Eric Madsen said. "It will be good for our guys to return to the diamond and finally get out and compete."
 
The Wolverines will enter the 2021 campaign off of a 5-14 record during the shortened 2020 season which included a pair of four-game series splits against Washington of the Pac-12 and San José State of the Mountain West, as well as a victory over Portland of the West Coast Conference.
 
UVU was recently picked to finish seventh in the 2021 WAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Fifth-year senior right-handed pitcher Jesse Schmit also earned Preseason All-WAC accolades for the Wolverines after leading the league in ERA last season with a 1.08 clip. Schmit is one of four 2020 seniors that are back for UVU this season after getting an extra year of eligibility due to COVID. The righty was UVU's top starter last season after going 2-0 with 27 strikeouts in 25.0 innings of work. He also limited opposing batters to just a .153 average and held a 0.80 WHIP. 
 
Schmit, who is scheduled to start Friday's season opener for UVU on the mound at Saint Mary's, was also tabbed D1Baseball's Top Senior in the WAC a year ago and was also named to the Perfect Game's Preseason All-WAC squad. 
 
UVU's other three returning seniors are outfielder Alexander Marco, infielder Kade Poulsen and relief pitcher Spenser Triplett. Poulsen topped the group last year by leading the team in batting average with a .357 clip, while Triplett was one of the squad's top relievers with a 1-0 record, a 4.50 ERA and 12 strikeouts over 10.0 innings of work. Despite having a slow start to his 2020 campaign, Marco was one of UVU's top hitters in 2019 by batting .297 and leading the team in homers (6), doubles (13), RBIs (42) and slugging (.450).
 
In all, the Wolverines return a total of 30 players from last year's team which includes 28 letterwinners. UVU also returns eight position-player starters and all four of its starting pitchers from 2020. Utah Valley will also look to mix in 17 newcomers to the fold for a total of 47 players on its 2021 roster.  
 
Of the returning group, second baseman Mitch Moralez is back for his junior season after posting one of the top batting averages on the team last year with a .329 clip. He also played in all 19 games and led the team in hits (26), doubles (7), RBIs (9) and slugging (.418). Shortstop Garrett Broussard, who was named D1Baseball's Top Freshman in the WAC a season ago, was third on the team in batting (.298) and also posted a team-best nine runs scored, as well as four doubles and five RBIs. UVU also welcomes back fellow 2020 position-player starters Jeff Arens (RSo., infielder), Pacen Hayes (Jr., 1B), Mick Madsen (So., 3B), Drew Sims (Jr., C) Connor Hall (Fr., OF), Jake Plecas (So., OF), Andrew Hacker (RFr., OF) and Dalton Hill (RFr., DH).
 
Boise State transfer Kase Ogata (1B/DH) and freshman outfielder Tavyn Lords (Idaho Falls, Idaho/Bonneville HS) will also look for time in the lineup this weekend as well as a number of others.
 
Besides Schmit, UVU also welcomes back 2020 starting hurlers Jaxson Otis (Jr., RHP), Bobby Voortmeyer (Jr., RHP) and Mason Gray (So., RHP). In the bullpen, the Wolverines welcome back a pair of top arms in 2020 closer Pedro Perdomo (Jr., RHP) and southpaw Logan Petet (So., LHP). Petet led the bullpen in 2020 with a 0.69 ERA and a save, while Perdomo was right behind him with a 1.17 ERA and a save of his own. 
 
Second-year freshman righty Nick Sims will also look to work his way into the starting rotation this year and a pair of transfers will look to see ample time on mound this year in left-handers Dawson Day (Jr., Boise State) and Tevin Hall (RSo., Montana State-Billings). 
 
To view all of UVU's newcomers as well as the full 2021 roster, click HERE. 
 
Friday's season opener will mark UVU's first contest in over 11 months, as they last competed against Air Force on March 11, 2020. 
 
In UVU's last full season of competition, the Wolverines capped their 2019 season with a deep run at the WAC Tournament that season which included a victory over the eventual tournament champion and 2019 NCAA Regional team Sacramento State. 
 
STARTING ROTATION
Four right-handers are slated to start on the mound this weekend for Utah Valley in Schmit (Friday, 2-0, 1.08 ERA in 2020), Nick Sims (Saturday game one, 0-0, 7.24 ERA in 2020), Voortmeyer (Saturday game two, 0-3, 7.94 ERA in 2020) and Gray (Sunday, 1-2, 5.30 ERA in 2020). Saint Mary's is scheduled to go with Carlos Lomeli on Friday (RHP, 0-3, 3.08 ERA in 2020), Sam Bower in game one on Saturday (RHP, newcomer), Ky Bush in game two on Saturday (LHP, newcomer) and Dalton Ponce on Sunday (RHP, 2-1, 2.45 ERA in 2020).
 
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Saint Mary's of the West Coast Conference was recently picked to finish ninth in the WCC Preseason Coaches Poll after going .500 a season ago with an 8-8 record. SMC picked up wins over Utah, San José State, Nevada, UC Davis, Seton Hall and Sam Houston State last season. In 2019, the Gaels posted a 35-22 overall mark and went 17-10 in the WCC to finish third in the conference standings.
 
Third baseman Christopher Campos is SMC's top returning hitter after batting .310 for the Gaels a season ago with five doubles and eight RBIs. Outfielder Ryan Novis is next for Saint Mary's after hitting .286 with three doubles, a homer and six RBIs in 2020. Dalton Ponce, who is scheduled to start Sunday's finale on the mound, is SMC's top returning starter pitcher after going 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 16.0 innings of work a year ago. The Gaels had no Preseason All-WCC selections named last week.
 
Friday's opener will mark the 22nd all-time meeting between UVU and SMC. Saint Mary's will enter the series holding to a 15-6 all-time advantage and having won four straight after sweeping a three-game series in Orem in 2019 along with the series finale in Moraga in 2018. The Wolverines last defeated the Gaels, 6-3, on April 28, 2018 in the Bay Area.
 
UVU ALL-TIME ON OPENING DAY
Utah Valley begins its 18th season of NCAA Division I baseball in 2021. The Wolverines are 4-13 all-time in season openers and 11-46-1 all-time on opening weekend. Last season, UVU got swept in a four-game opening series at Abilene Christian after dropping a pair of one-run games. Now in his 13th season at the helm of UVU, head coach Eric Madsen holds a 4-8 record on opening day and 10-31 mark in opening series. Madsen picked up his 300th career victory last season at San José State, as currently holds a 302-332 Division I record (all at Utah Valley).
 
UTAH VALLEY'S D1BASEBALL DRAFT PROSPECTS
Senior starting pitcher Jesse Schmit is listed as UVU's top 2021 MLB Draft prospect, as he checks in as the 21st-best draft prospect in the WAC, while junior catcher Drew Sims is right behind him at No. 25. Second-year freshman shortstop Garrett Broussard is also listed as sixth-best 2022 draft prospect by D1Baseball. 
 
UP NEXT FOR UVU
After this weekend's opening series, the Wolverines will return to California next weekend, Feb. 26-28, to take on former WAC foe CSU Bakersfield in a four-game non-conference series at CSUB's Hardt Field. The following weekend, March 5-7, UVU will return to California for the third straight week to face Cal Poly in a three-game set.