*With rain expected in the Orem area on Saturday, the series has now been altered to a Friday doubleheader at 2 and 5:30 p.m., a single game on Saturday (time TBD), and the finale will remain on Sunday at noon.

OREM, Utah – For the first time since May of 2019, Utah Valley University will return to UCCU Ballpark for its 2021 home-opening series against Sacramento State this weekend. The four-game Western Athletic Conference-opening series will run Friday to Sunday, March 19-21, and will also mark UVU's first official game on dōTERRA Field—the state-of-the-art field turf that was installed in March of 2020. 
 
Friday's home opener will begin at 6 p.m., while the two teams will play a Saturday doubleheader beginning 1 p.m. The series finale will then take place on Sunday at noon.
 
All four games will be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network as well as the GoUVU YouTube Channel. Live stats will also be available for all four contests by visiting UVUStats.com.
 
UVU will enter the home-and-conference-opening series with a 2-9 record on the year after getting swept in a four-game non-conference series at the University of Portland last weekend. The Wolverines first gave up four late runs to drop the opener, 10-6, before falling in a pitcher's duel, 3-0. A comeback bid came up just short in a 6-5 setback in the nightcap of the Saturday doubleheader, before the Pilots went on to sweep the series with a 5-1 win in the finale on Sunday.
 
Junior Mitch Moralez led Utah Valley offensively in the series by batting .333 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored. Seniors Alexander Marco and Kade Poulsen were next by both hitting .286, while redshirt sophomore Jeff Arens posted a .429 average in two games played, and second-year freshman Trey Newman blasted out his first collegiate homer with a three-run home run in the second game of Saturday's twin bill. 
 
Sophomore right-hander Mason Gray had UVU's best performance on the mound against the Pilots by striking out a career-high nine batters and retiring the first 12 hitters he faced. He was solid all outing long, as he ended up going 6.2 innings and allowing two earned runs on five hits. Second-year freshman Nick Sims too had a strong start in the first game of the Saturday doubleheader by striking out six and giving up just two runs on six hits over 6.0 innings of work. Relievers Dawson Day, Cole Yocum, Dylan Cook and Devin Smith all pitched scoreless outings in the series. 
 
Moralez leads UVU on the season with a .326 batting average and a team-high five RBIs. Brandon Luna is next with a .267 clip, while Marco holds a .243 average and a team-best six doubles. Nick Sims and the Preseason All-WAC honoree Jesse Schmit both holds wins on the year from the UVU pitching staff, and Bobby Voortmeyer fronts the staff with a 3.24 ERA and a team-high 16.2 innings pitched.  
 
UVU was picked to finish seventh in the WAC this season after taking seventh in the WAC standings in 2019 with a 9-18 league record that season. The Wolverines capped the 2019 season by making a deep run at the WAC Tournament, which included a victory over the eventual tournament champion Sacramento State Hornets. 
 
SCHEDULED STARTING PITCHERS THIS WEEKEND
Four right-handers are scheduled to start this weekend for the Wolverines in the senior Schmit on Friday (1-1, 9.00 ERA), second-year freshman Nick Sims in Saturday's first game (1-2, 4.76 ERA), the junior Voortmeyer in the nightcap of the twin bill (0-2, 3.24 ERA), and the sophomore Gray on Sunday (0-3, 4.30). The Hornets will also go with four right-handers on the weekend in the Preseason WAC Pitcher of the Year Scott Randall on Friday (2-0, 1.50 ERA), Eli Saul in game one of the Saturday doubleheader (1-1, 9.00 ERA), Travis Adams in the twin bill nightcap (2-1, 3.09 ERA), and Noah Takacs on Sunday (0-0, 3.86 ERA). 
 
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Sacramento State will enter the series with a 10-5 overall record and a 3-1 start to WAC play after taking three of four from WAC newcomer Tarleton in Stephenville, Texas last weekend. The Hornets, who are an affiliate member of the WAC in baseball, are the defending WAC Tournament champions after winning the conference tournament and making an NCAA Regional in 2019. They were also picked to win the WAC this season in a three-way tie atop the conference with Grand Canyon and UT Rio Grande Valley. Sac State also holds a three-game sweep on the season over Texas State as well as wins over Santa Clara, Pacific and No. 15 Arizona State.
 
Senior infielder Ryan Walstad leads the Hornet offense with a .362 average, seven doubles and 15 runs scored, while sophomore infielder Martin Vincelli-Simard will enter the series with a .317 batting average, three home runs and 10 RBIs. Jorge Bojorquez also has three homers on the year for Sac State along with a .302 average and a team-best 18 runs batted in. Randall, who was tabbed a Freshman All-American in 2018 and earned second team All-WAC honors in 2019, leads Sacramento State's staff with a 2-0 record, a 1.50 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 24.0 innings of work. He also holds a complete game shutout on the season and is limiting opposing batters to just a .198 average off of him. Closer Stone Churby too has stellar numbers as he holds four saves and has struck out 11 and is yet to allow a run in 6.0 innings of relief work.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. SACRAMENTO STATE
Friday's series opener will mark the 47th all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Hornets. Sac State will enter the series with a 27-19 all-time advantage. UVU holds a 7-5 edge with games played in Orem and have won two of the last three meetings, which includes taking two of three against Sac State at UCCU Ballpark in May of 2019. 
 
UTAH VALLEY IN HOME OPENERS
UVU dropped its unofficial home opener last season in a game against Air Force played at BYU's Larry H. Miller Field, 9-0. The Wolverines also fell to Saint Mary's in the 2019 home opener, 8-3, and in the 2018 home opener to Northern Colorado, 8-4. Utah Valley's last home-opening win came on March 3, 2017 in a 7-6 victory over Indiana State at UCCU Ballpark. 
 
ON DECK FOR UTAH VALLEY
Following the series, the Wolverines will play their first midweek game of the year in a UCCU Crosstown Clash at BYU on Tuesday March 23 at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo. UVU will then return to WAC play with a four-game league series at Northern Colorado next weekend.

TICKET INFORMATION FOR THIS WEEKEND'S SERIES
Fans will be allowed to attend the series and socially distanced reserved seats will be sold in pods of four for $5 per ticket ($20 total for the pod). General admission tickets will also be available for purchase in the grass berm for $5 per ticket. Concessions will be unavailable for purchase this weekend, but fans will be allowed to bring in outside drinks and/or snacks. To purchase reserved seats, please call 801-863-7468 or buy them at the gate. All grass berm tickets can be purchased online by clicking here.
 
Face coverings will be required, and fans must adhere to all state and local government guidelines.