OREM, Utah – Fresh off of a five-game homestand, the Utah Valley University baseball team will return to the road this weekend for a four-game Western Athletic Conference series at UT Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas.
 
The league series will run Friday to Sunday, April 9-11, at UTRGV Baseball Stadium and will open on Friday evening at 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT. Saturday will feature a doubleheader beginning at noon MT/1 p.m. CT, while the two teams will close the series on Sunday at 11 a.m. MT/12 p.m. CT.
 
All four games will be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network. Live stats will also be available by visiting GoUTRGV.com. Limited tickets can also be purchased for the weekend by visiting UTRGVTickets.com.
 
UVU will enter the series with a 5-20 overall record and a 3-9 clip in WAC play after dropping a midweek non-conference contest to Washington State of the Pac-12 Conference at home on Wednesday by a score of 5-3. The Cougars struck first with a trio of runs in the opening inning to take an early lead. UVU then responded with a pair of runs in the second thanks to a two-run triple from freshman Tavyn Lords to make it 3-2. Washington State later two runs in the sixth via a two-run homer from Kyle Manzardo to put the game away.
 
Garrett Broussard led UVU offensively in the game by going 2-for-4 with a walk while Lords went 1-for-4 with a two RBIs and a triple, and Drew Sims finished 1-for-4 with an RBI. Carson Brown, Tevin Hall, Blake Zeleny, Devin Smith and Spenser Triplett all pitched scoreless outings of relief for the Wolverines during Wednesday's ballgame against Washington State. 
 
Prior to Wednesday's contest, UVU took one of four games against the third-place Grand Canyon Lopes at home last weekend. GCU took the first two games of the series, 8-2 and 4-1, before the Wolverines responded to take the nightcap of Friday's doubleheader by a score of 4-3. The Lopes then went on to take Saturday's finale, 7-2, to claim the WAC series. 
 
In UVU's 4-3 victory over the Lopes, junior right-hander Bobby Voortmeyer had a strong start for the Wolverines by allowing just one unearned run on four hits over 6.0 solid innings of work on his way to earning his second straight win. Voortmeyer also struck out four and exited the game with UVU holding to a 4-1 lead. Fellow junior righty Jaxson Otis then came on and pitched the final three innings to earn his first save of the year. GCU scored a pair of runs in the seventh to make things interesting, but Otis and the UVU defense responded with a big double play in the eighth along with a diving catch from Jake Plecas in center in the ninth to help preserve the victory.
 
Trey Newman and Kade Poulsen both homered for UVU in the win over GCU, while Broussard posted a 2-for-4 outing.
 
Junior second baseman Mitch Moralez leads Utah Valley offensively on the year with a .283 batting average, 28 total hits, 11 runs scored and three stolen bases. Senior outfielder Alexander Marco is next with a .267 clip. He also leads the team in doubles with 12 and is tied atop the squad in home runs with three. Marco's 12 doubles are also good enough to lead the WAC and rank him second in the nation in total two-baggers. Senior infielder Kade Poulsen leads the team in RBIs with 14 and is tied with Marco with three home runs. Junior RHP Voortmeyer leads UVU's pitching staff with a 2-3 win-loss record, a 3.58 ERA and a team-high 32.2 innings pitched. Sophomore righty Mason Gray tops the team in strikeouts with 34 k's in 30.1 innings pitched. 
 
SCHEDULED STARTING PITCHERS FOR THIS WEEKEND'S SERIES
Senior right-hander and preseason All-WAC honoree Jesse Schmit (1-4, 9.26 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday's opener for UVU against UTRGV righty Kevin Stevens (2-4, 4.24). On Saturday, the second-year freshman righty Nick Sims (1-4, 4.78) is scheduled to get the ball for Utah Valley in game one of the twin bill while the junior right-hander Voortmeyer will start in the nightcap (2-3, 3.58). Right-hander Max Balderrama Jr. (3-1, 3.60)) will get the ball for UTRGV in the first game on Saturday while RHP Colten Davis (4-0, 2.20) will start in game two on Saturday. In the finale on Sunday, the UVU sophomore righty Gray (1-4, 5.64) is slated to start for UVU while right-hander J.C. Ariza (0-2, 3.13) will go for the Vaqueros.
 
ABOUT UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY
UTRGV, who was picked in a three-way tie to win the WAC this season, is currently 13-16 overall and in sixth place in the conference standings with a 5-7 league record. The Vaqueros last lost three of four to the first-place California Baptist Lancers last weekend at home before dropping a midweek contest to in-state foe Texas State on Tuesday, 7-4. Prior to last weekend's series, UTRGV had split each of its first two WAC series against Dixie State and GCU. UT Rio Grande Valley also holds wins on the season over Baylor (two), Washington (one), Dallas Baptist (one) and Northern Illinois (four). The Vaqueros went 11-7 overall last year and won a share of the WAC title in 2019 with a 34-21 overall record and a 19-8 conference clip. 
 
Freddy Rojas Jr. paces UTRGV offensively with a .357 average, six home runs and 18 RBIs. Diego Ramirez is next with a .340 clip while Preseason All-WAC selection Christian Sepulveda is batting .320 with 10 extra-base hits and leads the team with 22 runs scored and is tied atop the squad in RBIs (with 18) and stolen bases (with three). The right-handed pitcher Davis is UTRGV top starting pitcher, as he'll enter the weekend with an unblemished 4-0 record and a 2.20 ERA. Friday's scheduled starter Stevens leads the way in strikeouts with 40 k's in 40.1 innings.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. UTRGV
Friday's opener will mark the 36th all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Vaqueros on the baseball diamond. UVU will enter play with a 23-12 series advantage and a 9-8 record in Edinburg. UTRGV did sweep the season series in 2019 in Edinburg, however, but prior to that, UVU had won three straight series (2016, 2017, 2018).  
 
ON DECK FOR UTAH VALLEY
Following this weekend's series, UVU will return to Orem to welcome WAC newcomer Tarleton to town for a four-game conference series next weekend (April 16-18) at UCCU Ballpark.