OREM, Utah – Fresh off a series split at CSU Bakersfield over the weekend, the Utah Valley University baseball team will head to Salt Lake City on Tuesday for a midweek contest against in-state foe Utah.
 
Tuesday's contest, which will mark the first of three season meetings between the Wolverines and Utes, will begin at 6 p.m. at Smith's Ballpark in SLC. The ballgame will be streamed live on Utah's Pac-12 Live Stream and live audio will also be available by visiting GoUVU.com. Live stats can also be followed by visiting UtahStats.com. The Utes will later return the favor and come to UCCU Ballpark in Orem both next Tuesday, April 5, as well as Wednesday, April 27.
 
UVU will enter Tuesday's ballgame with an 8-16 overall record and a 2-7 WAC clip. Utah Valley last split a four-game non-conference series at former WAC foe CSU Bakersfield over the weekend. The Roadrunners first claimed the opener 10-2 before UVU responded to win the first game of a Saturday doubleheader by a score of 12-1. CSUB then won the nightcap, 4-0, but Utah Valley's bats came alive late in a 14-8 10-inning win on Sunday afternoon to split the series.
 
In UVU's 12-1 win on Saturday, Mick Madsen and Paul Vossen led the way offensively by each going 2-for-5 in the contest. Madsen also doubled twice, scored three runs and drove in a run. A total of 10 Wolverines also recorded hits in the victory and Mitch Moralez drove in a game-high three runs off the bench. Carson Brown also had a strong outing on the mound in his first collegiate start by tossing a trio of scoreless innings and was followed by four stellar innings of relief from Nick Sims, who was credited with the win, after surrendering just one run on three hits while striking out three over 4.0 innings. Luke McCollough and Andrew Hauck then followed with a scoreless inning apiece late in the game to seal the win for UVU.
 
In Sunday's come-from-behind victory, the Wolverines trailed 4-0 but got a run in the fourth on a sac fly from Copper Hansen to make it 4-1. UVU then tied it in the seventh after a four-run frame to deadlock the score at 5-5. Cole Jordan and Trey Cutchen had RBIs in the inning and Madsen delivered the big hit with a two-run double to left to tie the game. UVU then took a 7-5 lead in the eighth following RBIs from Moralez and Connor Hall, but CSUB would rally late to tie the game a 7-all in the ninth to force extras. UVU then didn't waste any time in extras by posting a seven-spot in the 10th to split the series. Cutchen gave UVU the extra-inning lead with an RBI double and Kayler Yates promptly followed with a two-run single. Kyle Coburn then belted out his first career grand slam to put the game away. Yates earned the win on the mound for UVU by tossing the final 1.2 innings and allowing just one unearned run while striking out two. 
 
In five games last week, Madsen led UVU by hitting .412 with four doubles, five runs scored, three walks and three RBIs. Moralez was next by posting a .278 clip with a pair of extra-base knocks and four RBIs, while Coburn batted .250 with three runs scored and five RBIs. Devin Smith, Bobby Voortmeyer, Yates, McCollough and Hauck all didn't surrender an earned run on the week and Carson Brown struck out a team-high nine batters while allowing just two runs on five hits for a 2.84 ERA over 6.1 innings.
 
On the season, senior outfielder Moralez paces UVU at the plate with a .363 average, seven doubles, 10 RBIs, and both a .473 slugging and a .408 on-base clip. Madsen is next with a .291 batting average, 14 runs scored, five doubles, 12 walks and nine RBIs, while Cutchen follows with a .273 clip, seven extra-base hits, seven RBIs and a team-best 15 runs scored. Reliever Nick Sims leads UVU on the mound with a 3-0 record and 1.59 ERA after allowing just three runs over 17.0 innings of work. Josh Brown is next with a 0-0 record and a 3.55 ERA, while Coop Rust leads UVU's starting rotation with a 1-3 record and 3.57 ERA. 
 
SCHEDULED STARTING PITCHERS
Sophomore southpaw Andrew Hauck is slated to get the start for UVU on the mound on Tuesday. It will mark his second start of the season and he'll enter with a 1-0 record and an 8.00 ERA. Utah's pitcher is to-be-determined.
 
ABOUT THE UTES
Utah will enter Tuesday's contest with a 14-9-1 record and a 2-4 start to Pac-12 play. The Utes won three of five games at home last week after sweeping a two-game midweek set from Northern Colorado before dropping two of three to Mercer over the weekend. Utah opened Pac-12 play a couple of weeks ago by taking two of three from Washington at home before getting swept at Oregon the following week. The Utes also hold wins on the year over CSU Bakersfield (three), Fresno State (two), Loyola Marymount (two), San Diego State, and UNLV. Utah was picked to finish 11th in the Pac-12 this season after taking 10th a season ago with a 17-33 overall record and a 7-23 conference clip.
 
Jayden Kiernan fronts Utah on the season with a .351 average. He also has eight doubles, 15 RBIs and 11 runs scored. Landon Frei is next with a .341 clip, while TJ Clarkson follows with a .333 batting average and team-leading tallies of seven home runs and 25 RBIs. Dusty Schramm leads Utah from the pen with a 2-0 record and 0.75 ERA, while Blake Whiting has four saves a 2-0 record and a 1.88 ERA. Randon Hostert paces Utah's starting rotation with a 2-0 record and 5.13 ERA, while Matthew Sox leads the way in strikeouts with 32. The Utes are coached by first-year head man Gary Henderson. 
 
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
Tuesday's ballgame will mark the 58th all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Utes. Utah holds a 33-24 series advantage and having won six of the last seven meetings. The Utes also hold a 16-10 advantage with games played in Salt Lake City. A season ago, Utah won both meetings between the in-state foes with a 14-1 victory in Orem last April and a tightly contested 10-9 win at Smith's Ballpark last May.
 
ON DECK FOR UVU
The Wolverines will return home for a three-game WAC series this weekend at UCCU Ballpark when, as they'll welcome in Sacramento State. UVU and Sac State will do battle Friday at 6:05, Saturday at 2:05 and Sunday at 12:05 and all three games will be streamed live on ESPN+. The Wolverines will then cap a four-game homestand when Utah comes to town next Tuesday, April 5 for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.