RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Utah Valley University baseball team will continue a four-game Southern California road trip with a three-game WAC series at California Baptist this weekend in Riverside. 
 
The three-game league series, which will mark the second three-game set of the season between the WAC foes, will run Friday to Sunday, April 22-24, at CBU's James W. Totman Stadium. CBU took two of three from the Wolverines in the first series of the year last month in Orem. The Lancers are currently in second place in the WAC West Division, while the Wolverines are tied for fifth.
 
Friday's opener is set for a 7 p.m. MT/6 p.m. PT time start. On Saturday the conference foes will go head-to-head at 6 p.m. MT/5 p.m. PT and the series will close on Sunday at 1 p.m. MT/noon PT. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live stats will also be available for each contest by visiting CBUStats.com.
 
UVU will enter the CBU series with a 14-23 overall record and a 7-11 WAC clip. The Wolverines opened the current trip with a 4-2 midweek setback at UC Riverside on Wednesday evening. Prior to Wednesday's loss, UVU had won five of its last eight games, and back-to-back WAC series for the first time since March of 2018 by taking two of three at Seattle U and two of three at home from in-state foe Dixie State last weekend.
 
In Wednesday's 4-2 non-conference setback at UCR, Trey Cutchen got the Wolverines off to a strong start with a solo homer in the first to give UVU an early lead. The Highlanders then struck back with four runs in the third to take a 4-1 advantage. The lead proved to be all that UCR would need, as Eric Marrujo went the distance on the mound to earn the complete-game victory. UVU did threaten in the ninth, however, as Spencer Olsen drove home Connor Hall with an RBI double for Utah Valley's second run of the game, but Marrujo managed to pitch out of the ninth-inning jam to preserve the victory for UCR.
 
Luke McCollough and Bobby Voortmeyer had solid outings for UVU on the mound on Wednesday, as they combined to toss seven scoreless innings of work. Utah Valley's offense also made the most of what opportunities were given to them in the contest, as five of UVU's six hits were for extra bases. Cutchen led the way by going 1-for-3 with a homer, while Olsen went 1-for-4 with an RBI double, and Connor Hall finished with a 1-for-1 outing off the bench with a double and a run scored. 
 
In the game, both Cutchen and Mitch Moralez extended their reached base safely streaks, as Cutchen has now reach base in 17 consecutive games while Moralez has reached in 16 straight. 
 
On the season, the senior outfielder Moralez leads Utah Valley with a .384 batting average, 11 doubles, five homers, 20 RBIs, a .556 slugging percentage, and a .422 on-base clip. Moralez also entered the week ranked 16th in the nation in total hits with 57. Sophomore outfielder Cutchen is next with a .307 average and paces the team in extra-base hits with 17, as well as 28 runs scored and is tied for the team lead in home runs with five. Paul Vossen is next for UVU with a .294 clip, while Mick Madsen is right behind him with a .292 average. On the mound, Menifee, California native Nick Sims fronts the Utah Valley staff with a 5-1 record, 1.98 ERA, and two saves all in relief appearances. Fellow reliever Josh Brown is next with a 4.05 ERA, a team-high four saves, and is limiting opposing batters to just a .194 average. Right-hander Coop Rust currently has UVU's best numbers from its starting rotation, as he is 2-4 with a 4.25 ERA.
 
SCHEDULED STARTING PITCHERS 
The hard-throwing righty Devin Smith (0-2, 5.75 ERA) will get the ball for UVU in the series opener and will go up against CBU right-hander Brandon Downer (4-0, 4.46 ERA). Utah Valley RHP Mason Gray (1-2, 6.11 ERA) will start on Saturday and will face California Baptist RHP CJ Culpepper (3-2, 3.92 ERA), while UVU RHP Rust (2-4, 4.25 ERA) will get the start for the Wolverines on Sunday and will take on CBU righty Drew Necochea (6-2, 2.74 ERA). 
 
ABOUT THE LANCERS
CBU will enter the series with a 23-11 overall record and in second place in the WAC West Division with a 9-6 league record. The Lancers last dropped two of three to first-place Grand Canyon last weekend in Phoenix and prior to that split four non-conference games against Air Force and Long Beach State. In WAC play, CBU holds sweeps over New Mexico State and Seattle U, and also has wins over UVU (two) and GCU (one). The Lancers were picked to finish third in the WAC West Division this season after earning a share of the conference title last year with a 29-7 conference clip. 
 
David Martin not only fronts California Baptist but also the WAC with a .435 batting average. He also leads the team in runs scored with 40 and has 11 extra-base hits and 27 RBIs. Michael Carpentier is next with a .396 batting clip, while Jake Skipworth follows with a .364 average, 17 extra-base hits and 39 RBIs. Chad Castillo leads the team in RBIs with 40 while Mitchel Simon is the leader in home runs with nine. Reliever Seth Mattox has the best numbers on the mound for CBU, as he'll enter the weekend with a 0-0 win-loss record and a 1.38 ERA. Sunday's scheduled starter Necochea fronts the starting rotation with a 6-2 record and a 2.74 ERA. 
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
Friday's opener will mark the 11th all-time meeting between the Wolverines and Lancers. CBU will enter play holding to a 9-1 all-time advantage. UVU's lone win came last month in a 6-4 home victory at UCCU Ballpark in Orem. California Baptist will enter with an unbeaten 7-0 clip with games played at Totman Stadium. 
 
ON DECK FOR UVU
Following the series, the Wolverines will return to the Beehive State for a UCCU Crosstown Clash at neighboring rival BYU on Tuesday, April 26 in Provo. UVU will then host No. 16 GCU for a three-game WAC series April 29-May 1 at UCCU Ballpark.