RIVERSIDE, Calif. – California Baptist University defeated Utah Valley University 10-1 on Saturday evening at Totman Stadium in Riverside, California. 
 
The two-time defending WAC champion Lancers (24-12, 10-7 WAC) used three home runs with runners on base in the middle and late innings to pull away from UVU (15-24, 8-12 WAC) after a pitcher's duel for the first five innings that featured a scoreless game. 
 
The Wolverines had some early chances against the CBU ace CJ Culpepper starting in the second inning when Cole Jordan reached on a base hit up the middle, and Drew Sims worked a walk with a full count. Culpepper came back and struck out the next hitter to end the threat. 
 
UVU had two runners on base again in the third inning after Kyle Coburn walked and Mitch Moralez singled through the left side. The runners were stranded after a strikeout, and a pair of groundouts ended the inning. 
 
The bottom of the order threatened again in the fifth when Coburn walked, and Moralez came through with a base hit. Culpepper managed to keep the Wolverines scoreless with an inning-ending strikeout. 
 
In the sixth, California Baptist got on the board with a two-out homer from Harrison Spohn and added another run later in the inning to take a 3-0 lead. The Lancers scored three more in the seventh inning, which featured a home run by Russell Stevenson to take a 6-0 lead. Mitchell Simon added a homer in the seventh inning as part of a three-run inning for the Lancers to give them a 9-1 edge. CBU added a run in the eighth to put the game away. 
 
The lone Wolverine run came in the seventh when Jordan led off with a base hit through the left side. Two batters later, Connor Hall added a single to center to move Jordan to third. Moralez got his third hit of the day on an RBI single to left. 
 
UVU looked to cut into the lead in the eighth when Spencer Olsen was aboard with a base hit to left, but back-to-back flyouts retired the side. 
 
Moralez was 3-for-4 in the game for his 20th multi-hit game of the season, while Jordan was 2-for-4 to lead UVU offensively. 
 
Liam Rocha (2-1) got the win for CBU throwing 2.2 innings, allowing three hits and one earned run. Culpepper got the start and went the first 4.1 innings while allowing three hits and five strikeouts. Mason Gray (1-3) took the loss for UVU, going 5.0 innings allowing eight hits, with four punchouts. 
 
Utah Valley and California Baptist wrap up the weekend series with the rubber match on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. MT/noon PT. The Wolverines will then play at neighboring rival BYU on Tuesday, April 26 in the UCCU Crosstown Clash and return home next weekend to host Grand Canyon.