Utah Valley returns to action after a week off with four games in Boise, Idaho at the Blue Collar Classic, hosted by Boise State. The Wolverines will face Kennesaw State and Weber State before playing two against the host Broncos. 

GAME TIMES

• March 7 vs Kennesaw State - 2:30 p.m. MT

• March 8 vs Weber State - 2:30 p.m. MT

• March 8 vs Boise State - 5 p.m. MT

• March 9 vs Boise State - 12:30 p.m. MT

BROADCAST INFO

Of the four games, only the two against Boise State will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network. All four games will have live stats available at UVUStats.com.

LAST TIME OUT

Two weeks ago, Utah Valley went 1-4 at the ASU/GCU Classic. The Wolverines topped NM State 6-4 in the opener before dropping the next four. 

Catchers Rachael Brown and Mya Higareda had strong weekends at the plate. Brown went 5-for-10 with two home runs, a double, and six RBIs. Higareda went 2-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. 

Halle Morris gave UVU some strong innings out of the bullpen. In her three relief outings, Morris pitched 14 innings, allowing 3 ER and striking out 9. Morris set a season high with 5 K's against Texas State and came 1 punchout short of equaling a career high of 6, set last season with Utah against Washington. As of Feb. 26, Morris ranked 2nd in the WAC in innings pitched with 41.2.

Megan Gibbs built on a strong weekend at the Fresno State Invitational by hitting her first two home runs of the season in Arizona. Gibbs now sits in sole possession of 6th place on the UVU career home runs list with 22.  Gibbs also leads the team in RBIs with 8 and total bases with 16.

Ry Binne has proven to be a tablesetter out of the leadoff spot for the Wolverine offense, reaching base a team-high 20 times so far this season (13 hits, 6 walks, 1 HBP). Binne leads the team in multi-hit games with 4. 

As a team, Utah Valley ranks first in the WAC and 11th in the nation in double plays turned per game at 0.64. The Wolverines have turned 9 double plays so far this season, while only hitting into two themselves.

UVU vs THE FIELD

UVU and Weber State were scheduled to play last season, but the game was snowed out on three separate occasions. The two teams last played in 2022 in Ogden, with the Wildcats winning 7-0. UVU and WSU will meet two more times this season, including next week in Orem on March 13. 

Since 2010, UVU and Weber State have played (or been scheduled to play) every season. The two teams were scheduled to play in 2019 and 2023, but those games were canceled due to weather. 

UVU has never faced Kennesaw State on the softball diamond. Utah Valley has only played one game against a team currently in the Atlantic Sun (North Florida, 2007).  

Utah Valley and Boise State have played 13 times entering this weekend, with the Broncos winning 8 of those meetings. The Wolverines have won the last two in the series, a doubleheader sweep back in 2021. Senior UTL Laynee Betancur played in both of those games and picked up a triple. UVU will host Boise State on March 19 in Orem.

FAMILY CONNECTIONS

Senior OF Libbie Hawker's older sister, Landi, played softball at Weber State from 2017-2020. Landi was a three-time All-Big Sky selection in all three completed seasons, and helped lead the Wildcats to three Big Sky titles.

SAPP HONORED BY UTAH SPORTS COMMISSION

Freshman RHP/OF Avery Sapp was named the 2023 High School Female Athlete of the Year by the Utah Sports Commission as part of the annual State of Sport Awards. Sapp was a three-time state champion at Spanish Fork HS, where she earned two Utah Gatorade Player of the Year awards and three UHSAA 5A tournament MVPs, and was also named second team All-American by MaxPreps. At SFHS, Sapp posted a dominant 63-6 record with 630 strikeouts. 

THRICE AS NICE

As of Feb. 27, Amber Rodriguez is one of just 19 freshmen nationally with multiple triples so far this season. Rodriguez hit her triples against Saint Mary's and NM State. Utah Valley only had one player with two triples all of last season (Libbie Hawker) and had none with more than one in 2022. The single-season record is 6, set by Chris Jimenez in 2005.

UP NEXT

Utah Valley will play a pair of midweek games before opening WAC play. The Wolverines will head to Provo to face BYU on March 11 before hosting Weber State in the home opener on March 13. UVU will then host Tarleton State for the first WAC series on March 15-16.