Utah Valley opens WAC play this weekend with a tough road series against the California Baptist Lancers this Friday and Saturday in Riverside, California.

Friday features a doubleheader slated to start at 5 p.m. MST, with game two scheduled for 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Saturday's series finale has been pushed up to a 1 p.m. MST start. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats available at UVUStats.com.

LAST TIME OUT

Utah Valley has had a week off since its Georgia trip, where the team went 4-3 in the seven-game excursion, with wins over Buffalo, App State, and Georgia State. The Wolverines have won four of their last five, including a doubleheader sweep of GSU last Tuesday. 

Freshman RHP Lily Riley showed out in Georgia, posting a 2-0 record with 1 ER allowed and 15 strikeouts in 14 IP. Riley's 1.50 ERA leads the team and is second in the WAC entering league play.

Junior SS Britney Moreno has been one of the team's most consistent players to start the season, leading the team in hits and RBIs while playing all but one inning in the field. Moreno is one of four Wolverines to have started every game this season, and one of two to start every game at the same position.

Freshman IF Tatum Hall has provided a steady presence at the plate in her first month of college softball. Hall is 3rd on the team in hits with 13, and hit her first collegiate home run against Washington. Hall has reached base safely in all but three games so far this season, including 11 of her last 12.

Sophomore OF Amber Rodriguez capped off the Georgia road trip with a stellar performance against Georgia State. In a doubleheader sweep of the Panthers, Rodriguez went 5-for-7 with three doubles, three runs scored, and two RBIs.

SERIES HISTORY VS CBU

California Baptist took the regular season series last year 2-0, winning both games in Orem before the finale was canceled due to inclement weather. The two teams split their postseason meetings at the WAC Tournament, with UVU winning the first 3-1 before CBU eliminated the Wolverines in the semi's with a 5-4 win. 

The Lancers lead the series in Riverside 6-3 and 9-7 overall, including taking 2 out of 3 the last time the two teams played there in 2023. CBU and UVU were picked to finish second and third respectively in the WAC preseason poll.

SCOUTING THE LANCERS

CBU has put up strong numbers in non-conference play to start the season, most notably picking up wins against Baylor and North Texas en route to an 11-11 record. The Lancers will play one last tuneup game at LMU Wednesday night before Friday's series begins. Preseason All-WAC selections Kalena Burns and Kate Penberthy have looked every bit the part to start the season, posting a team-leading .413 and .333 batting average while accounting for nearly half the team's RBIs. 

WOLVERINES IN THE WAC

Utah Valley won two of its four road WAC series last season, with a 6-6 overall record. The Wolverines have not swept a road series since 2018 at Kansas City. In 2024, Utah Valley had its first 3-0 start to WAC play in 10 years when the Wolverines swept Tarleton at home to open league play. UVU's only other 3-0 start came in 2014, when the team swept CSU Bakersfield on the road.

UP NEXT

Utah Valley will play its first game in Utah on March 12 at Utah State before opening the home season at Wolverine Softball Field for a three-game series against WAC preseason favorites Grand Canyon on March 14.