With conference play coming right up for the Utah Valley University men’s baseball team, the Wolverines have had a solid start to the season so far.
Through their first 18 games, the Wolverines hold an 11-7 record on the season while coasting on a three-game win streak, in which they have scored 33 runs. Picked to finish 11th out of 13 teams in the Western Athletic Conference’s Preseason Poll, the Wolverines, at the time of reporting, are in eighth place in the WAC Standings as one of three teams who haven’t played a conference game yet.
UVU also currently holds the third-highest winning percentage in the conference at 61.1%, while Abilene Christian University (14-3, 3-0 WAC) and Grand Canyon University (12-4, 3-0 WAC), respectively, are first and second in the conference.
So far this season, the Wolverines’ offense has held a .261 hitting percentage and .758 on-base plus slugging percentage. The Wolverines have registered 97 runs (5.3 runs per game), 159 hits (8.8 per game), 80 runners batted in (4.4 per game), and 11 home runs.
Senior Patrick Mills, junior Garrett Broussard, and freshman Daniel Dickinson have individually led the Wolverines’ offense. Mills has batted at a .339 batting percentage, hit the ball 21 times, scored five home runs, 16 RBIs, reached 40 total bases, and scored 14 total runs (all team-highs). Broussard follows hitting at a .327 clip while clocking 17 hits, 14 RBIs, 29 total bases, two home runs, and eight runs scored. Dickinson rounds out the three with a .294 hitting percentage, 15 hits, eight RBIs, 22 total bases, two home runs, and 10 runs scored.
Senior Logan Gerling has led the Wolverines in pitching, holding a perfect 3-0 record so far in the season. Through 19 innings pitched on the season, Gerling has a 3.32 earned runs average, 1.21 walks and hits per inning pitched, 22 hits allowed (1.2 allowed per inning), and nine runs allowed (seven earned). Additionally, Gerling has forced 20 strikeouts.
Mitch Mueller has also pitched 20 strikeouts.
The Wolverines will play in 10 series against WAC opponents, along with in-between games against the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Washington State University and WAC-foe Utah Tech University.
The WAC Tournament will then take place May 23-27 at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona.
UVU opens WAC play in a three-game series against the Seattle University Redhawks (2-11, 0-3 WAC) on Friday, March 17, at Bannerwood Baseball Park in Bellevue, Washington. The first pitch will begin at 5 p.m. MT, and all three games can be streamed on the WAC International TV Network.
Be sure to tune into UVUReview.com for updates on the games.
