OREM — After starting the season with a 2-9 that included losses of 22-3 and 21-0, winning 20 games didn't seem practical for the UVSC baseball team. This week, the Wolverines will have a chance to reach that feat with two games against Utah.
UVSC (18-16) will host Utah (19-27) at 7 p.m. at BYU's Miller Park and then close out its inaugural Division I season on Wednesday at Ute Field at 2 p.m.
"If you'd ask me if we'd win 20 games with our schedule, I'd say probably not," UVSC coach Steve Gardner said. "We just want to play how we have been playing all year. If the guys play loose and play their game I think we have a real good chance of winning."
This week will mark the end of a six game series between the two schools. Each team has won twice on its home field. In last week's games, UVSC rallied to beat Utah 5-4 and then gave up three runs in the ninth inning to lose 10-9.
"That's just how baseball is," Gardner said. "As soon as you think you have things going your way it can flip flop on you."
In the four games against Utah, the series has flipped flopped many times. No lead has been safe. In Utah Valley's two wins, they rallied from two-run deficits in each game to earn the win. Last week UVSC gave up a three runs ninth to hand Utah the win.
In the second meeting between the schools, Utah led 11-1 but nearly blew the lead before hanging onto a 12-9 win.
"When you play nine innings with metal bats, going out early on someone isn't always going to get you the win," Gardner said. "If the game is close, I like our chances. Our guys don't give up."
Aaron Tash (5-5) will get the start on the mound in Tuesday's game while Jed Jensen (5-3) will start on Wednesday.
Gardner said he is pleased with how everyone of his players has played through out the season. Josh Hinckley is hitting .416 while Jeff Broadhead, Dan Bulow, Pepe Jones, Reno Mendenhall, Todd Bateman and Canyon Vance are all batting over .300.
"I've been pleased with all the guys efforts," Gardner said. "Each guy seems to have their moment that they stepped up and knocked in runs for us."
TRACK: UVSC closed out its season at the Sac State relays by winning six events. Mariam Salifu placed first in the 100-meter (12.16 seconds) and 200m (25.00 seconds). Darcy Gribble's time of 19 minutes and 2 seconds earned a first place finish in the 5000m run.
Despite a stumble late in the steeplechase, Amanda Olsen still finished with a first place time of 11.37.91.
"That tells you what kind of lead she had to stumble and still win by a good margin," UVSC track coach Jed Gibson said.
On the men's side, Stig Robertson won the 400m hurdles with a time of 51.41. Robertson then assisted Josh Rogers, Devin Seale and Clement Andrisu to win the 400m relay.
"We had a good year," Gibson said. "I saw a lot of improvement throughout the season and that is all you can ask for from your team."