OREM — The 2006 baseball and softball seasons are under way at Utah Valley State College.
Below are brief previews of both spring sports for the Wolverines:
Baseball
HEAD COACH:Steve Gardner (16th season, 410-327)
2005 AT A GLANCE: Although the Wolverines posted a 17-39 mark in 2005 (their second year of Division I play), UVSC compiled some pretty big wins. The Wolverines took three of five from the University of Utah, defeated BYU for the first time ever, and, most notably, went on the road to defeat an Arizona State team that was ranked 16th at the time and that would go on to finish third at the College World Series.
SO FAR THIS YEAR: Utah Valley dropped three in a row to Southern Utah last weekend before rebounding to smash the T-birds 15-2 in the series finale and avert a sweep.
MONSTER ON THE MOUND:Kam Mickolio, listed at 6-foot-9 and 260 pounds, should not have to worry about opposing batters ever charging the mound while he's pitching. The senior from Bozeman, Mont., can touch 93 mph on the radar gun and sit in the low 90s. Also boasting above-average pitches in his curveball and changeup, Mickolio should be UVSC's ace and Friday night starter. The good news for Mickolio about starting Friday nights is that he will get plenty of exposure to the pro scouts who drool over his large frame and the way his natural tools project developmentally. The bad news about starting Fridays is that wins will be hard to come by since Mickolio will always be matched against the opposition's ace.
CARRYING A BIG STICK: Junior infielders Dan Bulow (Springville High) and Eli Slesk are UVSC's two top hitters. Bulow led the Wolverines with 15 home runs in 2005, and Slesk hit a team-high .367. The 6-foot-2, 240 pound Bulow will log time at first base and designated hitter, while Slesk is the team's shortstop. Center fielder Nick Connor and utilityman Vance Canyon (Spanish Fork) hit .329 and .328, respectively, last year.
TOP NEWCOMERS: Transfers Ryan Jessop (Southern Idaho) and Kalen Parson (BYU) will be given the opportunity to prove themselves in the starting rotation. Junior transfer Kade Boyer (Arkansas, Little-Rock) is penciled in as the team's right fielder.
2006 OUTLOOK: With eight returning seniors and two talented juniors in Bulow and Slesk, the Wolverines stand a great chance to improve on last year's 17 wins. As is the case with the vast majority of college baseball teams, pitching depth — especially in the bullpen — is a huge question mark for UVSC. If there is anything working against the Wolverines, it's a tough schedule that includes trips to third-ranked Oregon State and No. 21 Fresno State. Utah Valley's home schedule does not commence until March 28.
"I know for our team goal we've set a goal of 30 wins," Gardner said. "I think that's within our reach. We've got seven returning starters from last year, as well as two starting pitchers, so I feel comfortable with those guys. Our pitching is improved overall, but it's going to take us a few games to get into the game mode a little better."
PREDICTION: The Wolverines go 25-29 and, seasoned by their tough and at times brutal schedule, make a serious run at winning the Independent Invitational in mid-May.
Softball
HEAD COACH: Todd Fairbourne (8th season, 255-130-1)
2005 AT A GLANCE: UVSC struggled to a 13-36-1 record in 2005, the softball program's first season of Division I competition.
SO FAR THIS YEAR: Not surprisingly, the Wolverines swept a home doubleheader Saturday from tiny Albertson College (total enrollment: 800 students), 10-2 and 11-1.
PITCHING PROWESS: Junior Jackie Roberts earned 8 of UVSC's 13 wins last year while pitching a team-high 140 innings.
CARRYING A BIG STICK: Rachel Hartgrove (Pleasant Grove) hit .392, smacked 10 home runs, and drove in 34 last year. Left fielder Chris Jimenez started off slow in 2005 before catching fire and hitting .381 over the final 26 games to finish with a .306 average, 11 doubles, and six triples. Both will be relied on heavily.
"With Rachel and Chris also, I know what I'm going to get out of them," Fairbourne said. "Last year, Rachel essentially carried us. I don't want that to happen this year; I want her to be a part of the puzzle. She's proven herself; I still plan on a plus-.300 average, 10-plus home runs. She's the whole package."
TOP NEWCOMERS: Junior college transfer Holly Marlowe and true freshman Heidi Boyer will be called on to supplement Roberts and bolster the pitching corps. Freshman Natlie Paulsen will log a lot of at-bats playing first base. Fellow freshman and walk-on Kylie Packard (Spanish Fork) will start at shortstop and allow Fairbourne to move Hartgrove back to her natural position of second base.
2006 OUTLOOK: Because the Wolverines return only five players from last year's roster and boast only two seniors, Fairbourne will most likely be hard-pressed to exceed last year's 13 wins.
"You don't know where you stand half the time (with so many new players)," Fairbourne said. "You don't know what to expect. You make educated guesses about what each kid is capable of doing and lean a little more on the (returnees) like Hartgrove and Gimenez."
Unless some of the newcomers follow in the footsteps of freshman basketball sensation Robyn Fairbanks and greatly exceed preseason expectations, 2006 will be a year rife with growing pains for UVSC. Give Fairbourne time, though — the transition to Division I is never an easy one to make. Fairbourne's commitment to recruiting and a roster stocked with nine freshmen bodes well for future seasons.
PREDICTION: 10-42. The Wolverines have another doubleheader (and likely pair of wins) coming up against Albertson College in April. Figure they'll be fortunate to win six of their 48 games against schools not named Albertson.
UVSC's Utah Valley connections
SOFTBALL
RACHEL HARTGROVE, senior second baseman, Pleasant Grove: 2005 Division I Independent Player of the Year returns for senior season and is expected to anchor UVSC's offense; will move back to second base after playing out of position at shortstop in the past.
SHAYLYNN CHRISTENSEN, freshman pitcher, Spanish Fork: pitched 19 complete games, compiled a 1.21 ERA and spun two no-hitters last year in leading the Dons to a second-place finish in 4A.
KYLIE PACKARD, freshman shortstop, Spanish Fork: Christensen's teammate at Spanish Fork, Packard hit .351 with 18 RBI last season to garner first-team all-state recognition.
LINDSEY PHELPS, freshman outfielder, American Fork: lettered in softball all four years for the Cavemen; hit .302 last year as a senior.
BASEBALL
KYLE BEECHER, freshman pitcher, Pleasant Grove: led the Vikings to a third-place finish in 4A state tourney; named 4A all-state.
CHRIS BENSON, freshman infielder, Mountain View: two-time all-state selection for the Bruins.
DAN BULOW, junior first baseman, Springville: helped lead the Red Devils to 2003 4A state championship. With 19 career home runs as a Wolverine, Bulow is only two shy of the UVSC career record.
RENO MENDENHALL, senior third baseman, Lone Peak: former 4A Player of the Year for the Knights,Mendenhall is now 24 and entering his fourth season starting at the hot corner for the Wolverines.
ADAM OPENSHAW, sophomore first baseman, Payson: returns to UVSC after two years on an LDS mission in Wisconsin.
CANYON VANCE, senior utility, Spanish Fork: hit .328 last season; turned 25 in December.