Utah Valley University baseball won the final game of a weekend series against UT Arlington, 5-1, at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Sunday.

UVU (20-21, 11-7) held the UTA (17-23, 12-9) offense to two hits with the combination of Chase Hennessey, Robby Butenschoen, and Ethan Fowlks on the mound.

“That was a great effort by our team today, highlighted by three pitchers who combined for a 2-hitter,” said UVU head coach Eddie Smith. “Every conference win is a critical piece of the overall season, and that was a great bounce back after a few tough losses.”

The Mavericks got on the board in the fourth inning on a solo home run from Ryan Black to take a 1-0 lead. UVU kept the pressure on in the bottom of the fourth inning with a one-out single by Cole Jordan and a walk to Nate Bach to put a couple of runners on base.

Butenschoen (3-0) pitched 4.0 innings, including three innings in which he sent UTA down in order. He did so in the fifth before Matthew Schwarz homered to tie the game at 1-1. It was UVU’s 80th dinger of the year, setting a program record for the most home runs in a season.

After Butenschoen retired the side in the sixth, Utah Valley’s bats came to life, starting with a double by Jordan for his second hit of the game. Bach worked for a four-pitch walk to put two runners on base.

Jayden Smith singled for his second hit of the game, and this time, it gave UVU a 2-1 lead as Jordan scored. The Wolverines went up 4-1 later in the inning with two runners in scoring position when Broussard doubled to left center.

Burke Camper launched his team-high 16th homer of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning to provide a late insurance run to go up 5-1. Ethan Fowlks came in and retired the first six hitters in order. UTA tried to rattle him in the ninth after two runners reached with a hit by pitch and walk, but he stayed strong with a strikeout before a fielder’s choice ended the game.

The UVU pitching staff, for the second time this year, tossed a combined two-hitter. Hennessey, Braden Boisvert, Eli Sundquist, and Aaron Rice allowed two hits against Utah Tech back on Apr. 3.

Utah Valley continues with WAC play next weekend in a series at first-place California Baptist from James W. Totman Stadium in Riverside. The first game is scheduled for Friday, April 26, at 7:05 p.m. MT.

UVU softball loses pair of pitcher’s duels

Avery Sapp threw a complete game, allowing one earned run and striking out a season-high seven batters, as Utah Valley dropped the series finale 1-0 to SFA (15-33, 8-12 WAC) in Orem on Saturday afternoon.

The Wolverine bats were quiet once again against one of the better pitching staffs in the WAC. SFA entered the week ranking third in the league with a 3.82 ERA. UVU picked up just three hits and one walk on the day.

Sapp continued her dominant pitching performance of late. Over her last two outings, Sapp has allowed just one earned run in 14 innings pitched, and has held opposing teams scoreless in 17 of her last 19 innings pitched.

SFA scored its lone run in the second inning. Ellie Vance led off the single, then was doubled home by Mikaelah Burkland, who was thrown out at third trying to extend the hit to a triple.

Utah Valley had a prime chance to answer right back, as Rachael Brown walked and Peyton Hall singled with one out in the bottom of the second. The Jacks were able to get out of the jam with an inning-ending double play.

The Wolverines would get just two more hits the remainder of the afternoon, on singles by Victoria Vasquez in the third and Hall in the fifth.

It ended up being a similar script in Sunday’s non-conference game against Iowa State.

Saige Nielsen hit her first home run as a Wolverine and Avery Sapp had another quality pitching outing as Utah Valley dropped its Sunday matinee, 4-2 to the Cyclones (17-25) at Wolverine Softball Field in Orem.

Sapp continued her recent pitching form with another strong start. Sapp went 4.1 innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out five. In her last three outings combined, Sapp has allowed three earned runs in 18.1 innings pitched.

Utah Valley (19-25, 10-9 in WAC play) will look to get back in the win column with another non-conference game.

The Wolverines will head up I-15 to Ogden for a Tuesday afternoon showdown with the Weber State Wildcats at 3 p.m. The season series is tied at a game apiece after the two teams split the prior meetings in Orem. Tuesday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Pixton sets school triple-jump record for Wolverine track

Utah Valley University had eight first-place finishes, including Olivia Pixton’s school-record triple jump performance at the SUU Coliseum Championships in Cedar City on Saturday. Pixton’s mark of 12.26 meters broke the school record and was one of 20 personal records in the school’s Top 10 record book set during Saturday’s meet.

Paige Young won the 400-meter hurdles and set the No. 2 time in the record book at Utah Valley, finishing in 59.67 seconds.

Other Wolverine women to win their events at the meet included reigning WAC Field Athlete of the Week Kelsi Olrdroyd in the long jump (5.91m) and Grace Williams in the pole vault (3.68m). Addie Mitton also set a PR in the pole vault (3.38) to take over the No. 8 spot at UVU.

For the men, Andrew Smith and Luis Diaz Bojorquez each had three personal bests that altered the top 10.

Smith won the hammer throw (53.76m) with a PR that puts him at No. 5. He is now at No. 9 in the discus after his best throw of 46.57 meters and he is now tied for third in the shot put with Bojorquez.

Both threw the shot 16.58 meters with Bojorquez winning after having the next best mark. He also improved on the No. 7 mark in the hammer (50.99m) and entered at tenth in the discus (46.57m).

Also among the throwers, Elyssa Shaw hit a PR in the hammer (49.51m) that puts her at No. 10 in the record book.

Next week, Utah Valley will compete at the BYU Robison Invitational, which begins Thursday.

UVU women’s golf comes in sixth at WAC Championships

The Wolverine women’s golf team shot a three-day total of 913 (21-over-par) including a 305 in the final round on Sunday to come in sixth at the WAC Championships, which took place in Payson, Arizona.

UVU was led by Pati Uluave, who finished 12th overall with a three-day total of 226 (13-over-par). Chloe Jang was tied for 13th, one shot back, while Caylin Ponich tied for 27th at 231 (18-over par).

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