Preview: Northern Colorado Bears at Utah Valley Wolverines

VINEYARD, Utah (Interstat) — The Utah Valley Wolverines look to continue their winning momentum when they host the struggling Northern Colorado Bears in a four-game series opener Friday at Brent Brown Ballpark.

First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. MST under challenging conditions, with a game-time forecast of 38 degrees and rain.

The Wolverines (5-6) enter having won three of their last four, including a 13-2 rout of UC Riverside on Sunday. In that victory, right-hander Ray Hernandez delivered a strong start, allowing one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts over four innings. Offensive support came from Hunter Katschke and Luke Iverson, who each homered and drove in two runs.

Northern Colorado (1-13) snapped a 13-game season-opening losing streak with a 9-7 win at UNLV on Wednesday. The Bears’ offense broke out, led by left fielder Jaden Stone, who went 4 for 6 with four RBIs. Stone is batting .500 (12 for 24) with eight RBIs over his last six games.

Despite that victory, the Bears face long odds. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 4-0 Utah Valley win, and its ELO rating system gives the Wolverines a 74.1% probability of victory.

The series is the start of a crucial 10-game homestand for Utah Valley. Northern Colorado continues a season-long, 17-game road trip to open its season.

Probable Key Players:

Northern Colorado: Jaden Stone, LF. The hot-hitting sophomore is the primary offensive threat for a Bears team averaging 4.1 runs per game. Utah Valley: Ray Hernandez, P. Coming off an efficient outing, the junior could be a candidate to start or provide key relief innings against a Northern Colorado lineup that struck for 15 hits Wednesday.

Up Next: The teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader Saturday.