PREVIEW: Texas-Arlington at Utah Valley

VINEYARD, Utah (Interstat) — Texas-Arlington visits Utah Valley on Friday, May 15, 2026, for a Western Athletic Conference series opener at Brent Brown Ballpark. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. MDT under clear skies and 70 degrees.

The Mavericks (18-29) face the Wolverines (13-35) in the second game of a four-game set. Utah Valley won Thursday’s series opener 13-5.

Players to watch

Texas-Arlington right-hander Caylon Dygert is expected to pitch Friday. Dygert took the loss Thursday, allowing five earned runs on no hits with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. In his previous start, Dygert tossed a seven-inning shutout against Utah Tech on May 8, scattering three hits with seven strikeouts. He also worked 5 1/3 innings of hitless ball against Abilene Christian on April 24, though he allowed six earned runs.

Utah Valley center fielder Kaden Carpenter went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs in Thursday’s win. Carpenter has three homers over his past 10 games, including solo shots against BYU on May 12 and Abilene Christian on May 8.

Recent results

Thursday’s game saw Utah Valley’s Mason Strong go 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs. Wolverines starter Ray Hernandez earned the win, allowing three earned runs on five hits over six innings with three strikeouts.

Texas-Arlington has lost six of its past seven games. The Mavericks’ most recent win came May 10, a 8-5, 11-inning decision over Utah Tech. Texas-Arlington is 0-4 in its past four road games.

Utah Valley has dropped 11 of its past 13 games, with the win Thursday snapping a five-game slide. The Wolverines are 6-17 at home this season.

Series outlook

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 4-3 Utah Valley victory. The ELO system gives Texas-Arlington a 53.6 percent probability to win.

The teams conclude the series Saturday at Brent Brown Ballpark.