SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah baseball team plays its first home games of the season this weekend, beginning an eight-game home stand against Sacramento State on Friday, March 23.

The three-game series against the Hornets at 6:00 p.m. MT on Friday. The series continues on Saturday, March 24, and Sunday, March 25, both games at 1:00 p.m. MT.

All three games will be live streamed on UtahUtes.com. Radio is on ESPN 700 AM.

Utah begins its season-long ‘Black Friday’ promotion on Friday with fans wearing black receiving free admission. On Saturday, Kelly the Salt Flats Dog and the Utah Animal Adoption Center will throw out the ceremonial first pitch (weather permitting).

Utah (2-17) leads the Pac-12 in stolen bases (21) and ranks fifth in the league in hits (160). Ute pitchers lead the league with six pickoffs and are tied for fourth in the Pac-12 in strikeouts (149). The Utes rank third in the league in fielding percentage (.981).

Tanner Thomas is tied for the Pac-12 lead with 32 strikeouts and ranks sixth in the league in strikeout to walk ratio (5.33). Brett Brocoff is tied for eighth in the league with 28 strikeouts. Chandler Anderson and Oliver Dunn are tied for third in the Pac-12 with five stolen bases each. Anderson is tied for third in the league in doubles (7) while Dunn is sixth in the Pac-12 with 15 walks. Wade Gulden is tied for fourth in the league with two triples.

Sacramento State is 8-11 on the season and has won three of its last four games. The Hornets recently won two out of three against UC Santa Barbara.

Probable Starters

Friday: Utah’s Josh Tedeschi (Jr./LHP) vs. Sacramento State’s Scott Randall (Fr./RHP)

Saturday: Utah’s Tanner Thomas (Sr./RHP) vs. Sacramento State’s Parker Brahms (So./RHP)

Sunday: Utah’s Brett Brocoff (Fr./RHP) vs. Sacramento State’s Austin Root (Sr./RHP)