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   JACE BRINKERHOFF & BILLY BURGESS- utah valley wolverines
PING!BASEBALL PLAYER PROFILE
If you get an opportunity to go a Utah Valley baseball game, be sure to read the back of the ticket. There should be a warning reminding the ticket holder assumes all risk and danger incidental to the game and should they be hit by a ball they accept responsibility for any injury. The reason this word of warning is especially critical for a Wolverine baseball game is because they have one of the hottest hitting lineups west of the Mississippi . Led by junior third baseman Jace Brinkerhoff and freshman outfielder Billy Burgess, baseballs are being ripped by the big green Wolverine machine and some of those hit horsehides could end up in your lap if you're not careful.
Fortunately for spectators, but distressing for opposition, a lion's share of those balls are finding green. Brinkerhoff is putting up softball numbers, batting near .450 with 16 doubles and five homeruns and approaching 100 hits on the season. Burgess is a freshman All-American candidate hitting near .400 with eight homeruns and 42 RBI. His slugging percentage is over .700 and he is an astonishing 4-for-4 with three grand slams and 14 RBI with the bases loaded this season.
The UVU club has a winning percentage well under .500, but the program is in a bit of flux in 2009 so you'll have to cut the club some slack. There is a first year head coach at the helm and the team is in the final year of provisional status so their stats aren't listed with the NCAA. Additionally the Wolverines are a team without a conference, playing as an independent until they join the newly formed Great West conference next season. But none of that is dampening or diminishing the spirits or achievements of UVU tandem who recently took some time to answer questions from Ping !Baseball:
PING!BASEBALL: The Wolverines recently won a wild 23-21 contest against Northern Colorado in which you (and pretty much everyone actually) was in the zone hitting. How did that win measure in your all time memorable games?
BRINKERHOFF: It's a game I'll remember because of how crazy it was and how many runs and hits both teams had.
BURGESS: Yeah it was probably memorable because of the craziness, the high scoring and all the hits. We've actually had some games similar to that.
PING!BASEBALL: Your head coach, Eric Madsen has five sons named after former baseball players. If you were going to name an offspring of your own after a baseball player, who would you name your kid after and why?
BRINKERHOFF: Probably Ted Williams. He's my favorite baseball player of all-time and he's one of, if not the best hitter of all time.
BURGESS: Actually my brother took the name that I wanted. He named his first kid Brooks after Brooks Robinson. I think that sounds good, Brooks Burgess. So he's already taken it.
PING!BASEBALL: Fridays are "Date Night" at Brent Brown Ballpark with 2 for 1 deals on tickets and concessions. Since you can't take your date to the old ballgame, where do you like to go out in Orem?
 BRINKERHOFF: The best thing is just getting some teammates and friends together and going up to the canyon and have a campfire and just hang out. We're so close to the mountains, there are so many places to go.
BURGESS: I can't have the same answer can I? We actually did that last week so it's the same for me. We go up to the canyon or go to movies.
PING!BASEBALL: Speaking of hot dates in Orem , earlier this year Vanilla Ice and Hammer reunited in Orem for a one night concert earlier this year. Please tell me you got to attend and kick it with the former parachute pants wearing stars.
BRINKERHOFF: I actually wanted to go to that but we were playing down at Southern Utah when they were in Orem.
PING!BASEBALL: I've never been, but seen pictures of Brown Ballpark and it appears to be quite the stunner with a 100% amazing mountain view backdrop. How does your home turf compare to others you've played in?
BRINKERHOFF: It's right up there at the top. I think our stadium is as nice as anywhere in the country that I've been and we've played at a lot of big-name schools. Everybody that comes in to play us always says something about how nice it is too.
BURGESS: It's just my freshman year but it's one of the nicest I've played in so far. Like Jace said, it seems like anybody that comes in just has positive things to say about it.
PING!BASEBALL: Is it just me or is it a little weird that NYIT and NJIT are going to be playing with you in the Great West Conference? I have that right don't I? Because that seems like a misprint. I think the heads of the GWC and The Summit League need to look into trading.
BRINKERHOFF: There's going to be a lot of traveling next year which will raise expenses and cause us to miss more school, it's going to be tough. I guess it's a iittle weird that all those school are in the same conference.
BURGESS: I think it will be kind of fun to go out and play some teams in those areas of the country.
PING!BASEBALL: The world's fastest texter, Ben Cook, is from Orem. To claim the title one has to type the phrase, "The razor toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human." The last I saw Cook had typed it in 41.00 seconds. How long would it take you to type that?
BRINKERHOFF: Well I don't know how long it would take but I think I could give him a run for his money. Jory (Jensen) and Ryan (Jones) call me the texting king because I'm always on my phone. I text a lot to pass the time in class and keep in touch with friends.
BURGESS: I do text a little but I wouldn't even know how to spell that.
PING!BASEBALL: The Wolverines are playing for a first year coach and are kind of in baseball limbo since the program is still in provisional status. How do you feel about 2010?
BRINKERHOFF: I'm really excited with the lineup we have. We've had a successful year offensively and we only lose a couple guys that have been in the lineup consistently. We get more guys back (from LDS missions) and have some good arms coming in. I'm really excited for 2010. It should definitely be great year.
BURGESS: I'm excited too. I'll have a full year under my belt and with some room to improve I'm going to do my best to get back and be 100 percent. I think we'll have a really good team with a lot of guys coming back.
PREVIOUS PLAYER SPOTLIGHTS
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Previous Years
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PREVIOUS COACH SPOTLIGHTS
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2008
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