Fresh off a three-game sweep of Stephen F. Austin last weekend, punctuated with a combined no-hitter in the series finale, the WSU baseball team continues its two-week homestand with a four-game series against Utah Valley.

The Cougars’ sweep of the Lumberjacks marked their first sweep of an opponent since 2015. Head Coach Marty Lees said the team improved as a group over the weekend, specifically the pitching staff. WSU held the Lumberjacks to a .169 batting average for the series and outscored them 21-10.

WSU trailed in all three of its wins over SFA and has come from behind in each of its six wins on the season, and Lees credited the group’s resiliency.

“I’m very impressed with our club that way,” Lees said. “They have a sense when they are down to keep fighting.”

The Wolverines (3-8) return to Pullman on Thursday one year after taking three-of-four from the Cougars (6-4) in 2016. UVU won the Western Athletic Conference Tournament last season, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament Regionals.

“They played well last season,” Lees said. “They’re coached well and they’re going to come in here just like they did last year. In my opinion, we owe them one back.”

Junior right-hander Ryan Walker will get the start in Thursday afternoon’s series opener, looking to bounce back from a rough start to the season. Walker has allowed 17 earned runs through his first three starts, spanning just 11-and-one-third innings.

Redshirt-junior Damon Jones gets the ball in game two after registering a quality start on Friday against SFA. Jones picked off three baserunners in his last start, eliminating the Lumberjacks’ ability to put runners in scoring position, and now leads the Pac-12 in the category.

Six-foot-six-inch junior southpaw Cody Anderson is set to take the hill on Saturday. Anderson remains the Cougars’ most consistent pitcher this season, leading the starters in innings, ERA and strikeouts. Anderson’s 18 strikeouts are ninth-best in the Pac-12.

Sunday’s start goes to freshman left-hander A.J. Block, who was slated to start against Stephen F. Austin before Saturday’s doubleheader was rescheduled for Sunday due to snow. Block has struck out three batters and has not allowed a run in two innings of relief this season.

Lees said what he needs are quality starts from his starters to get to the bullpen, a feature of his team he is confident in.

“Our bullpen has to be the strength of what we’re doing,” Lees said. “(Dan Spencer) has done a very good job building that staff from the back forward.”

Junior right-hander Colby Nealy, who is currently tied for the lead in wins in the Pac-12 (three), has been nearly unhittable out of the pen recently. In his past five outings, Nealy has surrendered just one run and struck out four batters over five-and two-thirds innings.

“He’s done a very nice job,” Lees said. “I feel like we can trust him, we can count on him and that he’s in a role that we can use him to win.”

Nealy has helped bridge the gap from the starters to junior closer Scotty Sunitsch. The Federal Way native leads the Pac-12 in saves with four and has not given up a run in seven-and one-third innings, striking out 10 batters on just two hits.

“We can count on him to close games right now,” Lees said. “It’s a role he’s flourished in.”

Lees said the team scrimmaged this week to give at-bats and innings to players who did not see the field as much against SFA.

“This lineup, in my opinion, is still evolving,” Lees said. “There is going to be someone who is not playing very much right now, or pitching very much, who is going to be a huge part of what we’re doing.”

Lees said his goal is to get everyone on the team into some type of role, whether it be as a pinch runner or a late-game defensive upgrade.

After beginning the year ranked 177th in the NCAA RPI rankings, WSU has gone 6-2 in its last eight games to jump up to No. 71. The Cougars also received votes in this week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll.

First pitch for Thursday’s series opener is slated for 3 p.m.