UA softball on track in grueling Pac-10 race

Leigh-Anne Brown Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior catcher Leah Braatz gets ready for a pitch against Kansas. The Wildcats have a double header against ASU tomorrow at Hillenbrand Stadium.

"We're right on track," senior catcher Leah Braatz said, "but we haven't peaked quite yet. We're still climbing up that hill."

The slope Braatz refers to is a tougher-than-usual Pacific 10 Conference schedule in which six of seven Wildcat opponents are ranked in the USA TODAY/NFCA Coaches Top 25.

Arizona has already completed road sweeps of No. 21 Oregon and No. 22 Oregon State and it split a home doubleheader with third-ranked Washington Saturday.

The Wildcats also swept a pair of games from UCLA, who would be ranked were it not for its NCAA probation prohibiting the Bruins from appearing in postseason play.

On the horizon is tomorrow's home doubleheader against freeway-rival and seventh-ranked Arizona State.

No. 13 Stanford and No. 17 California round out the Pac-10's representation in the poll.

"The Pac is loaded this year," senior Alison McCutcheon said. "We can't blow anybody off anymore, especially because we have a winning record."

Braatz also expressed concern about both the conference's strength and UA's success thus far.

"We have a target sign on our back," Braatz said. "Everybody wants to beat U of A so every game is going to be a challenge."

Stressed-out star

How far can you push your No. 1 pitcher without her cracking?

Strained from an abundance of work in recent weeks, senior hurler Nancy Evans, who suffered her first loss of the season Saturday against the Huskies, wore a brace on her pitching arm in Tuesday's win over Fresno State.

Evans complained of discomfort before, during and after the loss to the Huskies and said she put the brace on her right forearm for a little added support.

"I don't know exactly what it's from," Evans said of the pain. "It's been kind of tense and I feel spasms, so to protect it from getting worse and protect it from the stress of hitting my leg, I put the brace on."

Evans, who plays shortstop when she is not in the circle, said the arm doesn't give her any discomfort throwing overhand, even from across the diamond.

Evans made two outstanding plays, one diving to her right and the other tracking down a ball hit to the hole between third and short in the second game against the Bulldogs. She threw both runners out, showing no ill effects from the strain.

"We're just going to try to get her arm a little bit of rest," UA head coach Mike Candrea said. "It concerns me a little bit but like I told her, sometimes whatever you warm up with you've got to warm up and compete with and I thought she did a really good job of that."

Waterworld

In the spirit of name association, which so often accompanies every gimmick in ballparks around the country, here are the top five names for the Rita Hillenbrand Stadium's spa, which sits just beyond the center field wall. By the way, Hillenbrand Aquatic Center is already taken.

(1) The Kitty Pool

(2) The Wildbath

(3) Candrea Falls

(4) Katie Swan Lake

(5) Toni "Spa"scarenas