SAUL LOEB/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona sophomore Mackenzie Vandergeest rounds a base last month against Arizona State in Tempe. The Wildcats kick off a 10-day road trip today against Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore.

The same weekend that saw two rarities in Arizona softball - a loss at home and senior pitcher Jennie Finch dropping a decision on the mound - also placed the Wildcats back in familiar territory as the No. 1 team in the nation.

After taking two of three contests from UCLA and Washington, UA (35-5 overall, 4-1 Pacific 10 Conference) embarks on its longest road trip of the season beginning today in Oregon.

The Wildcats face No. 14 Oregon State (31-11 overall, 4-2 Pac-10) today at 2 p.m. before heading to Eugene for a two-game series with the Ducks (18-15, 0-6) Saturday and Sunday.

Arizona will also travel to Oklahoma, the site of the NCAA College World Series, for two non-conference matchups in the middle of next week before finishing its road swing in California with a visit to the Bay Area schools next weekend.

That's eight games in 10 days, including five contests against opponents ranked in the Top 15.

After the team elevated its level of play throughout three thrilling one-run games a week ago, assistant coach Larry Ray said his consistency will be crucial for the Wildcats to maintain their momentum heading into the heart of conference play.

"(Last weekend) was our biggest test of the season, and the players really performed well," Ray said. "It's just that (on the road) we're going to have to put it all together, and right now, we haven't done that on a per-game basis."

After stumbling to just a 7-4 record away from Tucson during two early season tournaments, UA swept a two-game series from Arizona State in Tempe during its opening weekend of Pac-10 play two weeks ago.

Despite sputtering at times early in the year, Arizona's offense has been statistically dominant within the nation's toughest conference. Arizona leads the Pac-10 with 273 runs scored and has clobbered a nation-leading 70 home runs this season.

While his Wildcats sit atop the Pac-10 standings with a 4-1 record, head coach Mike Candrea said he realizes how his team performs on the road will play a large part in whether or not they capture their seventh Pac-10 championship this season.

"Obviously, in Pac-10 play you have to do well on the road," said Candrea, who added that the Oregon trip is never a cakewalk. "Everyone says how tough it is to play on the road, but I don't necessarily think that. You just have to prepare and get ready to play."

Perhaps the most prepared of all Wildcats this season has been the one who will step to the plate first today. Junior leadoff hitter Lovie Jung has been a catalyst all season for Arizona, leading the team with a .431 average and 47 runs scored. She enters the weekend having hit in 10 consecutive games, tying with sophomore Leneah Manuma for the longest hitting streak of the season.

The shortstop said the next week and a half should show how prepared and mentally tough her young Wildcats squad is.

"It will be a long road trip," Jung said. "We'll find out what kind of character we have as a team."