JON HELGASON/Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior Jennie Finch (27) winds up for a pitch as her teammates anticipate the play on March 23 against Louisiana-Lafayette at Hillenbrand Stadium. The Wildcats face UCLA for the Pac-10 crown this weekend in Los Angeles, and will try to defend their national championship later this month at the NCAA World Series.

Wildcats wrapping up season, readying for Oklahoma City

Five months ago, the Arizona softball coaching staff hoped that come May, it would be watching a team that more closely resembled last yearâs national champions than one with eight freshmen on its roster.

After this monthâs first weekend, it looks like the 2002 version of the Arizona softball team has finally arrived.

Coming off a victory against a California team that beat UA twice in April, and a last-inning come-from-behind thriller against Stanford, the Wildcats have reached the seasonâs final month in familiar stylish fashion.

Despite some early-season setbacks and a supposedly inexperienced roster, the No. 2 Wildcats (48-7 overall, 15-3 Pacific 10 Conference) have continued to dominate within the countryâs toughest conference.

As they approach the regular seasonâs final weekend ÷ highlighted by a battle with No. 1 UCLA for the Pac-10 crown ÷ the Wildcats are primed to make another postseason run to Oklahoma City and the NCAA World Series.

But first things first.

ãWe need to take care of UCLA on Friday and hope for the best when the regionals are announced (Sunday),ä said sophomore first baseman Leneah Manuma. ãEvery game and every weekend is very important for us right now.ä

Last weekend, Manuma led a determined Arizona squad to three consecutive victories during the final home weekend of the regular season.

The All-American blasted a home run in Fridayâs 3-0 victory to ensure No. 5 California would not defeat Arizona for the third time this season.

The following night, trailing No. 8 Stanford 2-0 in the teamâs final at-bat, Manuma and catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest hit back-to-back shots that propelled the Wildcats to a 3-2 victory.

ãWe had a score to settle with Cal and we made some adjustments against a great pitcher in Jocelyn Forest,ä Manuma said of the Golden Bears star that held the Wildcats to one hit during an April shutout. ãI thought we played great defense all weekend, and Sunday, (Jennie) Finch did what she does, so it was a good way to send out the seniors.ä

The celebrated senior ace, Finch, was named the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season. She finished a 3-0 week with a 0.67 ERA, including one shutout ÷ her 17th of the year. Her 114 career wins place her second in UA history, while her 955 strikeouts established the Wildcatsâ all-time record.

The weekendâs dominant pitching and timely hitting in a come-from-behind win bore a distinct resemblance to several of the Wildcatsâ biggest efforts during last yearâs run.

This seasonâs accomplishments have been rather impressive in their own right considering last yearâs sixth NCAA title brought with it the graduation of eight seniors ÷ including five who earned All-America honors during their tenure at Arizona.

With a lone returning senior in the two-time All-American Finch ÷ and two transfers comprising half of the teamâs upperclassmen ÷ the 2002 season was approached as a type of rebuilding effort for the Wildcats. Yet, for the nationâs elite softball program, things have hardly collapsed like the rest of the Pac-10 had hoped for.

With just seven losses through its first 55 games, No. 2 Arizona is on the verge of making history once again.

With the Wildcatsâ seventh conference crown in their sights, the race climaxes in Palo Alto, Calif., Friday in the rubber match in their three-game season series with the Bruins.