UA faces New Mexico State and Dutch National team to open Hillenbrand invitational

When UA head coach Mike Candrea said he didn't like the 8-0 victory over the University of New Mexico on Sunday, he wasn't referring to the team's offensive performance.

In fact, the Wildcats dominated the game, putting the eight-run mercy rule into effect after six innings of play, sending the Lobos home with a 1-4 tournament record.

What Candrea wasn't satisfied with was the Wildcats' intensity.

"Last weekend, we weren't competitive enough," third baseman Jackie Coburn said. "We could have put teams away early and showed everyone Arizona softball, but we didn't get it done."

Candrea said Arizona took advantage of the fact that it was playing in front of its home crowd and therefore didn't play up to its potential.

Luckily for the Wildcats, they'll get one more opportunity before spring break to make up for last weekend's lack of intensity, as they host their final home tournament, the Hillenbrand Invitational.

"It's always good playing with the home crowd," Coburn said. "We're taking it for granted. They come out and expect amazing softball and we haven't done it."

Arizona will challenge another team from the land of enchantment with New Mexico State and then the Dutch National Team on Friday.

It may be an understatement to say that the Aggies are off to a slow start this season, winning just three of their 15 games so far on the season.

New Mexico State is coming off of a 4-1 loss against Nevada just after suffering two blowout losses to both Colorado State and Missouri, 17-4.

The Wildcats will then face Northern Iowa and San Diego State University on Saturday.

The tournament ends on Sunday with the No. 3 seed playing the No. 4 seed, followed by the No.1 and 2 seeds afterward.

With what may have been a lack of effort at the Worth Wildcat Invitational last weekend, the Wildcats still managed to place second with a 4-1 tournament record.

The champions, Oklahoma State, handed UA its only loss of the weekend.

The Cowgirls beat the Wildcats 1-0 and swept the weekend overall.

Freshman pitcher Alicia Hollowell, who was unsatisfied with her consistency at the last tournament, finished the weekend 2-1.

Hollowell pitched in the loss to Oklahoma State öö a one-hit performance that resulted in a single homerun, the only run of the game.

Offensively, it was a good weekend for senior shortstop Lovieanne Jung, who hit her ninth home run of the season in a blowout victory over Drake University, 11-0.

Junior catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest hit her fourth homer of the season in the win over New Mexico.

Before they hit the road once again, the Wildcats are looking to pick up the intensity and show UA fans their maximum potential.

"Having fans is always nice and we need to use it to our advantage," Hollowell said. "Regardless, we need to come out with intensity and play our game. We need to take pride in our defense and work hard offensively and do what it takes (to win)."

The Wildcats kick off the tournament today at 3 p.m. against New Mexico State, followed by the Dutch National Team at 5 p.m. at UA's Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.