Softball sweeps in Texas

The Arizona softball team kept its 11-game winning streak alive, shutting out all five teams it faced in the Red Raider Classic over the weekend.

The Wildcats' 11-game shutout record remained alive after it clinched a 1-0 victory over Texas Tech yesterday.

The win may not have been as offensively powered as their other four victories, but it put another mark in the winning column.

No. 2 Arizona scored its only run in the bottom of the first inning after Texas Tech pitcher Erin Crawford walked leadoff batter Autumn Champion.

Senior shortstop Lovieanne Jung advanced Champion with a single and Jung scored off an error committed by left fielder Amanda Douglas.

Freshman pitcher Alicia Hollowell earned her 15th victory for the Wildcats.

On Friday, UA ran over New Mexico 9-0 and then destroyed Columbia 12-0.

Against New Mexico, the Wildcats sparked a five-run fifth inning where both Jung and sophomore third baseman Jackie Coburn hit home runs.

Junior catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest hit a grand slam in the Wildcats' win over Columbia.

On Saturday, the Wildcats defeated Wichita State 6-0 and then shut out Texas Tech 10-0.

Overall, the Wildcats hit 12 home runs and combined for a .366 team batting average throughout the weekend.

Arizona continues on the road this weekend with the Kia Klassic in Fullerton, Calif.

Lindsey Manroel

Baseball loses two to Texas

After a sound win on Friday, Arizona dropped two straight heartbreakers to defending national champion Texas.

Yesterday No. 9 UT (15-6) capitalized on back-to-back misplays to hand the Wildcats a 4-1 loss. UA center fielder Brian Anderson lost sight of two straight fly balls that turned into a triple and an in-side-the-park homerun to stretch a 3-0 Longhorn lead in the third inning.

UA pitcher Kevin Guyette suffered his first loss of the season despite giving up three runs on eight hits with six strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings of work.

First baseman Pat Really went hitless in three at-bats that ended a 23-game hitting streak.

Saturday No. 22 Arizona (12-7) blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning to lose 3-2. Starter Joe Little scattered five hits over eight and one-thirds innings, but left after Texas' Dustin Majewski hit a solo home run.

Sophomore reliever Derek Rodriquez walked the first two hitters he faced and gave a RBI single. After an intentional walk and a strikeout, UT's Dustin Majewski singled up the middle for the win.

In the series opener on Friday, junior Sean Rierson tossed a seven-hit complete game in Arizona's 5-1 win. Rierson struck out nine en route to his second complete game of the season.

Dave Stevenson

Men's swim and dive finish fifth

Facing its most difficult competition of the year, including three teams ranked in the top 10, the Arizona men's swim and dive team needed a strong team effort this weekend at the Pacific-10 Conference championships in Long Beach, California.

The Wildcats didn't disappoint en route to a fifth place finish at the championship meet.

Stanford captured its 22nd straight Pac-10 Championship this weekend as they finished more than 100 points ahead of second place California. USC rounded out the top three with Arizona State finishing fourth, Arizona fifth and Washington sixth.

Despite not having a single individual victory this weekend, several different Wildcats performed well during the meet, including several freshmen competing in their first Pac-10 Championship.

Freshman Dave Rollins finished 10th in the 200-yard individual medley, and freshman Simon Burnett, battling a shoulder injury was able to overcome the pain as he finished third in the 200-yard freestyle, posting an NCAA qualifying time.

Junior Juan Veloz, ranked No.1 in the country in the 200-yard butterfly, finished fourth in what was the weekend's most contested race as 1.2 seconds separated first from eighth place in the event.

The Arizona relay teams also performed well at the championships, including a sixth place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay, and a third place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Next up for the Arizona swim and dive teams is the NCAA Championships. The women will head to Auburn, Ala., March 20 - 22, and the men will be heading back to Austin, Texas, from March 27 - March 28.

Branden Lombardi