CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Freshman Alicia Hollowell delivers a pitch last weekend against Oregon State. Hollowell will be tested, to say the least, as the Wildcats head to Washington and UCLA in a key early Pac-10 weekend.

No. 2 Wildcats face tough road test against top-ranked UCLA, No. 3 Washington

It only gets harder from here.

That's what UA softball head coach Mike Candrea said last weekend after his team showed complete dominance over the Oregon schools in its Pac-10 season home opener. The Wildcats sent the fans home early in two of their three games, implementing the eight run mercy rule.

Despite the team's three-game series sweep against Oregon State and Oregon, the team isn't riding on cloud nine.

That's because the Wildcats know that this weekend's Pac-10 battle will be exactly that when taking on No. 3 Washington and No. 1 UCLA away from the friendly confines of Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.

"The talent will get deeper in the Pac-10 and (this) weekend will be a good test with us playing the No. 1 and 2 (Pac-10) teams on the road," Candrea said. "We have to have people step up and swing the bat in the bottom of the order. That's our concern."

In last weekend's 8-0 win over Oregon State and in the 4-1 and 8-0 victories over Oregon, it was freshman pitcher Alicia Hollowell who rose to the occasion and pitched UA to the series sweep.

Hollowell, who has become the top pitcher in the Arizona rotation, better get used to the amount of time she's seeing on the mound.

"Our best chance is Hollowell. She puts numbers on the board and with her, we have a good chance to shut down people," Candrea said. "Hollowell's used to throwing pitches, but we can't afford to throw her so many pitches that she's not prepared for the post season."

Like so many of their previous seasons, the Wildcats have relied on just one pitcher during the 3-game series.

Last year it was Jennie Finch, who has now assumed a volunteer coach role. This year, it's Hollowell.

Despite their recent success this season, if the Wildcats' all-time season records are any indicator of this season's outcome, they'll be playing the role of the underdogs this weekend.

Arizona is hoping that Hollowell will have more success than the Arizona program has had in past seasons against UW, as the Huskies hold a 37-14 all-time series record over UA and defeated the Wildcats twice last season.

The Bruins hold a 52-42 all-time record over the Wildcats. Last season, UCLA defeated UA in two of their three games

The Wildcat team knows that neither game will be easy.

"(This) weekend we have a big challenge so we have to work hard," senior short stop Lovie Jung said.

Candrea said he is aware of this weekend's challenge and, with the help of past UA stars, threw his team a few curveballs in practice this week when he had UA pitcher and assistant coach Nancy Evans and Finch throw during batting practice.

"We need our hitters and have to anticipate better as a hitter," Candrea said. "We can't see the ball and react. Our anticipation has to be better and more on time."

Evans pitched on Tuesday and Finch on Wednesday.

"If that doesn't get them ready, something's wrong," Candrea said.

The Wildcats will try to keep their undefeated Pac-10 record alive against Washington tonight before they travel to Westwood, Calif., to battle UCLA, the nation's top team, on Saturday and Sunday.