Jeff Lund

You can't have one without the other. Nothing is worse for a pitcher than tossing a gem, and getting little to no run support.

On the other side, when the sticks are crackin' and a pitcher can't get one to cross the plate, pulling out W's gets more difficult.

This season the Wildcat softball team is winning as usual, but the ingredients for success are a bit different than past victorious recipes.

At 37-3, the Wildcats have a better record than last year's squad that lost to California in the title game.

***A note about this week's game, for the first time since last year's shocking six run loss to California in the title game, the Wildcats will take on the Golden Bears.

Not a bad way to spend a sunny Tucson afternoon, hint, hint.

The Wildcats didn't get their 37th win last season until April 13th, and by that time there were five marks in the loss column.

The team's impressive record this season is not only due to senior dominance, but also to freshman phenoms.

It's hard to think of a more pressure-packed position in sports than inside the softball circle.

A hurler that is willing to accept such an increase in blood pressure and work on very few days rest is something that head coach Mike Candrea is lucky to find in a freshman.

The enormous shadow that two-time Player of the Year Jennie Finch's accomplishments and ability created left the future of Arizona softball uncertain.

Finch's replacement was supposed to be Jenny Gladding, but Gladding bolted before being crowned queen of the circle.

Instead, freshman Alicia Hollowell was shoved into the chalk boundaries and onto the rubber.

Her stellar start meant nothing if she couldn't throw them by No. 3 Washington and top ranked UCLA on the team's latest road trip. Hollowell was up to the challenge.

Hollowell gave up just eight hits, and allowed one run in three games on the road.

She started the weekend with a two-hit shutout against Washington, then nearly a no-hitter against UCLA Saturday.

Complimenting Hollowell on the offensive end is freshman leadoff batter Autumn Champion.

Champion, often overshadowed by the offensive fireworks from senior Lovie Jung, is responsible for getting to the opposing pitcher first.

She has first crack, and has been making the most of it. She is currently top on the team with 62 hits, 12 more than the next highest season total. Champion is batting .443, and more importantly has an on-base percentage of .470, paving the way for the two, three and four hitters, especially Jung, who has a team high 59 RBIs. Champion is second on the team with 40 runs scored. Her ability to reach allows Jung to bat with a runner on and one out rather than two down, thanks to Champion's ability to get on base nearly half the time.

Champion has also been a solid addition to the outfield defensively, committing just two errors during her 40 starts on the year.

The pieces of the puzzle are falling together sooner than many might have expected, with two of the most important pieces being fresh out of high school.

Add in the fact that with arguably the toughest road trip out of the way, the Wildcats are in the Pac-10 driver's seat at 6-0 in conference play.

In the end, it will come down to senior leadership and experience, but for now Arizona should feel comfortable with freshmen in two of the most important positions in the game.