CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Freshman Alicia Hollowell warms up earlier this season. Hollowell has been named Pacific-10 Player of the Week four times this season.

Hats off to Hollowell

Chalk up another award for pitcher Alicia Hollowell.

The fast-pitch freshman phenom was named as the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week for April 21-27.

The UA freshman picked up her fourth Pac-10 weekly accolade this season after comprising a 3-0 record and a 1.83 ERA against the Oregon schools.

In 23 innings of work, Hollowell struck out 30 batters and picked up her 10th double-digit strikeout performance with 12 Ks against Oregon State on Sunday.

Overall, she has comprised a 30-3 record and a .76 ERA, and has pitched a total of 212.2 innings while striking out 289 batters.

In her first season's work, Hollowell is UA's third for strikeouts in a season, with five games remaining in the regular season.

Hollowell's fourth Pac-10 nod in a single season is just the second time a UA pitcher has received the honor four times. She joins All-American pitcher Susie Parra, who received the title four times in her 1994 season as a Wildcat.

Hillenbrand to host regional: May 15-18

UA's Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium is one of eight locations chosen to host the 2003 NCAA Division I Women's Softball Championships from May 15-18.

The seven other sites selected are: Alabama, Cal State Fullerton, Florida, Fresno State, Michigan, Nebraska and Texas. They were selected by geographic location, the facilities and the student-athlete experience.

Each host school will feature eight games in double-elimination, running from May 15-18.

This is the 11th time Arizona has played as a host, including eight times since Hillenbrand Stadium has been in existence.

Finch to host weekly feature on television

Former UA pitcher Jennie Finch will have her jersey retired, and she will throw out the first pitch prior to the UCLA game on May 9.

The current volunteer assistant coach will also make her hosting debut on May 17 for the Major League Baseball production of "This Week in Baseball."

Finch will host "Pitch, Hit and Run with Jennie Finch," a weekly feature that will make Finch the first female correspondent in the program's history.

Wildcats get ready for the stretch run

The Wildcats wind down their regular season with their final three-game road series in the Bay area, beginning with the defending champions, No. 9 California.

No. 1 Arizona (45-4) takes on Cal (39-14) Friday night and then faces No. 16 Stanford (35-20) for a two-game series.

The Cardinal is the only Pac-10 team to beat the Wildcats; it did so on April 11 with a 4-3 victory at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Arizona currently leads the Pac-10 and is 2.5 games ahead of UCLA, which currently holds second place. The Wildcats will take on UCLA in UA's second-to-last home game of the season.

The Wildcats wrap up their regular season at home, first against the Bruins followed by Washington.