WILL SEBERGER/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona pitcher Sean Rierson delivers to the plate during a game earlier this season at Sancet Field. Arizona opens its final homestand of the season tonight at 7 p.m.

Even though it just returned from a season-long, eight-game road swing and will play six straight home games beginning today against Cal, the Arizona baseball team seems anxious to hit the road again.

That's because the next time they leave Arizona's borders, the Wildcats (31-16, 9-6 Pacific-10 Conference) might be on their way to their first NCAA Regional appearance in four years.

"I think everybody is (glad to be back)," senior Brian Pemble said. "But when you make the playoffs you travel to a regional and play two or three games, come home and practice for a day or two, and then travel to another regional. It's good to get used to it in that sense."

Arizona's next step in earning the much-coveted regional berth is beating the visiting Golden Bears (25-22, 9-9 Pac-10) in this weekend's three-game series at Sancet Field. A sweep would put the Wildcats one win away from the traditional 13-win conference benchmark for a regional berth.

But there's more on the line for Arizona than just a regional berth. The Wildcats currently trail Pac-10 co-leaders Stanford and Arizona State by one game, and pulling off three wins this weekend would force the Cardinal to do likewise in its series against Southern California in order to retain its lead. ASU does not play a Pac-10 series this week.

Junior Brian Anderson said the team is focusing on both goals.

"Our main goal is to make it to Omaha," he said. "But our goals are set to win the Pac-10."

After bringing home five wins from the road, including a rare road series victory over Stanford, Arizona can ill afford a letdown against Cal, which has struggled through an up-and-down year.

The Bears started the season hot, winning nine of their first 12 games against non-conference foes, but a subsequent shellacking at the hands of rival Stanford took much of the wind from their sails. Though Cal recovered to win four of its next five series against conference opponents, most of its wins have come against the bottom half of the Pac-10.

That's not to say the Wildcats are overlooking the Bears. Head coach Andy Lopez reiterated his season-long mantra of not looking past any opponent.

"I think anytime you play in the Pac-10, it's going to be a test," he said. "Every weekend's going to be a tough weekend öö you've just got to grind it out."

Lopez will trot out staff ace Richie Gardner (7-1, 3.59 ERA) for today's 7 p.m. tilt, while junior Sean Rierson (7-1, 4.78) will take the mound tomorrow. As has become his habit of late, Lopez did not announce a Sunday starter.

Tomorrow's game will also be a 7 p.m. start, and Sunday's finale is set for 1 p.m.