The Arizona softball team earned a rare feat this week - a sweep of the Pac-10's weekly honors.
Sophomore Alicia Hollowell (11-0) won Pacific 10 Conference Pitcher of the Week, and senior utility player Wendy Allen (3-0) won Pac-10 Player of the Week for the Wildcats (16-0). The previous player of the week honor went to sophomore left fielder Autumn Champion.
"I think it's well-deserved. They both had outstanding weekends, and it's nice to see," said interim co-head coach Larry Ray.
Over the weekend, in the Palm Springs tournament, Allen hit .625 (10-of-16), with seven extra-base hits, including five doubles and two home runs. She scored seven runs and knocked in 12 RBIs. On the mound, the senior also threw a two-hit shutout, striking out nine in six innings against Penn State.
When asked how often a sweep of both awards happens, Ray said, "Occasionally. It's so tough, as good as this conference is and as many good players as there are."
Hollowell gave up 12 hits in 25 innings, allowing three earned runs and giving up four walks while striking out 54 batters. Against then-No. 6 Georgia, she threw a complete-game five-hitter with 15 Ks. She followed that up with a complete-game shutout against then-No. 7 Alabama, striking out 14 and allowing three hits.
Cats move up to No. 2 in both national polls
Arizona became the consensus No. 2 team yesterday and inched closer to top-ranked UCLA (13-0).
The Wildcats moved up to No. 2 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll for the first time this year, 29 points back of the Bruins. In the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, where they have been No. 2 all year, the UA got two first-place votes. UCLA has 21.
The Wildcats jumped former No. 3 California (13-0) in the USA Softball poll. Additionally, Washington (11-2) moved up to No. 4 in the USA poll, giving the Pac-10 four teams in the top four in both polls.
'K' queen Hollowell at it again so far this season
So far Hollowell, who has struck out 141 batters this season, is on pace to shatter her UA season record from last year.
In 2003, Hollowell broke Jennie Finch's 2002 record of 366 Ks, posting 394 over 297 innings. Hollowell is averaging 2.1 strikeouts per inning.
Batting (and fielding) Champion at Arizona
Champion, who hit .500 last week with eight hits, nine runs and two stolen bases, has tied her career-high hitting streak of 11 games.
The sophomore, who is hitting .583 this year, also has a perfect fielding percentage. The Wildcats have outscored opponents 140-10 and have out-hit them 167-46, resulting in seven mercy-rule victories.
Cowgirl homecoming this weekend vs. OSU
Expect to see a lot of Oklahoma State fans this weekend at the UA's Worth Wildcat Invitational. Cowgirl shortstop Stephanie Nicholson hails from Tucson.
Nicholson, who transferred from Washington after her freshman year, prepped at Flowing Wells High School, along with Wildcat junior right fielder/catcher Candace Abrams. Nicholson also played on the same golf team as Abrams.
"We were really good friends in high school. We played outside of school; we played golf together; we played sports together," Abrams said.
Nicholson played Amateur Softball Association of America ball for the Arizona Alleycats, which was coached by former UA player Laura Espinoza-Watson, and won the 2001 national title. Espinoza-Watson, an assistant at Loyola Marymount - who is in the UA sports Hall of Fame - was 1994 College Sports player of the year, 1995 Fastpitch World POY and a three time All-American for the Wildcats.
Team USA Olympic Softball update
The Olympic softball team had a perfect opening weekend, but the UA and USA Softball team head coach Mike Candrea did need a little Finch magic to keep it that way.
The Americans went 5-0 and outscored foes 42-5 in the Palm Springs Classic, keeping their pre-Olympics tour streak of 120 wins intact. But the U.S. team did have to sweat it out against then-No. 24 Oregon State. USA beat the Beavers, who lost to Coastal Carolina earlier in the tourney, 4-3, but needed some help from the bullpen, including Finch, who got the save.
Finch worked 2.1 innings and struck out five of the seven Beavers she faced. Finch got the win over then-No. 12 Tennessee, striking out 10 over four innings.