With less than three weeks until the Pac-10 schedule begins, the Arizona baseball team is trying to work into midseason form.
Head coach Andy Lopez thinks this weekend's Express College Classic in Round Rock, Texas will help prepare his team for the upcoming Pacific 10 Conference season and possible postseason.
"Every night, you see a different opponent," Lopez said. "It has a postseason atmosphere, and it will be good for (the players) to see where they are."
The Wildcats (9-6-1) open the four-day tournament today at 5 p.m. against TCU (8-7) at Dell Diamond.
Junior Koley Kolberg will get the start for Arizona and is expected to face TCU's Eugene Espineli.
Kolberg was sharp in the early parts of his last outing against Sacramento State. Through five innings, he only gave up one hit to the Hornets, but proceeded to give up four runs in the sixth and seven runs overall.
The Wildcats dropped that game, but took the series from the Hornets.
Arizona has won its last two series after going on a six-game winless streak.
"We'd like our record to be a bit better," said freshman shortstop Jason Donald. "I think we'll be ready to play better (this weekend)."
Lopez said he isn't upset by the team's play to this point but believes there is always room to improve.
"I feel like we're a couple games behind where I'd like us to be," he said.
Donald comes into the weekend as the Wildcats' leader in hits (25), RBIs (17), home runs (five) and runs scored (17). He has been one of few constants on offense throughout the early season.
TCU enters its game against the Wildcats after beating St. John's twice last week before losing to in-state rival Texas Sunday.
This will be the first time since 1970 that the two teams have met.
Arizona will play No. 14 Notre Dame tomorrow at 2 p.m. and Penn State at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The tournament will run through Sunday and will consist of seven teams. Arizona won't face tourney competitors Texas Tech, Texas State and Illinois.
"(The tournament) will be good for us and good for the program," Lopez said.