With only one game to go until its game against Team USA and head coach Mike Candrea, the Arizona softball team seemed destined to have a perfect record going into the matchup. Then came Pac-10 rival Washington.
The No. 1 Wildcats (34-1) were upset by the No. 9 Huskies 7-6 yesterday in the championship game of the Kia Klassic, in Fullerton, Calif., after setting the school record for wins to open a season. Arizona's record against ranked teams fell to 12-1.
"Unfortunately, we came up one run short, but to a very good ball club. And I'm very proud of the way the team played this weekend," said acting head coach Larry Ray. "Our streak kind of came to an end, but I just told them, ÎI knew we weren't going to go undefeated the entire year, and we just need to start a new one.'"
Arizona rallied from trailing 5-0 to take a 6-5 lead before sophomore pitcher Leslie Wolfe (5-1) gave up the game-winning homer in the seventh. Wolfe came in to relieve Wendy Allen (7-0), who had been roughed up for the first five runs, and stopped the bleeding at first.
Allen started the UA's rally with a double and was knocked in by a home run off the bat of senior catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest. Allen later got an RBI by drawing a bases-loaded walk, followed by a Vandergeest single and a double by freshman shortstop Kristie Fox.
The loss dampened the recent phenomenal pitching of sophomore Alicia Hollowell (21-0). Hollowell pitched a streak of 18 innings of hitless ball, including a no-hitter against Missouri, her second in a row, and a near-perfect game one-hitter against No. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette.
"She did outstanding. In fact, she pitched five of our seven games and she averaged about 14 strikeouts a game. But the thing that was most impressive was the three highly ranked teams we played ÷ Fresno State, Oklahoma and Louisiana-Lafayette," Ray said. "She had 17 strikeouts against Fresno, 12 against Oklahoma and 18 against Louisiana-Lafayette."
Arizona advanced to the title game of the Klassic despite Illinois pitcher Amanda Fortune holding the prolific UA offense to just three hits and no runs until the bottom of the sixth inning in the semifinal. Allen drove in freshman Caitlin Lowe after the center fielder singled and stole second.
Allen would later score on an Illini throwing error to give the Wildcats their 2-0 lead. Hollowell allowed only four hits in her shutout, but Ray noticed the workhorse tiring and decided not to have her take the circle in the title game.
"She didn't have her best stuff and got through by sheer determination, so I did not want to throw her anymore," said Ray (202-107 at Florida and Arizona), who won his 200th game over the weekend. "We're going to try and give her as much rest as we can and save a little bit for the Olympic team, and then save her for (Pacific 10) Conference (play) the following weekend."
The UA opened the Klassic with a 4-1 win over the Illini on Wednesday, when Hollowell threw a three-hitter. The Wildcats proceeded to beat No. 15 Fresno State 7-0, with Hollowell striking out 17 in seven innings. Fox had three hits and three RBIs against the Bulldogs.
Arizona then set the consecutive wins record by pounding No. 7 Oklahoma 9-1. Hollowell pitched a three-hitter against the Sooners, with 12 strikeouts.
The previous record for wins to open a season was 31, held by the 2001 and 1994 teams. The overall consecutive wins record was from 1996-97. In 1994, 1996, 1997 and 2001, the UA won national titles.
"It's nice because we've had so many good teams at this university. To be able to put their stamp and put their place in the history is great, but the biggest part of our season is yet to happen," Ray said. "We've got our work cut out for us, but we know we can be as good as we want to be, and that's what we're shooting for."
In the first round of bracket play, the UA beat UNLV 10-0, mercy-ruling the Rebels for the second time this year thanks to a nine-run third inning.
In the next round, the Wildcats beat Louisiana-Lafayette 2-0. Hollowell's perfect game was busted up in the top of the seventh when Ragin' Cajun centerfielder Hillary Guidry hit a leadoff single, but the UA's ace still struck out 18 of the 22 batters she faced.
"(Louisiana) probably swings the bat as good or better than 99 percent of the teams in the country," Ray said.
In the other action over spring break, the UA swept a two-game series against Missouri, 5-0, 3-2.
Arizona returns to action this Friday, when it hosts Team USA.