Former UA softball star Jennie Finch pitched a gem for Team USA in its 6-1 win over Arizona, but it wasn't quite good enough for her.
Arizona freshman shortstop Kristie Fox's solo home run in the bottom of Friday's second inning marked the first run Finch has given up on USA's Aiming for Athens tour. Finch (8-0), who played at the UA from 1999-2002, had a streak of 41 1/3 innings without surrendering a run.
"I don't like it," Finch said, laughing, "and it's definitely not my expectation when I come out here. I failed on that pitch but I'll learn from it and move on."
Finch went on to strike out 13 of 15 batters, allowing just one run.
Finch said it didn't matter to her that it came against the UA rather than a rival like UCLA.
"A run's a run ÷ earned run, unearned run, anything, because it's a run on the board," Finch said. "You don't want runs."
Finch pitched five-plus innings, going five and then throwing one pitch before being pulled by UA and USA head coach Mike Candrea and getting a standing ovation from the Wildcat crowd.
"I hope it was a special moment for her. Obviously, she deserves that," Candrea said. "I had to go back and tell her that she was going to go in and throw a pitch so I could pull her out of the game.
"She has done a great job not only for the UA, but for the game of softball. I am very proud of her."
"It was great to be back. It was a lot of fun ÷ a lot of emotions going on out there ÷ but it was a lot of fun," Finch said.
Hollowell to the rescue
When sophomore Alicia Hollowell (23-0) comes in, UA fans breathe a sigh of relief, and with good reason.
Hollowell stopped the bleeding in Arizona's 6-4 win over UNLV Sunday by striking out nine of the 10 batters she faced over 3 2/3 innings. Hollowell came in for sophomore Leslie Wolfe (5-1) after the UA gave four runs.
Acting head coach Larry Ray said Wolfe and senior Wendy Allen (8-0), the winner in game one of the doubleheader, pitch too similarly to pitch back-to-back, and once Pacific 10 Conference play starts, is hoping for four "quality innings" from the two. He wanted to rest Hollowell against the Rebels and is expecting her to start against No. 6 Washington and in game one of two against No. 2 UCLA.
"I was hoping not to, but I wasn't going to let a game get away," Ray said. "Right now, Wendy and Leslie are not a good combo together. They both have similar styles. They both rely on the off-speed."
Ray said Hollowell can pitch all three games, though she tends to lose some steam in the third.
The stars come out
The Olympic team game was the hottest ticket in town last weekend. Student seating was severely limited and the local celebrities also came out.
The basketball team couldn't get past the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but scored tickets to this game. ESPN cameras also spotted Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Roberto Alomar and Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buerhrle.
UA baseball coaching legend Jerry Kindall was also at the game, sporting a USA Baseball shirt.
Streak Bustos-ed
The UA ended another prominent streak last weekend: the 23-game hit streak of USA third baseman Crystal Bustos.
Bustos had hit safely in every previous game of the tour, and going into this weekend's play, led the Americans in almost every offensive category, including batting average, home runs and RBIs.
Cat dogs ĪCats again
After Candrea pulled the tiring Finch, the 2001 and 2002 National Player of the Year, it looked like the UA was getting a break.
But Candrea countered with 2003 National Player of the Year Cat Osterman.
Osterman struck out four of the six Wildcats she faced, maintaining her perfect ERA. Last year, the redshirting junior, one of two current college players on the Olympic team, earned a win against the UA, 2-1, handing Arizona and Hollowell their first losses.
Without Osterman, No. 23 Texas, which is about to drop out of the top 25 after a pair of losses to Missouri last weekend, has stumbled to a 16-12 start this season. Arizona beat the Longhorns 7-0 earlier this season.
Team USA continues dominance
Team USA capped its college tour with an 11-0 pounding of the No. 2 Bruins Sunday in Los Angeles.
With only eight of 25 games not ending in the mercy rule, Candrea said he was grateful the UA did so well.
"It has been kind of tough because by the third inning, you're up 8-0 (and) it's really hard to work on things and to challenge," Candrea said.