KEVIN B. KLAUS / Arizona Daily Wildcat Caitlin Lowe was named Pac-10 Player of the Week as a result of her help in the Wildcats wins over Arizona State, California and Stanford last week. The Wildcat softball team looks to avenge their loss against Stanford Sunday when they host the Oregon schools this weekend.

Forgive head softball coach Larry Ray if he's not dwelling on his team's two losses in the last two weeks. He has more important things on his mind - like winning the Pac-10, which is possible with a sweep this weekend.

"It really doesn't matter what happened last week," he said of the UA's 2-1 loss to Stanford on Sunday. "We can take care of our own destiny this weekend if we win all three games. We can take care of business."

In the first game of their final conference homestand, the Wildcats will face fourth-place Oregon (35-14 overall, 9-6 Pacific 10 Conference) at 7 p.m. at Hillenbrand Stadium. The Ducks handed the UA it's first Pac-10 loss of the season April 25.

The 1-0 loss came when Oregon third baseman Ashley Richards hit a walk-off home run to lead off the eighth inning.

The UA mustered only five hits in that loss, which Ray attributed to the pitching of Oregon's Ani Nyhus. She pitched the final 2.1 innings of the loss at Oregon, and struck out the side in the top of the eighth before Richards' homer. The Pac-10 is batting .198 off Nyhus, and she has an ERA of 1.55 in conference play.

"We know we're going to get their best shot, Ani Nyhus," Ray said. "She has a terrific rise ball, and we're going to have to be disciplined to lay off of it. Two Sundays ago, we weren't able to do that."

The next order of business will be Oregon State (39-21, 3-12), who will come to Tucson for games on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game will start at 7 p.m., and Sunday's game will begin at 1 p.m.

The last time the Wildcats faced the seventh-place Beavers, they won 9-1 in five innings. UA pitchers Alicia Hollowell and Wendy Allen combined to throw the fourth no-hitter of the year for the Wildcats.

Hollowell pitched just four innings in that game. No player faced her more than twice, Ray said, which he sees as an advantage for this series.

"We are going to utilize that," he said.

Injuries have been an issue for the Wildcats in the last couple of weeks, but they are close to being at full-strength again, Ray said. Sophomore utility player Shelly Schultz injured her knee at California on April 18, and Ray said there is a possibility she could pinch-hit this weekend. If she doesn't, she will likely return next weekend for the final Pac-10 games against Washington and UCLA.

Junior outfielder Allyson Von Liechtenstein suffered a minor ankle injury after sliding into home against Cal on April 30. Ray said she is day-to-day.

One of the more important changes Ray wants to see from his team after the loss has nothing to do with pitching and hitting.

"I think we need to play with a little more intensity than we have the last couple of weeks," Ray said. "If we start with that playing with that intensity, the rest of the country is going to be in trouble."

Cats to host first weekend of 2004 postseason action

The UA will host one of the eight regional sites for the 2004 NCAA championship on the weekend of May 20-23. Eight teams will play in Tucson in a double-elimination format. Baylor, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, Stanford, and UCLA were selected for the other seven regional sites.

Outfielder Lowe named Pac-10 player of week

Freshman center fielder Caitlin Lowe was named Pac-10 player of the week for her performances last week against Arizona State, California and Stanford. Overall, Lowe went 7-for-12 (.583), scored four runs, had one RBI, and was 3-for-3 in stolen bases.