CLAIRE C. LAURENCE/Arizona Daily Wildcat Sophomore pitcher Leslie Wolfe warms up with catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest before an exhibition game earlier this year.

Larry Ray and Nancy Evans' era in Arizona softball begins in earnest today, as the UA plays its first meaningful games without head coach Mike Candrea since the mid-'80s.

Interim co-head coach Ray and associate coach Evans will lead the Wildcats as they open their season with the Arizona Pepsi Softball Classic today. Arizona, which is ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the two season-opening polls, plays New Mexico at 3 p.m. and Mississippi at 5 p.m., followed by tomorrow's games against Cal State Northridge at 3 p.m. and UNLV at 5 p.m.

Depending how it does in the round robin games today and tomorrow, the UA will either play in the championship game on Sunday at noon or the consolation game at 10 a.m.

"It's so nice to finally get under way. We've been practicing and working hard all through spring, so we're ready to go," said sophomore pitcher Alicia Hollowell.

While none of the other teams received votes in either poll, Ray said he thinks the tournament games will be tough.

After seeing no weaknesses in a pair of exhibition games against Phoenix College, Ray said he hopes this weekend's opponents will present more of a challenge.

"I'm sure these teams are going to be better than the teams we saw last weekend, and what they do is put the ball in play more often against Alicia," Ray said. "The more opportunities defenses have, the more opportunities they have to make mistakes."

Arizona mercy-ruled UNM in five innings when the two teams played in the UA's fall tournament in late October. Hollowell started and struck out 10 of the 12 Lobos she faced.

"Five wins - that's the most important priority. I'm looking for the team to battle hard through every at-bat, every inning," Evans said.

Ray said Hollowell will start against New Mexico and sophomore Leslie Wolfe will take the mound against Ole Miss.

UNLV comes to Tucson with a new coach, Lonni Alameda, and returns 12 letter-winners and nine starters.

CSUN was 27-23 last year, going 12-8 in the Big West, good enough for third. Northridge returns nine starters and 13 letter-winners.

Ole Miss went 19-32 last year, 8-22 in the Southeastern Conference, tying for fifth in the Western Division. The Rebels return all eight position starters.

Hollowell said she welcomes the new season because it offers a chance at rectifying last year's "failure," in which the team lost to California in the College World Series semifinals. Senior pitcher Wendy Allen said she is looking forward to rebounding after an embarrassing loss to Pima Community College in October.

"I'm excited to get on the field, definitely. The last week we played, we had that upset against Pima I want to see us get out there, come together and play well," Allen said. "We're very excited."