There's no place like home, and the Arizona baseball team knows it. After dropping two of three games on the road at No. 4 Southern Cal, the Wildcats are back at Sancet Field for this weekend's home series against No. 5 UCLA.

Today's game starts at 2:30 p.m.

The Bruins are off to their best start since 1985 with record of 14-6, 5-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference Southern Division. They swept California and won two of three against Stanford to take the early lead in the Six-Pac.

"They are hot," Arizona head coach Jerry Kindall said of the Bruins. "They score a lot of runs and have a lot of talent."

The Wildcats (16-10,1-2) are confident after winning Sunday's game against USC 9-8. Kindall called the team's effort terrific.

Today's starting pitcher for the UA will be Shawn Barrington (1-3). Tomorrow Jason Ford (2-0) gets the start, and Tyler Haddix (2-1) follows Sunday. Tomorrow and Sunday's games start at 1 p.m.

- Sam Spiller

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Gymnastics hosts 3 teams at meet

The Arizona gymnastics team will host a tough nonconference battle tonight at 8 in McKale Center. The 11th-ranked Wildcats (13-2) will square off against Southeast Missouri, No. 21 Louisiana State, New Hampshire and Illinois-Chicago.

Said UA coach Jim Gault, "We belong in the top ten, and a couple good meets before the regional would put us up there."

Arizona is hoping to start freshmen Heidi Hornbeek and Maureen Kealey in the all-around, but injuries might hamper that lineup.

- Arlie Rahn

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Track and field at NCAA Indoors

Six Arizona athletes will be competing this weekend among the nation's elite collegiate track and field performers at the NCAA Indoor Championships at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.

Arizona is led by junior shot putter Chima Ugwu, who automatically qualified for the event with a throw of 61 feet, 4 inches. Ugwu's mark also established a new UA indoor record.

Senior Aaron Corcorran and freshman Tapio Kolunsarka both provisionally qualified to compete in the 35-pound weight throw with tosses of 64-1 and 66-11/2, respectively.

Sophomore distance runner Bob Keino was the only Wildcat athlete to qualify in two events, the 3,000 meters and the mile, but he will only compete in the 3,000 meters.

Leading the way for the women is senior Michelle Johnson, who qualified for the second straight year in the 55-meter high hurdles. Her provisional time of 7.73 seconds was just .001 off the automatic qualifying standard. Johnson has won every 55-meter hurdle race she has run this season.

Junior Viola Schaffer is also returning to Indianapolis for the second consecutive year. Schaffer will be competing in the 5,000 meters, in which she finished fifth overall last year.

Freshman Amy Skieresz, who finished second overall in the NCAA Cross Country Championships last November, was an automatic qualifier in the 3,000 meters with her time of 9:16.85, but she will not compete in Indianapolis so she can concentrate on the outdoor portion of the season.

"Amy and I decided ... she could concentrate on the outdoor championships and possibly the U.S. Olympic Trials later this summer," UA head coach Dave Murray said.

- Jason A. Vrtis

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Men's golf in Texas for tourney

The Wildcat men's golf team heads into Houston this weekend for the Golf Digest Invitational riding a wave of momentum from its first four tournaments of the season.

Four straight top-five performances propelled Arizona to fourth in the latest Rolex Collegiate Rankings.

Arizona is sending Ted Purdy, Matt Bergstrom, Andy Barnes, Rory Sabbatini and Gary Matthews.

Purdy is ranked fifth in the new rankings.

- Ian Parkman