Despite the glitz and glitter of Spring Fling visible just beyond the outfield fence, the Arizona softball team will have other things on its mind this weekend - namely Stanford and No. 10 California.

The Cardinal will visit Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium tonight for a doubleheader that begins at 6. A doubleheader with Cal will start tomorrow at the same time.

The top-ranked Wildcats (30-3 overall, 3-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference) defeated Stanford by scores of 25-0 and 7-1 at Hillenbrand and 12-0, 8-0 in Palo Alto last year. California was one of just three teams to beat UA last season (UCLA did it four times and Cal State-Fullerton accomplished it once) with a 7-2 win in Berkeley on May 13. But Arizona came back to win the second game of that doubleheader 15-1.

And while California (26-12, 7-3) should offer the same stiff challenge, Stanford has improved and will offer a challenge as well.

"That's an understatement," Candrea said about the Cardinal's improvement. "They're a very good team with very good pitching."

The key for Arizona is Carrie Dolan. The Wildcats' junior ace pitched for the first time last night after taking all week off to rest her arm.

"She's got to be ready to go," Candrea said.

UA will as usual be led by the bats of Alison Johnsen, Jenny Dalton and Lety Pineda. Dalton set an NCAA record last week when she scored seven runs to give her 254 career runs - two better than former Wildcat and current UA assistant coach Amy Chellevold's record of 252. Against UCLA and Washington, Pineda was 7-for-12 with seven RBI.

As for Cal, tight games can always be expected.

"If they get hot, they are tough," Candrea said.