4-time champs know receptions are small'That's not why we play,' Candrea says

Karen C. Tully Arizona Daily Wildcat Catcher Lety Pineda congratulates a teammate during a recent game. The softball team supported the men's basketball team during the Tournament by wearing their warm-up jackets inside out.

When the softball team won last season's national title, there was only a fraction of that number at Hillenbrand Stadium to greet them.

When asked if he would like to receive a similar reception, head coach Mike Candrea was quick to answer.

"It'll never happen," he said. "Yeah, it would be nice, but that's not what we play for."

Candrea was glad to see the men's basketball team get a share of the national championship fever.

"I'm very happy for the men's basketball team and for Lute (Olson)," Candrea said. "When you know someone puts so much into a sport, it's nice to see them get rewarded."

There have been all sorts of explanations offered as to why the UA men's basketball team was able to pull out so many close games. Some say it was destiny or fate. Others say that Lute Olson was due. In the opinion of the softball team, they definitely th ink they had something to do with it.

When the UA basketball team went into overtime against Providence in the regional final, the softball team was at the airport waiting for its flight home from the PONY Invitational at Cal State-Fullerton. In an attempt to give the basketball team good luc k, the entire team put on their warm-up jackets inside-out. Arizona won.

During Monday's game, several of the softball assistants were at O'Malley's watching the game. When it went into overtime they again put their jackets on inside-out. Arizona won.

Losing two out of its last three games in new territory for the team as well as pitcher Carrie Dolan.

In the last four years the Wildcats have lost only 29 times and won 219 games - an .883 winning percentage. Overall this season they are 31-2.

Dolan, who was the winning pitcher in last season's national championship game, had never lost two straight in her career. Her ERA has jumped to 2.31. Candrea, though, is not worried.

"Anyone who is in athletics is going to have those times," Candrea said. "A lot of this game is confidence, and regaining that confidence.

"Against UCLA I thought she made some very good strides even though she gave up four runs early."

Catcher Lety Pineda hit her conference leading13th home run in the first game against UCLA. The three-run blast in the third inning off of Bruin ace B'Ann Burns was all that Arizona needed in the 4-2 win.

Pineda is one ahead of UCLA's Stacy Nuveman in the conference.