Dolan righting herself after string of rough appearances

In big games against UCLA on March 29 and Fresno State on April 6, Dolan faltered giving up five runs to the Bruins and six runs to the Bulldogs.

After a victory over Arizona State on April 23, Arizona head coach Mike Candrea took Dolan aside and gave her a 15-minute pep talk.

"It's getting there," he told her. "I can feel it."

Candrea's talk appears to have worked. Dolan seems to have regained her form. In her last 21 innings over three outings, she has given up two runs. Her victories over California and Stanford were two- and one-hit shutouts.

Pitching coach Stacey Hill said Dolan's effectiveness depends on her ability to place the ball.

"She needs to keep the ball down," Hill said. "Put it from knees to waist."

When she has been able to do that, Dolan has been next to unbeatable. When she does not, the result is games like the UCLA contest at Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium on April 18. She gave up the six runs, four of them on a grand slam by Alleah Poulsen.

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Former Arizona great and current Cal State-Fullerton pitching coach Susie Parra and Dolan have little in common in the pitching circle.

Parra was an overpowering pitcher who blew opponents out of the water. Dolan is a ground ball pitcher who uses her craftiness to keep hitters off balance.

This weekend, though, the two figure to cross paths in the UA record book.

With two wins, Dolan will become the winningest pitcher in Arizona history. Her career record of 100 wins and 13 losses is one victory shy of the 101 wins put up by Parra from 1991-94.

Consider the fact that UA is planning to retire Parra's number onto the wall at Hillenbrand Stadium, and one begins to realize the scope of what she has accomplished.

The Arizona softball team continued its string of Pacific 10 Conference player of the week awards when catcher Leah Braatz-Cochrane was given the award for her performance in UA's six wins last week.

Alison Johnsen won the award two weeks in a row.

Braatz-Cochrane was 10 for 20 last week with 12 runs, nine RBI and four home runs. This is her second player of the week honor of the season. She won during the first week of the year.

With the conference season rapidly drawing to a close, all eyes are now on the won-loss column. Arizona is currently 20-1 in the conference, its lone loss coming to the second-place Bruins, who are 18-6. With two wins this weekend, the Wildcats can elimin ate UCLA from title contention. With a weekend sweep, the Wildcats can eliminate Washington, who are third in the conference at 11-4. UA closes its regular season with a doubleheader May 10 at Washington. Arizona, which beat the Huskies in the NCAA champ ionship game last season, is 3-0 against the Huskies this season.