Softball can end Pac-10 title race

Ian C. Meyer Arizona Daily Wildcat UA first baseman Leah OÍBrien (right) , pitcher Nancy Evans, and catcher Leah Braatz-Cochrane complete a play during the Wildcats' doubleheader against Arizona State. Arizona will face the Oregon schools this weekend at home.

The Wildcats hold a 3 1/2 game lead over UCLA and a 6 game lead over Washington. A sweep of the Oregon schools, which visit Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium this weekend, would clinch the title for the Wildcats before they close their season with a doublehead er at Washington on May 10.

"It would be nice," Arizona head coach Mike Candrea said. "That would definitely give us a better opportunity to host a regional. (A sweep) is not going to change our approach. We still have to finish strong."

What should not be lost in the hype of closing out the conference championship is the impending record-setting performance of Arizona senior pitcher Carrie Dolan. She will get two starts this weekend, and by winning both, she will become the all-time winn ingest pitcher in UA history. Dolan has 100 career wins. Former Wildcat ace Susie Parra (1991-94) finished her career with 101.

The record is about the only way to compare the two pitchers. Parra was a riseball, strikeout pitcher. Dolan is a placement, groundball pitcher. That might explain why Dolan isn't regarded as being as imposing as Parra was.

"Maybe the power pitchers get more visibility," Candrea said. "They're just different pitchers."

Both Dolan (21-3) and junior Nancy Evans (27-1) will enter the pitching circle tonight against Oregon. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Arizona (48-4 overall, 20-1 in the Pac-10) took two games from the Ducks (18-27, 3-11) on April 12 in Eugene, Ore.

The Wildcats host one of the three teams to beat them this year tomorrow night when the Beavers visit for a doubleheader.

Oregon State beat UA, 3-0 at the PONY Invitational in California in February in a game that did not count in the conference standings. Arizona exacted revenge in Corvallis, Ore. on April 13, sweeping the Beavers in a doubleheader.

The Wildcat offense is led by the previous two conference players of the week, Leah Braatz-Cochrane and Alison Johnsen. Braatz-Cochrane leads the conference in home runs (19) and RBI (66). Johnsen leads the conference is hitting (.543), hits (73), and run s (64) and is second in RBI (56).

"Alison has a lot of tools," Candrea said. "She can beat you with the short game, but she's also got a lot of RBI in the leadoff spot."