UA's Johnsen keeps rolling as softball wins the Pac-10

Ryan A. Mihalyi Arizona Daily Wildcat UA senior pithcher Carrie Dolan became the winningest pitcher in UA history when the Wildcats defeated Oregon State, 11-1 to clinch the Pacific 10 Conference championship.

Go 4 for 4, he says, and its not likely a fifth hit is coming in a fifth at-bat.

Of course, his law of averages just doesn't seem to apply to his centerfielder Alison Johnsen. The junior continued to amaze by going 7 for 8 with a home run as the Wildcats swept Oregon State Saturday night at Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium and clinched the Pacific 10 Conference championship.

"Holy (expletive)," Candrea said when told of Johnsen's performance.

Johnsen Ä who said she knows only that she's hitting something over .500 Ä said she hopes her current hot streak will continue for a while.

"Hopefully until I graduate," she said.

Arizona pitcher Carrie Dolan scattered seven hits in an 11-1 victory in the second game to become the winningest pitcher in Arizona history. Her mark of 102 tops the 101 wins tallied by Susie Parra from 1991-94.

"I really didn't even know about it until a couple of days ago," Dolan said. "Susie was a great pitcher and her name will go down in history."

She may not want to say so, but now, so will hers. Perhaps more importantly is that Dolan is starting to have the kind of command on the mound that seemed to have escaped her early in the season.

"I don't think my pitches have been working any better," Dolan said. "They are going faster, though."

UA's other pitcher, junior Nancy Evans, was even more effective in the first game, also an 11-1 Arizona victory.

She was perfect except for one hit Ä a solo home run by the Beavers' Jody Chmielewski. No other Oregon State runners reached base.

The conference championship is Arizona's fourth of the decade.

"It was a good feeling," Candrea said. "But more important it was good to win. The big thing right now is getting the kids ready for Washington."

The Wildcats close out the regular season Saturday in Seattle and will likely host the West Regional the weekend after at Hillenbrand.

The Wildcats (52-4 overall, 24-1 in the Pac-10) started their weekend by sweeping Oregon, 5-3 and 9-1.

Johnsen was 4 for 5 at the plate in the doubleheader. Catcher Leah Braatz-Cochrane hit her nation-leading 20th home run.

Evans and Dolan each got wins on the night. Evans also hit her first home run of the year.