Softball team wins fifth national title

AP The UA softball team beat UCLA 10-2, to win the College World Series on May 26. The UA team has won five of the last six softball championships.

They don't dunk, throw 50-yard touchdown passes to win the game, or dance and spike the ball when they score. All the UA softball team does is win.

After beating UCLA, 10-2, to win the College World Series on May 26, there can be no doubt that Arizona softball is one of the most dominant programs college athletics has ever seen.

Arizona, which has won five out of the last six softball championships, has an overall record of 456-71 in the '90s.

Arizona's 8-run lead after the fifth inning invoked the mercy rule for the first time ever in a College World Series final. The rule states that if a team has an eight or more run lead after the fifth inning, the game is ended.

Arizona got to UCLA pitcher Christa Williams early, scoring 2 runs on four hits, including a 2-run double by UA pitcher Nancy Evans, in the first inning.

Arizona used three walks and an error to break the game open in the second inning, scoring 4 runs on only 2 hits.

After two solo homeruns by UCLA in the bottom of the second inning, Evans shut down the Bruins, allowing only two singles over the next three innings.

This year's team was powered by pitchers Evans and Carrie Dolan; outfielders Alison Johnson and Brandi Shriver; Catcher Leah Braatz-Cochrane, and First baseman Leah O'Brien.

Dolan, who was 24-3 this season with a 2.20 ERA, was removed from the team before the playoffs due to unspecified violations of team rules.

Evans went 36-2 last season, posting a 1.16 ERA in 248 innings pitched. She struck out 227, while only walking 40 batters. She pitched all five world series games this year, going 4-1 with a 1.58 ERA.

While Evans led the Wildcats from the mound, Johnson ensured the team was steady at the plate.

Johnson, an All-America in 1996, set a Pac-10 record for batting average in a season, hitting .534 over the course of 66 games. She set the NCAA single-season hits record with 132, and was named to the All-College World Series team for the third year in a row. She also led the team in stolen basses with 47, while only being caught three times.

Several other players contributed to Arizona's success, including left fielder Julie Reitan, third baseman Lety Pineda, who was an All-America in 1996 as a catcher, and shortstop Lisa Pitt.

Reitan, who was a freshman in 1995 when Arizona lost to UCLA in the championship game, said that beating UCLA in the final made the victory even sweeter. "We learned from loosing, that you never want to watch that celebration" by another team, she said.

Reitan also pointed to Arizona's fans as an aid in helping the team post an undefeated record at home for the first time in team history.

"Having that kind of support makes it great," she said.

Arizona set a per-gate home attendance record this season, drawing 22,294 for 14 home dates.

Reitan also said she was happy to see all of the fans at the championship game in Oklahoma City.

A lot of Arizona's success can be attributed to the leadership abilities of coach Mike Candrea, said UA Athletic Director Jim Livengood.

"Mike has done such a great job," said Livengood, "He is everything you want to see in a coach. He's committed to all the right things."

Candrea, who was selected as the 1997 Pac-10 Coach of The Year, has led Arizona to a 623-137 record since he took the helm in 1986. Arizona's appearance in this year's World Series was its 10th consecutive appearance in the tournament.

The team's 66 wins in 1996, and 64 wins in 1995 are first and second in the NCAA record books.

Reitan and Livengood both said that Candrea's main strong point is his leadership ability. "He gets the team prepared," Reitan said.

Arizona graduated three All-Americans this year in Dolan, O'Brien and Shriver, but don't worry about next year, Reitan said.

With freshmen Chrissy Gil and Katie Swan, and sophomore Lisa Pitt joining returning stars Evans, Pineda, Johnson and Reitan, Arizona softball could again be celebrating after the final pitch of the 1998 series is thrown.