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Another tournament, another title

Winning is never easy, but the UA softball team makes it seem that way.

The No. 3 Wildcats swept through their third-straight weekend tournament to capture the title at the Hillenbrand Invitational Softball Tournament.

Arizona defeated all five of its opponents in resounding fashion this weekend, out scoring them 46-1 and increasing its win streak to 24-games.

"It's nice (the win streak), we are just trying to play hard every time we walk on the field and when you do that and you have the capabilities and the right mind set, I think good teams should win," UA head coach Mike Candrea said. "I think we've probably played teams in that stretch where we've probably had more athletes and should win."

Arizona (25-1) received solid performances throughout it's lineup, especially the pitching duo of junior Becky Lemke and sophomore Jennie Finch.

"I thought our pitchers threw well and we played good defense," Candrea said.

Lemke won three games, striking out 28 while giving up only one earned run in 17 innings of work.

Lemke threw a two-hitter against Tulsa (8-15), which resulted in a 10-0 UA victory, and a one-hitter in the Wildcats' 10-0 win against St. Peter's (1-5).

Finch, the reigning Pacific 10 Conference Pitcher of the Week, was also dominate both in the circle and at the plate.

She hit two home runs and was perfect on the mound, going 2-0, including a two-hitter against Northwestern (6-10) in a 8-0 UA victory, and a one-hitter in the Wildcats 8-0 win against Northwestern State (13-9).

On the offensive end, junior outfielder Nicole Giordano continued her steady hitting from the lead-off spot, hitting .647 for the tournament and scoring six runs. Giordano capped her impressive tournament with a three-run blast over the right field fence in Arizona's final game against NWSU. The homer was Giordano's first of the season.

In addition to Giordano's home run, the Wildcats' bats provided plenty of power as junior catcher Lindsey Collins, senior outfielder Chrissy Gil, junior shortstop Allison Andrade, junior third baseman Toni Mascarenas and Finch all went deep at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.

Collins led the team with three homers and 13 RBI, including a three-run shot to deep center in the first inning of the NWSU game.

"I saw it, it felt good," Collins said of her three-run blast. "It was nice this weekend."

Andrade's lone home run ended the Wildcats' 10-1 victory against Indiana (2-8), as she hit a two-run blast down the left field line, ending the game in the bottom of the sixth inning due to the eight-run mercy rule.

"It is always nice to hit a home run, it kind of felt good to end it on a home run," Andrade said. "I felt good to hit it nice and hard too."

The tournament's most imposing offensive force was Mascarenas, though. Aside from her two home runs, Mascarenas also had a streak of four straight doubles and was second on the team with 10 RBI, eight of which came in games against St. Peter's and Tulane.

"I came out here with a different mind set this weekend than I have all year," said Mascarenas, who hit a robust .813 for the tournament. "I think I am ready to play now."