UCLA looks to overpower Wildcats

MICHAEL MANTEL/Daily Bruin Junior shortstop Natasha
Watley can’t wait to play against No. 2 Arizona today at
Easton Stadium. It’s a chance for revenge.

By Vytas Mazeika
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
[email protected]

Pick your reason why you need to watch softball this
weekend:

“¢bull; Friday’s game pits the No. 1 vs. No. 2 team in the
country.

“¢bull; Arch-rival Arizona comes to Easton Stadium.

“¢bull; The three games could decide the Pac-10 champ.

“¢bull; UCLA sports the new NCAA career home run
record-holder.

“¢bull; Saturday will be both senior and alumni day.

The last regular-season weekend of the season is always special,
but the fact that No. 2 Arizona comes to Westwood adds a certain
something to the atmosphere.

Top-ranked UCLA (47-6, 15-3 Pac-10) lost to Arizona in last
season’s Women’s College World Series title game and
could very well meet Arizona again in Oklahoma City this year. The
two split a pair of games in Tucson, Ariz. this season.

“Any time we play Arizona is like the Pac-10 championship
game,” UCLA junior shortstop Natasha Watley said. “And,
of course, against Arizona we’re going to step it up just
because the fact they’re Arizona.”

Arizona head coach Mike Candrea agreed.

“This is a week that I don’t need to say anything to
our kids,” he said. “It’s a rivalry that has
become very intense, but friendly. There’s a lot of respect
between the two programs.”

Arizona (48-7, 15-3 Pac-10) lost eight seniors and is not quite
the same team they were last season, but as long as senior ace
Jennie Finch (29-2, 0.78 ERA) is in the circle, the Wildcats will
be in contention.

“We have played well at times, but we’ve shown a
little bit of inconsistency because of the youngness of our
team,” Candrea said.

If UCLA wins Friday, then a sweep of the doubleheader Saturday
against No. 4 Arizona State (40-15, 10-8) would give the Bruins the
conference title and likely the top seed in the NCAA Regionals.
UCLA head coach Sue Enquist, though, is not sure if the top seed is
all that meaningful this year. Because of Sept. 11 the NCAA wants
to avoid forcing any teams to use an airplane for travel if at all
possible.

“We’re going into a territory that is unfamiliar to
me and if I could get in the minds of the committee it would be
helpful,” Enquist said. “But I don’t know if the
No. 1 seed is more important or where you’re geographically
located. I honestly don’t know.”

With a chance to clinch the Pac-10 title and an unpredictable
seeding scenario, UCLA chooses to concentrate on the tangible. So
the Bruins have been loose and focused in practice this week,
according to Enquist.

Plus it doesn’t hurt to know Arizona will be in the other
dugout.