The 1997 Arizona Wildcats softball team represented the University of Arizona in the 1997 NCAA Division I softball season . The Wildcats were coached by Mike Candrea , who led his twelfth season. The Wildcats finished with a record of 61–5. They played their home games at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium and competed in the Pacific-10 Conference , where they finished first with a 26–1 record.
The Wildcats were invited to the 1997 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament , where they swept the West Regional and then completed a run through the Women's College World Series to claim their fifth NCAA Women's College World Series Championship.[2]
Roster [ ]
1997 Arizona Wildcats roster[2]
Pitchers
3 - Carrie Dolan - Senior
13 - Nancy Evans - Junior
Catchers
7 - Lety Pineda - Junior
12 - Lindsay Mullins - Freshman
31 - Leah Braatz - Junior
Infielders
5 - Katie Swan - Freshman
6 - Alison Johnsen - Junior
11 - Lisa Pitt - Sophomore
18 - Tiana Hejduk - Junior
20 - Leah O'Brien - Senior
21 - Michelle Churnock - Sophomore
Outfielders
10 - Julie Reitan - Junior
22 - Andrea Doty - Senior
26 - Brandi Shriver - Senior
99 - Chrissy Gil - Freshman
Schedule [ ]
Legend
Arizona win
Arizona loss
*
Non-Conference game
1997 Arizona Wildcats Softball Game Log[2]
Regular Season
February
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/Stadium
Score
Overall Record
Pac-10 Record
Feb 7
Northwestern State *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 10–2
1–0
Feb 7
Northwestern State*
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
18–25
W 2–0
Feb 8
UIC *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 8–2
3–0
Feb 8
UIC*
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–1
4–0
Feb 9
No. 4 Washington *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 7–3
5–0
Feb 14
vs Texas *
No. 1
Tempe, AZ
W 6–2
6–0
Feb 14
vs No. 19 Nebraska *
No. 1
Tempe, AZ
W 15– 5
7–0
Feb 15
vs No. 13 UNLV *
No. 1
Tempe, AZ
W 5–2
8–0
Feb 15
vs UC Santa Barbara *
No. 1
Tempe, AZ
W 10–05
9–0
Feb 16
vs Utah State *
No. 1
Tempe, AZ
W 8–05
10–0
Feb 22
vs Alabama *
No. 1
Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA
W 9–05
11–0
Feb 22
at No. 7 Southwestern Louisiana *
No. 1
Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA
W 4–1
12–0
Feb 22
vs Baylor *
No. 1
Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA
W 6–2
13–0
Feb 23
vs Alabama*
No. 1
Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA
W 13–0
14–0
Feb 23
vs Baylor*
No. 1
Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA
W 10–05
15–0
March
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/Stadium
Score
Overall Record
Pac-10 Record
Mar 1
Kent State *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 4–0
16–0
Mar 1
DePaul *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 8–0
17–0
Mar 1
LSU *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 8–4
18–0
Mar 2
Kansas *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–1
19–0
Mar 2
Colorado State *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 9–0
20–0
Mar 2
Florida *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 10–0
21–0
Mar 8
No. 12 California
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 4–3
22–0
1–0
Mar 8
No. 12 California
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 4–1
23–0
2–0
Mar 9
Stanford
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 8–2
24–0
3–0
Mar 9
Stanford
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 6–0
25–0
4–0
Mar 20
vs Ohio State *
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA
W 15–6
26–0
Mar 20
vs No. 12 Oklahoma State *
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA
W 12–05
27–0
Mar 21
vs No. 23 Hawaii *
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA
W 6–5
28–0
Mar 21
vs UNLV*
No. 1
Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA
W 17–05
29–0
Mar 22
No. 24 Cal State Northridge *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 1–05
30–0
Mar 22
Oregon State *
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
L 0–3
30–1
Mar 29
at No. 3 UCLA
No. 1
Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA
W 4–1
31–1
5–0
Mar 29
at No. 3 UCLA
No. 1
Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA
L 1–5
31–2
5–1
April
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/Stadium
Score
Overall Record
Pac-10 Record
Apr 4
No. 5 Washington
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 3–2
32–2
6–1
Apr 4
No. 5 Washington
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 8–2
33–2
7–1
Apr 6
at No. 2 Fresno State *
No. 1
Bulldog Diamond • Fresno, CA
L 2–5
33–3
Apr 6
at No. 2 Fresno State*
No. 1
Bulldog Diamond • Fresno, CA
L 5–6
33–4
Apr 9
at No. 10 Arizona State
No. 2
Tempe, AZ
W 5–1
34–4
8–1
Apr 9
at No. 10 Arizona State
No. 2
Tempe, AZ
W 10–1
35–4
9–1
Apr 12
at Oregon
No. 2
Howe Field • Eugene, OR
W 5–0
36–4
10–1
Apr 12
at Oregon
No. 2
Howe Field • Eugene, OR
W 12–1
37–4
11–1
Apr 13
at Oregon State
No. 2
Corvallis, OR
W 6–26
38–4
12–1
Apr 18
No. 4 UCLA
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–0
39–4
13–1
Apr 18
No. 4 UCLA
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 10–6
40–4
14–1
Apr 19
No. 23 Cal State Northridge*
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 4–3
41–4
Apr 19
No. 23 Cal State Northridge*
No. 2
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 16–65
42–4
Apr 23
No. 12 Arizona State
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 8–4
43–4
15–1
Apr 23
No. 12 Arizona State
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–2
44–4
16–1
Apr 26
at No. 24 California
No. 1
Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA
W 10–4
45–4
17–1
Apr 26
at No. 24 California
No. 1
Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA
W 11–0
46–4
18–1
Apr 27
at Stanford
No. 1
Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, CA
W 5–1
47–4
19–1
Apr 27
at Stanford
No. 1
Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, CA
W 3–0
48–4
20–1
May
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/Stadium
Score
Overall Record
Pac-10 Record
May 2
Oregon
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 5–3
49–4
21–1
May 2
Oregon
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 9–1
50–4
22–1
May 3
Oregon State
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–15
51–4
23–1
May 3
Oregon State
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–15
52–4
24–1
May 10
at No. 6 Washington
No. 1
Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA
W 9–1
53–4
25–1
May 10
at No. 6 Washington
No. 1
Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA
W 4–3
54–4
26–1
Post-Season
NCAA Tucson Regional
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site/Stadium
Score
Overall Record
NCAAT Record
May 16
Rider
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 11–2
55–4
1–0
May 17
Nebraska
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 2–0
56–4
2–0
May 18
Nebraska
No. 1
Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ
W 5–1
57–4
3–0
NCAA Women's College World Series
Date
Opponent
Rank (Seed)
Site/Stadium
Score
Overall Record
WCWS Record
May 22
(8) UMass
No. 1 (1)
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK
W 2–18
58–4
1–0
May 23
(5) UCLA
No. 1 (1)
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK
W 2–014
59–4
2–0
May 25
(4) Fresno State
No. 1 (1)
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK
L 0–3
59–5
2–1
May 25
(4) Fresno State
No. 1 (1)
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK
W 6–2
60–5
3–1
May 26
(5) UCLA
No. 1 (1)
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK
W 10–25
61–5
4–1
Ranking movements [ ]
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
Poll
Pre
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Final
NFCA/USA Today
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
References [ ]
Venues People Seasons National Championships in bold ; College World Series appearances in italics