1997 Arizona Wildcats softball team

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.

1997 Arizona Wildcats softball
National Champion NCAA Tucson Regional champion Pac-10 champion
Conference	Pacific-10 Conference
1997 record	61–5 (26–1 Pac-10)
Head coach	Mike Candrea (12th season)
Home stadium	Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium

1997 Pacific-10 Conference softball standings
	Conf									Overall
Team	W		L		T		PCT			W		L		T		PCT
Arizona  ‍†‍‍^y	26	–	1	–	0		.963			61	–	5	–	0		.924
UCLA  ‍‍‍^y	21	–	7	–	0		.750			49	–	14	–	0		.778
Washington  ‍‍‍^y	16	–	11	–	0		.593			50	–	19	–	0		.725
California  ‍‍‍^y	13	–	14	–	0		.481			36	–	26	–	0		.581
Stanford  ‍‍‍	10	–	18	–	0		.357			31	–	27	–	0		.534
Arizona State  ‍‍‍^y	9	–	19	–	0		.321			32	–	25	–	0		.561
Oregon  ‍‍‍	9	–	19	–	0		.321			24	–	35	–	0		.407
Oregon State  ‍‍‍	6	–	21	–	0		.222			29	–	34	–	1		.461
† – Conference champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of May 31, 1997[1]; Rankings from Coaches' Poll

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 Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Pac-10 Record Feb 7 Northwestern State* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 10–2 1–0 Feb 7 Northwestern State* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ 18–2^5 W 2–0 Feb 8 UIC* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–2 3–0 Feb 8 UIC* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–1 4–0 Feb 9 No. 4 Washington* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 7–3 5–0 Feb 14 vs Texas* Tempe, AZ W 6–2 6–0 Feb 14 vs No. 19 Nebraska* Tempe, AZ W 15– ^5 7–0 Feb 15 vs No. 13 UNLV* Tempe, AZ W 5–2 8–0 Feb 15 vs UC Santa Barbara* Tempe, AZ W 10–0^5 9–0 Feb 16 vs Utah State* Tempe, AZ W 8–0^5 10–0 Feb 22 vs Alabama* Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 9–0^5 11–0 Feb 22 at No. 7 Southwestern Louisiana Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 4–1 12–0 Feb 22 vs Baylor* Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 6–2 13–0 Feb 23 vs Alabama* Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 13–0 14–0 Feb 23 vs Baylor* Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 10–0^5 15–0
March Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Pac-10 Record Mar 1 Kent State* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 4–0 16–0 Mar 1 DePaul* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–0 17–0 Mar 1 LSU* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–4 18–0 Mar 2 Kansas* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–1 19–0 Mar 2 Colorado State* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 9–0 20–0 Mar 2 Florida* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 10–0 21–0 Mar 8 No. 12 California Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 4–3 22–0 1–0 Mar 8 No. 12 California Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 4–1 23–0 2–0 Mar 9 Stanford Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–2 24–0 3–0 Mar 9 Stanford Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 6–0 25–0 4–0 Mar 20 vs Ohio State* Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 15–6 26–0 Mar 20 vs No. 12 Oklahoma State* Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 12–0^5 27–0 Mar 21 vs No. 23 Hawaii* Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 6–5 28–0 Mar 21 vs UNLV* Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 17–0^5 29–0 Mar 22 No. 24 Cal State Northridge* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 1–0^5 30–0 Mar 22 Oregon State* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ L 0–3 30–1 Mar 29 at No. 3 UCLA Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA W 4–1 31–1 5–0 Mar 29 at No. 3 UCLA Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA L 1–5 31–2 5–1
April Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Pac-10 Record Apr 4 No. 5 Washington Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 3–2 32–2 6–1 Apr 4 No. 5 Washington Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–2 33–2 7–1 Apr 6 at No. 2 Fresno State* Bulldog Diamond • Fresno, CA L 2–5 33–3 Apr 6 at No. 2 Fresno State* Bulldog Diamond • Fresno, CA L 5–6 33–4 Apr 9 at No. 10 Arizona State Tempe, AZ W 5–1 34–4 8–1 Apr 9 at No. 10 Arizona State Tempe, AZ W 10–1 35–4 9–1 Apr 12 at Oregon Howe Field • Eugene, OR W 5–0 36–4 10–1 Apr 12 at Oregon Howe Field • Eugene, OR W 12–1 37–4 11–1 Apr 13 at Oregon State Corvallis, OR W 6–2^6 38–4 12–1 Apr 18 No. 4 UCLA Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–0 39–4 13–1 Apr 18 No. 4 UCLA Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 10–6 40–4 14–1 Apr 19 No. 23 Cal State Northridge* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 4–3 41–4 Apr 19 No. 23 Cal State Northridge* Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 16–6^5 42–4 Apr 23 No. 12 Arizona State Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–4 43–4 15–1 Apr 23 No. 12 Arizona State Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–2 44–4 16–1 Apr 26 at No. 24 California Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA W 10–4 45–4 17–1 Apr 26 at No. 24 California Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA W 11–0 46–4 18–1 Apr 27 at Stanford Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, CA W 5–1 47–4 19–1 Apr 27 at Stanford Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, CA W 3–0 48–4 20–1
May Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Pac-10 Record May 2 Oregon Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 5–3 49–4 21–1 May 2 Oregon Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 9–1 50–4 22–1 May 3 Oregon State Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–1^5 51–4 23–1 May 3 Oregon State Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–1^5 52–4 24–1 May 10 at No. 6 Washington Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA W 9–1 53–4 25–1 May 10 at No. 6 Washington Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA W 4–3 54–4 26–1
Post-Season
NCAA Tucson Regional Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record NCAAT Record May 16 Rider Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–2 55–4 1–0 May 17 Nebraska Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 2–0 56–4 2–0 May 18 Nebraska Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 5–1 57–4 3–0
NCAA Women's College World Series Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record WCWS Record May 22 (8) UMass ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK W 2–1^8 58–4 1–0 May 23 (5) UCLA ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK W 2–0^14 59–4 2–0 May 25 (4) Fresno State ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK L 0–3 59–5 2–1 May 25 (4) Fresno State ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK W 6–2 60–5 3–1 May 26 (5) UCLA ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK W 10–2^5 61–5 4–1

References

1. 2018 Softball Media Guide. Pac-12 Conference. p. 52. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
2. 2019 Softball Media Guide (PDF). Arizona Wildcats. Retrieved February 2, 2020.