“It was a wonderful day,” said UA coach Mike Candrea of his team’s last home game before Hillenbrand gets a face lift.
Justin Spears / Arizona Daily Star
The Arizona Wildcats softball team will play in its fifth consecutive Super Regional championship this week, but will have to play Pac-12 rival UCLA in a three-game series in Los Angeles.
Earlier this season, the Wildcats were swept by the Bruins at home and haven't played at UCLA since 2017.
Despite the familiarity with the opponent, it won't be stress-free for the Wildcats. UCLA has a 54-5 overall record and is 25-3 at Easton Stadium, which is a smaller venue than Rita Hillenbrand Stadium. And the Bruins are led by star sophomore pitcher Rachel Garcia who was last year's National Fast Pitch Coaches Association National Freshman of the Year.
Garcia has a 25-3 record this season and allowed eight runs in five games in the Regional.
The Arizona-UCLA rivalry dates back to when Mike Candrea first started his tenure at UA in 1986. Since then, both programs have combined for 17 national championships.
Candrea, Ashleigh Hughes, Jessie Harper, Dejah Mulipola, Ivy Davis, Alyssa Palomino and Taylor McQuillin all met with the media before the Wildcats take off for Westwood, here's what they had to say.
