ARIZONA SOFTBALL NOTEBOOK
OKLAHOMA CITY — An Arizona Wildcats fan stood in the stands at Stanford last weekend, holding a sign that read, "It's not the bats, it's the Cats."
The UA has spent a season hearing jealous opponents speculate about the UA's exclusive Nike bats, especially with the team shattering the NCAA home run record. The Wildcats have hit 134, eight more than the 2001 squad's record 126.
The Wildcats are sure they will hear more speculation at the Women's College World Series, where bats are a hot topic of gossip every season.
"A lot of people think that because we have these mysterious Nike bats that we're cheaters," first baseman Sam Banister said. "But honestly, we come out here, and we work every day.
"If anybody were to watch us take batting practice, they'd see Stacie (Chambers) and Jenae (Leles) hitting home runs over the building" beyond right field at the UA.
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Last year, the Wildcats became the first team on the planet to use the Nike Athena bat.
"We broke the home run record, we're putting up these huge home run records, so of course they're going to look at our bats," left fielder Brittany Lastrapes said, smirking. "It can't be them, right?"
The bat is a composite of titanium and carbon, and it is tested before each season to make sure balls don't travel too fast off them. Before the season, balls can't surpass 98 mph coming off the bat.
"The bats were tested last year after the College World Series, and they're legal," UA coach Mike Candrea said. "They're a good product."
Candrea said that "I'm sure next year you'll find a lot more people trying to swing it" but acknowledged there might be a psychological edge to the equipment.
"If you go out and buy a driver and you think it's going to give you 20 more yards, you're going to buy it," he said.
"That's why I've got a whole bag full of them at home. It doesn't work."
Old friends
Candrea didn't recruit Stacey Nelson, the Florida pitcher with a gaudy 39-3 record and an 0.41 ERA this season.
But pitcher Lindsey Sisk might have a good scouting report. She and the Los Alamitos, Calif., product played on the same club team for two years.
"She's a blast, but I definitely think I can get the job done against her," the UA sophomore pitcher said. "It'll be a tough game, but we're ready for it. I haven't seen her for three years. I know she's changed a lot."
The UA is familiarizing itself with the Gators senior, Leles said.
"She's, I guess, the real deal right now," the third baseman said. "We're going to have to do our research on her and watch film."
Candrea said his offense is confident, whomever the Wildcats face.
"Do we think that we're going to put eight runs on the board?" he said.
"Truthfully, we go into each game thinking that we can."
Inside pitch
• Lastrapes was asked about Arizona State drawing unseeded Missouri despite being seeded worse than the Wildcats, who have to play No. 1 Florida.
"Not to mention they played North Dakota State in the super regional," she said. "It just seems kind of unfair to me, but I think it will all work out in the end. I'm not worried about it."
• UA pitching coach Teresa Wilson was tickled to see Missouri, her alma mater, defeat UCLA in the super regional.
Wilson's college career ended in 1993 when the Tigers lost in the WCWS 1-0 to UCLA.
"I was happy for Missouri to get some revenge," she said.
