Mop-up duty worth wait

Ashley Ralston-Alvarez reported for mop-up duty.

"It was awesome," she said, "just because it's been my dream. I grew up (in Tucson)."

The No. 2-ranked Wildcats (7-1) begin the Cathedral City (Calif.) Classic today, but it will be hard for Ralston-Alvarez to match Sunday's thrill.

The Catalina Foothills High School and Pima College alumna had waited more than a year for it.

Ostensibly a batting practice pitcher last year, Ralston-Alvarez also helped with bullpen chores, like watching the regular pitchers' mechanics to make sure they stayed true. She never got the chance to pitch.

That is, until Sunday, in front of 2,420 fans. And against a top-five team.

"I was nervous," the senior said. "But it was more about coming in and getting that last out in the third inning than being nervous.

"Getting that first out was definitely getting over a barrier. To get out there and do it, and do it well, was a bonus."

She threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits, two walks and striking out three, before Fowler was called in to pitch the seventh inning.

Coach Mike Candrea said she "has worked very hard to get to this point to give us some quality innings," but she is clearly the team's third pitcher this year.

Ralston-Alvarez enrolled at Pima in 2006, and in 2008 was named a third-team all-conference player. She was recruited by small Division I colleges, but nothing worked out, so she decided to walk on at the UA.

"I was going to go for my dream," she said. "If this didn't work out, I was giving it up."

She's glad she didn't.

"I'd come out here when I was 10 years old," she said. "I thought this was absolutely phenomenal."

Up next

Arizona at the Cathedral City (Calif.) Classic

Schedule

• Today: vs. BYU, 4 p.m., vs. No. 19 Fresno State, 6:30 p.m.

• Saturday: vs. Cal Poly, 11 a.m., vs. Hawaii, 2 p.m.

• Sunday: vs. Baylor, 10 a.m.