THE GAMES (Times MST)
1 |  20,  1 (5 inn.) | Box Score | Recap
2 |  12,  0 (5 inn.) | Box Score | Recap
3 |  9,   1 (5 inn.) | Box Score

Parking note: Due to the Spring Fling, there will be a $5 fee to park in Cherry Garage, Second Street Garage and surface lots surrounding the mall and Hillenbrand Stadium. On Saturday and Sunday, free parking will be available at the following garages: Highland Avenue, Park Avenue Main Gate, Tyndall Avenue and 6th Street Garages. Lots north of Speedway and south of Sixth will be free all weekend.
 

---

THIS WEEK: Fourth-ranked Arizona (37-1, 9-0 Pac-12) returns home riding a 22-game winning streak to host Stanford (16-16, 0-6 Pac-12) in a three-game series at Hillenbrand Stadium. The two teams on opposite sides of the conference standings meet Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (3 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m.) at Hillenbrand Stadium. Games 2 and 3 will be on the Pac-12 Networks. The Wildcats have won 10 straight games vs. the Cardinal, outscoring Stanford 101-32 in those 10 games.
 
CATS AT A GLANCE

• Arizona is off to its best 38-game start (37-1) since 2004 and ranked No. 4 in the country, its highest regular season ranking since week 4 of 2011. The Cats have won 22 straight games, their longest winning streak since 2004 (34).
• The Wildcats are first in the NCAA RPI, a metric relied on heavily for seeding the NCAA Tournament. The Pac-12 makes up three of the first four spots and four of the top eight spots in the RPI.
• Through 38 games this season, the Wildcats are outscoring their opponents 298-37. Their offense has hit more home runs (NCAA-most 56) than their opponents have total runs (37). UA has over 100 more hits (343) than its opponent has total bases (194).
• Head coach Mike Candrea became the first coach in NCAA softball history to reach 1,500 Division I victories on Sunday vs. Washington. Candrea, who is 1,505-380-2 (.797), trails only Michigan's Carol Hutchins (1,510 wins) in NCAA history. Candrea's 1,500 victories have occurred over 30 years of coaching while Hutchins is in her 35th year (including a season in a lower NCAA division).
• Candrea is the fastest coach in NCAA history, in any sport, in any division, to record 1,500 career wins.
• UA leads the Pac-12 in slugging percentage (.576), runs scored (298), hits (343), RBI (264), doubles (56), home runs (56), walks (169), ERA (0.84), opposing batting average (.163) and strikeouts (273).
• Arizona has not allowed more than four runs in a game this season. The Wildcats are second in the nation with a 0.84 team ERA. Meanwhile, the UA offense is scoring 7.84 runs per game, second best nationally.
• Through seven weeks, Arizona has earned 11 of the 24 Pac-12 weekly awards (Player, Pitcher and Freshman), by seven different players. Arizona has had three Pac-12 Players of the Week (Katiyana Mauga – 1, Mo Mercado – 3, Jessie Harper – 6, Katiyana Mauga – 8), three Pac-12 Pitchers of the Week (Danielle O'Toole – 3, Michelle Floyd – 5, Danielle O'Toole – 7) and three Pac-12 Freshmen of the Week (Dejah Mulipola – 2, Jessie Harper – 5, Jessie Harper – 6, Alyssa Palomino – 8).
• Arizona has the top two pitchers (by ERA) in the Pac-12. Taylor McQuillin leads the way with a 0.70 ERA and Danielle O'Toole is right behind her at 0.74. Arizona has not had two pitchers finish the season with ERAs south of 1.00 since 2001.
• Arizona has scored 75 runs in the first inning this season. That's more than double its pitchers have allowed all season (37) in all innings combined.
• Arizona's freshmen have more combined home runs (31) than 257 Division I teams, including five Pac-12 teams. Arizona leads the nation as a team with 56 round-trippers.
• Two Wildcats (Mandie Perez - 46, Dejah Mulipola - 39) have scored more runs individually than UA's opponents combined (37). Alyssa Palomino has driven in more runs (42) as well.

 
ARIZONA vs. STANFORD: Arizona is 72-10-1 all-time vs. the Cardinal, including 10 straight wins and 18 of the last 20 meetings ... Arizona swept the series in Palo Alto in 2016, its third straight sweep over Stanford. (full recap on page 6).
 
SCOUTING THE CARDINAL: Stanford (16-16, 0-6 Pac-12) is coming off an 0-3 weekend vs. Utah ... The Cardinal are hitting .303 as a team and has outscored its opponents 170-154 on the year ... While the offense has put up runs all year, the pitching staff has struggled to a 4.40 ERA ... Teaghan Cowles (.387 avg, 6 2B, 22 RBI) and Bessie Noll (.367 avg, .549 OBP, 2 HR, 20 RBI) lead the offense.
 
WHO'S HOT?

• Danielle O'Toole: In her last 34.1 Pac-12 innings, O'Toole has allowed 13 total hits, posting a 0.41 ERA and an .136 batting average against over the four starts. O'Toole no-hit No. 6 Washington and did not allow an earned run in two complete-game victories over the Huskies. She was named conference and national pitcher of the week.
• Reyna Carranco: After having just eight hits in her first 56 at-bats of 2017 (.142), Carranco is 13-for-her-last-26 (.500), leading the team in batting average in Arizona's last 10 games. Her five-game hitting streak is second longest on the team.
• Katiyana Mauga: The senior is 6-for-her-last-11 (.546) with two home runs and seven RBI. Mauga was named Pac-12 Player of the Week after a pair of two-hit games vs. California.
• Alyssa Palomino: Palomino has four home runs in Arizona's last seven games and leads the team with four homers and 11 RBI in league play. Her 11 RBI are more than UA pitchers have surrendered in Pac-12 play (10).
• Taylor McQuillin: In eight starts since returning from arm soreness that kept her out a week, McQuillin is 8-0 with a 0.15 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 48.0 innings pitched. She has thrown 17 straight scoreless innings and allowed just eight hits over those four games.

 
THE KATI WATCH IS ON: Though Katiyana Mauga's focus remains on OKC, her chase for history is on. How many #MaugaBombs can she hit? A complete breakdown of where she stands in the UA, Pac-12 and NCAA record books can be found on page 13. Here are some notes:

• Mauga has hit 79 career home runs in 213 games played. That's eight shy of Arizona's record (87 - Stacie Chambers, 08-11), 11 shy of the Pac-12 record (90 - Stacey Nuveman, UCLA, 97-02) and 16 shy of the NCAA record (95 - Lauren Chamberlain, Oklahoma, 12-15).
• The senior is tied for seventh in the NCAA with 12 home runs this season.
• With 20 homers as a freshman, 26 as a sophomore and 21 as a junior, Mauga is the only player in NCAA history to hit 20 home runs in each of her first three years.
• Mauga's 79 career homers lead all active hitters in the NCAA by a wide margin. Only one other player has more than 55.

 
RAISE THE A: Arizona started a new tradition in 2016 -- raising the "A" flag in Candrea's Corner, the left field bleachers, after home victories. The flagpole may get a workout, considering Arizona's 682-86 (.887) record all-time at Hillenbrand Stadium. Arizona has won 20 straight games at Hillenbrand Stadium.
 
RED, WHITE AND BLUE TAKES ON A DIFFERENT MEANING: Arizona's long-standing tradition with USA Softball will continue this summer. Senior Danielle O'Toole was named the U.S. Women's National Team while freshmen Jessie Harper and Dejah Mulipola were named to the U.S. Junior Women's National Training Team following a selection camp in January. Arizona's ties to USA Softball run deep, most memorably as skipper Mike Candrea served as the head coach for Team USA's 2004 (gold medal) and 2008 (silver medal) teams. In 2016, a pair of Wildcats received the Association's highest honors as Kellie Fox (2014-15) was named USA Softball Athlete of the Year and redshirt freshman Alyssa Palomino was named USA Softball Junior Athlete of the Year.
 
CIRCLE IT: After a five-year span in the circle in which Arizona put up a combined ERA north of 3.50 from 2011-15, pitching has returned as Arizona's strength the last two years, coinciding with the arrival of Danielle O'Toole and Taylor McQuillin in 2016. After Arizona finished second in the Pac-12 in ERA last year (2.67), the pitching staff leads the Pac-12 with an 0.84 ERA 38 games into 2017.
 
TOOLE TIME: Danielle O'Toole is 19-1 with a 0.74 ERA. Just one Wildcat pitcher has had an ERA under 0.70 for a season in the last 23 years (Jennie Finch, 0.54 in 2001). O'Toole, who is third in the NCAA is victories and fifth in ERA, has been named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week twice and was national pitcher of the week after her first career no-hitter vs. No. 6 Washington (3/24) and posting a 0.00 ERA in two starts vs. the Huskies. O'Toole leads the Pac-12 in strikeouts (134).
 
SOMETHING TO HARP ON: Jessie Harper is tied for the Pac-12-lead with 12 home runs in her freshman campaign. In weeks 5 and 6, Harper was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in back-to-back weeks as well as Pac-12 Player of the Week in week 6. During that two-week 11-game roadtrip, Harper went 18-for-34 (.529) with five doubles, five homers and a 1.177 slugging percentage. For the season, Harper is hitting .359 and has a .761 slugging percentage, second in the Pac-12.
 
MO HITTER: Mo Mercado leads the Wildcats with a .398 batting average. At the Mary Nutter Classic in week 3, Mercado went 11-for-13 (.846) with three doubles, a homer, 11 RBI and six runs scored. She was named national and conference player of the week.
 
PERFECTION! In her first start of the season, Michelle Floyd threw the ninth perfect game in Arizona history, retiring all 15 Hartford batters she faced in an 18-0, five-inning Wildcat victory on March 11. She was named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week. Floyd has yet to allow an earned run in 12.0 innings this season.
 
SENIOR SALUTE: Arizona eight-player senior class is its largest since the eight seniors in 2001 went out on top, winning the program's sixth NCAA title. In 2017, UA will bid adieu to eight players who have been invaluable to the program. All eight have either been full or part time starters during their time. The octet includes four all-Pac-12 first or second teamers and has played a combined 2,080 games at Arizona, combined for 788 hits, 142 home runs, 568 RBI, 803.0 IP, 729 strikeouts and 88 pitching victories. Here are some notes on each senior's career contributions:

• Nancy Bowling: A 37-game starter in her career in the circle, plus 32 games at first base. Has not lost a pitching decision since her freshman year (16-0 from sophomore year on).
• Alexis Dotson: A 79-game starter since transferring from local Pima College after her sophomore year. Owns a career .314 average and has scored 47 runs.
• Michelle Floyd: Arizona's ace in 2015, a season in which she tallied the most innings pitched (183.2), wins (19) and strikeouts (135) while helping lead Arizona to a 41-win season and a super regional appearance. Threw the ninth perfect game in Arizona history in 2017.
• Katiyana Mauga: On pace to challenge the all-time school record in home runs. Has put up single-season home run totals that rank in UA's top-20 in each of her previous three years.
• Mo Mercado: Has started every game (218) of her Arizona career and has put up a .360 average in 655 career at-bats, the most among active Wildcats. Three-time all-region performer.
• Danielle O'Toole: Led the Pac-12 in wins in her first season at Arizona (26) while becoming Arizona's first, first-team all-Pac-12 pitcher since 2010.
• Mandie Perez: A 202-game starter who was named first-team all-conference as a redshirt junior in 2016. Owns a career .338 average and a stellar .433 on-base percentage.
• Eva Watson: Has battled injuries, but led Arizona in batting average in 2016 (.387). Has appeared in 161 games in her career, including 68 starts.

 
FAB FRESHMEN: In addition to Arizona's spectacular senior class, UA's freshmen have been instrumental to Arizona's success as well. The Cats start four freshmen in their usual lineup, Dejah Mulipola (C), Alyssa Palomino (CF), Jessie Harper (1B) and Reyna Carranco (2B). Palomino leads all freshmen in the NCAA in RBI (42), Harper leads all freshmen in the NCAA in home runs (12). Reyna Carranco is tied for the Pac-12 lead with 11 hits in Pac-12 play and Dejah Mulipola is top-10 in the Pac-12 in runs scored, slugging percentage and RBI.
 
OVER THE HILL: Arizona has appeared in every NCAA Tournament since 1988, Mike Candrea's second year on campus. That's 30 consecutive years in the tournament for Arizona. Not only is that the longest active streak, but it is seven years longer than the second longest streak. If Arizona makes the NCAA Tournament in 2017, it will be the longest streak in NCAA softball history, breaking Fresno State's inactive 30-year streak.
 
BEATING THE BEST: Since 1994, Arizona is above .500 against ranked teams, top-10 teams and top-five competition. UA is 549-244-1 (.700) against ranked competition, 260-162 (.624) against top-10 teams and 128-111 (.549) against top-five teams.
 
HIGH EXPECTATIONS: Arizona was ranked No. 10 in the Preseason NFCA Top 25, its highest preseason ranking since 2012, and picked to finish second in the Pac-12 by the coaches prior to the season, its highest since 2011. Why?

• Arizona returned eight starters, four pitchers and 16 total letterwinners from a 40-win team in 2016. In all, the Cats return 90% of their hits (420-of-465), 91% of their home runs (61-of-67) and 90% of their RBI (268-of-298). Additionally, all four pitchers return from a staff that was second in the Pac-12 in ERA.
• The Wildcats' senior class of eight is its largest in 16 years, when the eight seniors in 2001 went out by winning national championship.
• Those seniors will play a key role in mentoring Arizona's seven-player freshman class. The six true freshmen -- Dejah Mulipola (No. 5 recruit, FloSoftball), Reyna Carranco (No. 16), Jessie Harper (No. 43), Malia Martinez (No. 57), Carli Campbell and Jaycee Lindley -- were rated as the No. 3 recruiting class in the country. Add in redshirt freshman Alyssa Palomino, the 2016 USA Softball Junior Athlete of the Year who missed last season with a torn ACL, and the Wildcats have plenty of fresh talent to go with their experienced core.

 
FOLLOW THE TEAM: Be sure to follow the Wildcats on their various social media platforms. To stay up-to-date on all the latest happenings with the team, follow Arizona softball on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@UA_Softball).
 
UP NEXT: Arizona heads to Salt Lake City for a three-game series with No. 15 Utah April 13-15. The series will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.