THE GAMES (Times MST)
15 | Friday, March 2 (3:30 p.m.) |  2,  0 | Recap | Box Score
16 | Saturday, March 3 (10 a.m.) |  3,  1  | Recap | Box Score
17 | Sunday, March 4 (10 a.m.) |  at  | Longhorn Network | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
 

---

• Arizona has won 12 straight games, including an impressive 5-0 weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic last week, UA's first undefeated trip to the ultra-competitive event in Palm Springs since 2010. UA's perfect weekend included a 2-0 shutout of two-time defending champion Oklahoma to close out the weekend.
• In her last six starts, Taylor McQuillin has thrown five shutouts, one of which was a no-hitter and four consecutive one-hit shutouts, punctuated by a one-hit shutout of No. 4 Oklahoma, its first shutout loss in over a year. The lone start that McQuillin didn't throw a shutout in that time, she allowed one run on two hits.
• With Arizona's 13-1 start to 2018 and Michigan's 8-6 start, Arizona head coach Mike Candrea ( has cut Michigan's Carol Hutchins' lead to one win as the all-time winningest coach in NCAA softball history. A full breakdown of their chase can be found on page 3.
• McQuillin was named ESPNW Player of the Week and Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week for her domination last week in Palm Springs. Over the span of three days in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, McQuillin appeared in all five games, going 4-0 with a save. She allowed one total run (0.29 ERA) and five total hits (.064 b/avg) in 24 innings. She led the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in wins (4), shutouts (3), opponent batting average (.064) and innings pitched (24).
• UA's offense is third in the NCAA in home runs (24) and slugging percentage (.623) and sixth nationally in batting average (.361).
• The Wildcats are 16-for-16 stealing bases. That's the third most SBs without a CS in the country. UA's 16 steals in 14 games nearly equal their 61-game total from a year ago (19). Ashleigh Hughes (6) is fourth in the Pac-12 in stolen bases and Jenna Kean (4) is tied for ninth.
• This week is the return trip for Arizona in a home-and-home with Texas. UT came to Tucson for a three-game series in 2017, with Arizona winning all three closely contested games (3-0, 2-1, 4-2). The three victories kicked off a 26-game winning streak for UA last season. Overall, Arizona is 14-6 all-time vs. Texas.
• Despite returning six starters and 12 letterwinners from the 2017 Pac-12 Championship team, seven of the nine positions featured a new face to start the 2018 season. Only two players (catcher Dejah Mulipola and second baseman Reyna Carranco) are in the same position as last year; Jessie Harper (1B to SS), Alyssa Palomino (CF to 1B), Ashleigh Hughes (RF to CF) are all playing new positions. 
• The Wildcats improved to No. 9/8 in the polls after their 5-0 weekend.

SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS: Texas enters the weekend 6-8 in 2018 after a 2-3 weekend at the Texas Invitational in Austin, splitting with No. 20 Michigan, downing Virginia Tech and losing to Wichita State and No. 21 Ohio State ... Six of UT's 14 games have come against ranked competition, including a one-run loss to No. 1 Washington early last week ... Janae Jefferson is off to a hot start, hitting .390 with five doubles and eight RBI; she has a 7/0 BB/K ratio ... Though the pitchers have struggled to a 3.72 team ERA, Paige von Sprecken is 3-2 with a 1.76 ERA in 39.2 IP.

ARIZONA vs. TEXAS: Arizona has won six consecutive matchups with the Longhorns, including a three-game sweep of UT last season in Tucson. Overall, Arizona has won 14 of the 20 meetings between the two clubs. Each of the last 11 meetings (dating back to 2005) has been decided by three or fewer runs, with four extra-inning matchups. UA's current six-game winning streak in the series began in the 2006 Women's College World Series.

WHO'S HOT?
Taylor McQuillin: The ESPNW Player and Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week has found her groove. Over her last 44.1 innings pitched (nine appearances) she has posted a 0.32 ERA with 64 strikeouts and held opponents to an .058 batting average. Her last six starts (all complete-game victories) have resulted in: no-hitter vs. New Mexico, 1R & 2H allowed vs. Montana, one-hit shutout vs. Colorado State, one-hit shutout vs. North Carolina, one-hit shutout vs. CSUN and one-hit shutout vs. No. 4 Oklahoma.
Alyssa Palomino: After starting the season 3-for-14 (.214), Palomino is 12-for-21 (.571) with three homers and a 1.000 slugging percentage. She hit .600 in Palm Springs with two bombs and five RBI, including the eventual game-winning two-run single in the seventh inning vs. Missouri.
Jessie Harper: The sophomore continues to rake. She heads into Austin on a team-long six-game hitting streak. She leads the team with a .468 batting average and a 1.021 slugging percentage. She has 10 extra base hits, including seven home runs, which rank fourth in the country.
Carli Campbell: The redshirt freshman has a hit in 11 of her first 13 career games and is hitting .444 on the year, second on the squad. At the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, she had her first two career RBI and her first career three-hit game.
Reyna Carranco: The sophomore saw her career-long-tying 11-game hitting streak come to an end vs. Oklahoma. Both of Carranco's 11-game hitting streaks have come in the span of UA's last 24 games (dating back to last season). Carranco, who had five extra-base-hits in 141 at-bats last year, has six already this year in 29 at-bats this season.
Aleah Craighton: The owner of the biggest of hit of the season for the Wildcats, Craighton hit a two-run home run in the second inning vs. No. 4 Oklahoma, the first earned runs surrendered by the OU ace all season, the only runs that scored in a pitchers' duel between Parker and Taylor McQuillin. She has a hit in six of UA's last seven games, with six RBI in that span.

LAST WEEK

• Arizona went 5-0 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, its first undefeated trip to the event since 2010. UA defeated North Carolina (10-0, 5 innings), Missouri (9-4), St. John's (7-5), CSUN (8-0, 5) and No. 4 Oklahoma (2-0).
• Taylor McQuillin was named ESPNW Player of the Week and Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week for her domination on the weekend. She appeared in all five games, going 4-0 with a save. Her three starts all resulted in one-hit shutouts. 
• Day 1 featured an impressive sweep for Arizona. The Cats took care of the Tar Heels handily before falling into an early 3-0 hole to Missouri and needing a six-run seventh to erase a one-run deficit to Missouri.
• On day 2, UA was a hit away from run-ruling St. John's in the bottom of the fifth. When that hit didn't come, SJU stormed back with five runs in the sixth to make things interesting. UA closed out that win and then mercied CSUN 8-0.
• To close out the tournament, Taylor McQuillin threw a one-hit shutout vs. two-time defending champion Oklahoma, allowing only a bloop single and striking out seven, while Aleah Craighton hit a two-run homer in the second, the only runs in the game.
• UA's offense threw up crooked numbers in four of the five games. UA scored four or more runs in four different innings, including two six spots and one seven spot.
• The Wildcats, who relied heavily on the long ball during the opening two weeks of the season, scored 36 runs in the five games and only hit four homers.

THE CHASE FOR HISTORY: When the season began, Arizona head coach Mike Candrea trailed Michigan's Carol Hutchins by seven wins for the all-time lead in career NCAA victories. Over the first three weeks of the season, that margin has shrunk to two wins after UA's 13-1 start and Michigan's 8-6 beginning. Here are some notes on the battle between the two Hall of Fame head coaches.

• Last year Candrea became the first coach in NCAA softball history to reach 1,500 Division I victories earlier this season vs. Washington. Candrea, who is 1,533-389-2 (.798), trails only Michigan's Carol Hutchins (1,535 wins) in NCAA history. Candrea's victories have occurred over 30 years of coaching while Hutchins is in her 34th 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.

CIRCLE IT: Arizona has finished second in the Pac-12 in each of the last two years (2016 - 2.67, 2017 - 1.45). This season, UA will need to replace 2017 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and first-team All-American Danielle O'Toole, who led the conference in ERA (1.21) and finished second in strikeouts (210) and victories (30).

HARPER HOMERS: Power-hitting shortstop Jessie Harper matched her jersey number with 19 home runs in her rookie campaign and became Arizona's first true freshman to earn first-team NFCA All-America honors since Kenzie Fowler in 2010. The Stevenson Ranch, California native is off to a hot start in 2018, she recorded back-to-back two-homer games vs. Fresno State and New Mexico in week 1, the first time a Wildcat had accomplished that since 2013 (Lauren Young). Her seven home runs rank fourth nationally and she leads the team in batting average (.468), slugging percentage (1.021) and RBI (21). Harper is one of four Wildcats named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Top 50 "Watch List".

GEAUXING OUT WITH A BANG: Two-time NFCA All-American outfielder Aleah Craighton is set to finish her career in Tucson after a decorated three-year career at Louisiana Lafayette. Craighton hit .365 in her Ragin Cajun career with 48 homers, 154 RBI and a .794 slugging percentage. She was named a Hero Sports Preseason All-American and is on the USA Softball Player of the Year "Watch List".

DEJAH VU: Dejah Mulipola will look to duplicate her impressive rookie campaign in year 2 in Tucson. As a freshman, Mulipola, who was one of 25 finalists for NFCA DI Freshman of the Year, hit .335 with 12 doubles, 12 homers and three triples. Mulipola has caught 74 of UA's 86 games in her career. The sophomore, who will play for USA Softball this summer, was selected to the USA Softball Player of the Year "Watch List". She is hitting .372 with three doubles, three homers and 12 RBI this year.

TAYLOR'S TIME: After complementing ace Danielle O'Toole during McQuillin's freshman and sophomore seasons, it's now the junior's time to shine. McQuillin one of the most decorated high school pitchers in recent history was terrific in her complementary role. Last year, McQuillin was one of 34 finalists for USA Softball Pitcher of the Year; this year, she begins the season on the Top 50 "Watch List". McQuillin, the week 3 ESPNW Player and Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week, is tied for NCAA lead with nine wins. The strikeout specialist who finished 12th in the country last year, averaging 9.2 strikeouts per seven innings, is rapidly climbing the UA career strikeout charts.

MINOR SETBACKS, MAJOR COMEBACK: A torn right ACL on day 1 of fall practice cost Alyssa Palomino her true freshman season in 2016. In her return in 2017, she was among the conference leaders and national freshman leaders in home runs (16) and RBI (54) heading into the postseason. Two days prior to the Tucson Regional, Palomino tore her left ACL in practice. Now, the redshirt sophomore is ready to overcome both devastating injuries. Palomino, who made the switch from the outfield to first base, is second on the team with five home runs, hitting .429 on the season.

QUEEN REYNA: Reyna Carranco led the Wildcats with a .419 batting average in conference play last season as a freshman. Dating back to the beginning of Pac-12 play in 2017, Carranco is hitting .461 over her last 47 games (59-128). The sophomore already has seven extra-base hits (5 doubles and 2 home runs) in 14 games in 2018 after having five total (3 doubles, 1 triple and 1 home run) in 57 games last season.

HOME RUN U

• Arizona has hit 2,035 home runs since softball became a Division I sport in 1982, the most of any team in NCAA history. 
• Arizona has four of the top six home run hitters in NCAA history,  including Katiyana Mauga, who hit a Pac-12 record 92 from 2014-17, three shy of the NCAA record.
• The Wildcats led the country with 94 home runs last season, their third time in the last nine years pacing the NCAA. Overall, UA has led the country nine times since 1994.
• Arizona has hit 100-or-more home runs six times in program history. Only two other schools have hit the century mark more than twice (UTSA and Louisiana Lafayette).
• UA is third in the country this season with 24 long balls, led by Jessie Harper's seven.

BEATING THE BEST: Since 1994, Arizona is above .500 against ranked teams, top-10 teams and top-five competition. UA is 558-251-1 (.690) against ranked competition, 263-163 (.617) against top-10 teams and 129-111 (.536) against top-five teams.

R31GNING SUPREME: Arizona has appeared in every NCAA Tournament since 1988, Mike Candrea's second year on campus. That's an NCAA-Record 31 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. The 31 straight seasons breaks Fresno State's inactive 30-year streak.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: This fall, Arizona brought back Wildcat All-American, National Champion and 2007 Women's College World Series MVP Taryne Mowatt as an assistant coach, joining Caitlin Lowe on Mike Candrea's all-Arizona staff. Mowatt and Lowe were teammates on both the 2006 and 2007 NCAA Championship squad. Their combined four NCAA titles in addition to Coach Candrea's eight give Arizona's coaching staff a total of 12 as either a head coach or player, the most in NCAA softball. Add in Director of Recruiting-Operations Stacy Iveson, who helped lead UA to three NCAA titles as an assistant coach (96, 97, 01) before winning four NJCAA titles as a head coach at Pima and Yavapai College, you won't find a staff with championship pedigree quite like Arizona's. 

FOLLOW THE TEAM: Be sure to follow the Wildcats on their social media platforms. To stay up-to-date on all the latest happenings with the team, follow Arizona softball on Twitter and Instagram (@ArizonaSoftball).