TUCSON, Ariz. -- After spending two of the first three weekends of the 2019 season on the road, the 12th-ranked Arizona softball team will return home for the first of three straight weekends at home, beginning this Thursday vs. Drake at 6 p.m. at Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium. The Wildcats will host the Wildcat Invitational this weekend beginning on Friday; UA welcomes Drake, No. 19 James Madison, Kent State and No. 23 Minnesota for the 13-game, three-day event at Hillenbrand Stadium. The Cats (9-5) are back in action this week after a 3-1 weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with wins over No. 20 Oklahoma State (3-0), Long Beach State (12-3) and UC Santa Barbara (9-1) and a loss to No. 4 Oklahoma (1-2).
THE GAME
Drake (10-4) at #12 Arizona (9-5)
Thursday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. MST
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LEADING OFF
- After spending two of the first three weeks on the road, No. 12 Arizona is set for three straight weekends at home beginning this weekend with the annual Wildcat Classic.
- The Wildcat Invitational features five quality teams, including three ranked teams (#12 Arizona, #19 James Madison, #23 Minnesota) and a fourth that is receiving votes (Drake) in the NFCA Top 25. All five teams already have at least one win over a ranked opponent this season.
- The Wildcats are 9-5 three weeks into the season and are coming off a 3-1 weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, California. UA defeated #20 Oklahoma State (3-0), Long Beach State (12-3) and UC Santa Barbara (9-1, 5 innings) and fell to No. 4 Oklahoma, 2-1. The Wildcats also defeated Team Japan, the world's No. 2 team behind Team USA, 1-0, in an exhibition game.
- This week, Arizona is set to play its sixth and seventh games against ranked opponents of the season. Seven ranked opponents through 20 games will be Arizona's most since 2004. Arizona is currently scheduled to play at least one ranked team in each of the first eight weeks of the 2019 season.
- Arizona has hit 22 home runs through the first 14 games of the season. That figure leads the Pac-12 and all Power 5 Conference teams. The Wildcats are fifth in the country in home runs per game (1.57).
- UA pitchers rank first in the Pac-12 in both fewest walks (18) and fewest hit batters (3) and have allowed the second fewest hits (58) in the league.
- Arizona's pitching staff has combined to strike out 108 batters, which is tied for 12th most nationally. The Wildcats rank seventh in the nation with their 108/18 strikeout/walk ratio and ninth with their 8.59 strikeouts per seven innings. Taylor McQuillin currently sits eighth in school history with 643 career strikeouts.
- Arizona head coach Mike Candrea is second in NCAA history with 1,572 career victories in 32 years. He trails only Michigan's Carol Hutchins, who has won 1,576 games over 36 seasons.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
- Drake (10-4) is receiving votes in this week's NFCA Top 25 after its 5-0 weekend at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetville, Arkansas, including a victory over host and 12th-ranked Arkansas (3-1) and wins over IUPUI (5-0), SEMO (6-2, 7-5) and SIUE (3-2).
- The Bulldogs are led by pitcher Nicole Newman, who earnd her 12th career Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week honor last week after posting a 1.29 ERA in Fayetteville, including a complete-game victory over the Razorbacks; she is 4-2 with an 0.86 ERA this season.
ARIZONA vs. DRAKE
- Arizona is 11-0 all-time vs. Drake.
- The two teams last met at the 2017 Wildcat Invitational, when the Wildcats swept a pair of games with the Bulldogs, 7-0 and 21-0 (5 innings).
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