TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona went 65-4, winning the final 26 games of the 2001 season on its way to the Wildcats' sixth NCAA title in 11 seasons. With a 1-0 shutout of UCLA in the championship, Jennie Finch put the finishing touches on the best perfect season in NCAA history. She went 32-0 with a 0.54 ERA in the circle while hitting .313 with 11 doubles and 11 homers at the plate.
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May 28, 2001: #1 Arizona 1, #2 UCLA 0
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| Arizona |
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| UCLA |
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WP: Jennie Finch (32-0) • LP: Amanda Freed (21-4)Â
HR: Lindsey Collins (11)
For the sixth time in 11 years, Arizona walked away with the NCAA Softball Championship. The Cats defeated the Bruins 1-0 in the title game. Â An amazing pitching performance by junior Jennie Finch and a fourth-inning home run by senior catcher Lindsey Collins paved the way for the Wildcats. Â Finch improved her season record to 32-0 and extended her pitching winning streak to 40 consecutive games. Â
The title came as no surprise. Arizona was ranked No. 1 or No. 2 for much of the year. The Wildcats came into the season with a 31-game winning streak and ended the year with a 26-game winning streak. For most of the season the Cats led the Pac-10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and runs scored. Arizona's fielding percentage (.981) led the nation and was the third best in NCAA history. The Cats also had 126 home runs to break the previous NCAA record of 100 set by the 1995 UA team. The record of 1.83 home runs per game also was an NCAA record.
Arizona's talented team earned a number of individual awards. Pitcher Jennie Finch received the Honda Award as National Player of the Year along with first-team All-America honors and Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year accolades. Senior third baseman Toni Mascarenas, freshman designated player Leneah Manuma and senior outfielders Lauren Bauer and Nicole Giordano also earned All-America nods.
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Coach
Mike Candrea earned Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors for the seventh time in his career.Â
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2001 ROSTER
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| # |
Name |
Year |
Position |
Hometown (Last School) |
| 0 |
Becky LemkeAC2 |
Sr. |
P |
Scottsdale, Ariz. (Horizon H.S.) |
| 2 |
Teresa Demeter |
Sr. |
P |
Glendale, Ariz. (Deer Valley H.S.) |
| 4 |
Nicole GiordanoAA3, AC2 |
Sr. |
OF |
Saugus, Calif. (Saugus H.S.) |
| 7 |
Erika Hanson |
Sr. |
OF/1B |
Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Thousand Oaks H.S.) |
| 8 |
Lisha Ribellia |
So. |
INF |
Moses Lake, Wash. (Moses Lake H.S.) |
| 9 |
Leneah ManumaAA1, AC2 |
Fr. |
1B |
San Diego, Calif. (Serra H.S.) |
| 15 |
Jenny Gladding |
Fr. |
P |
Palm City, Fla. (Martin Country H.S.) |
| 20 |
Candace Abrams |
Fr. |
INF |
Tucson, Ariz. (Flowing Wells H.S.) |
| 24 |
Lauren BauerAA1, AC1 |
Sr. |
INF |
Santa Ana, Calif. (Foothill H.S.) |
| 25 |
Allison Andrade |
Sr. |
INF |
Morgan Hill, Calif. (West Valley C.C.) |
| 27 |
Jennie FinchAA1, AC1 |
Jr. |
P/1B |
La Mirada, Calif. (La Mirada H.S.) |
| 31 |
Kim Balkan |
Fr. |
P/OF |
Chino Hills, Calif. (Pacifica H.S.) |
| 32 |
Toni MascarenasAA1, AC1 |
Sr. |
3B |
Garden Grove, Calif. (Pacifica H.S.) |
| 42 |
Lindsey Collins |
Sr. |
C |
Fountain Valley, Calif. (Fountain Valley H.S.) |
| 52 |
Mackenzie VandergeestAC2 |
Fr. |
C/INF |
Thousand Oaks, Calif. (LaReina H.S.) |
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| HC: |
Mike Candrea (16th season) |
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| AC: |
Stacy Iveson (7th season) |
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| AC: |
Nancy Evans (1st season) |
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