Softball fans consider the matchup the most heated rivalry in the sport.
When UCLA meets the Arizona schools this weekend, there will be a sense of urgency and a championship-game-like feel.
As much talk as there has been about the return of power hitting to the No. 2 UCLA softball team (32-8, 7-4 Pac-10), the Bruins will match up against two equally explosive lineups this weekend as they travel to Arizona midway through their seven-game road trip.
“It is a big weekend, and it will come down to who can execute the fundamentals of the game, knowing that both teams have the potential of walking out of there with a win,” coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “It will be a great pre-postseason test.”
The Bruins will open today at No. 7 Arizona (36-9, 8-2), then head over to Tempe to face No. 4 Arizona State (36-9, 6-4) on Saturday and Sunday. Yet amid the tense atmosphere and the pressure, the Bruins will try to control their emotions.
“We have to stay within ourselves because we know what it takes to win and how to win. If we can keep the same mentality on the road, we will be able to perform in any situation,” freshman Andrea Harrison said.
Just 45 games into their season, the Wildcats have already gone yard 105 times. Led by junior catcher Stacie Chambers, who is hitting .406 with 26 homers and 79 runs batted in, Arizona already has five players with double-digit home run totals.
Meanwhile, the Sun Devils are scorching, coming off a 10-1 beat-down of then-No. 2 Stanford.
The Sun Devils boast their All-American senior outfielder Kaitlin Cochran, who is hitting .458 with 18 home runs and 51 runs batted in.
“We know that she’s a phenomenal hitter, but we always go in with some type of game plan,” Inouye-Perez said.
The Bruins, who dropped four straight prior to their current six-game winning streak, have climbed near the top of the Pac-10. With just 10 conference games remaining, UCLA looks to contend for the Pac-10 Title and a national title.
“It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and we’re looking to be our best when we need to be at our best,” Inouye-Perez said.