Skip to main content

Update

Pac-12 Networks programming may be unavailable due to technical maintenance.

This week in Pac-12 softball

Apr 11, 2017

Download Complete Release (PDF)

• Arizona is the new number one as the Wildcats post a perfect 3-0 weekend to continue Pac-12 softball Conference play. Oregon tied NCAA history recording 35 consecutive victories before falling to UCLA Friday night and Utah recorded two wins against California.

• Arizona’s Katiyana Mauga earned her second consecutive player of the week nod after hitting four home runs in nine at-bats to help Arizona sweep Stanford. She leads the Conference in home runs (16) and moved into a tie for seventh in NCAA history in career home runs (83). UCLA’s Rachel Garcia was named both pitcher and freshman of the week after not allowing a run in her two victories against previous No. 1 Oregon, tossing a complete-game, five-hitter with three strikeouts in Friday's 2-0 win. She also added four hits in eight at-bats in the three-game series, scoring the game-winning run on Friday and posting a pair of doubles on Sunday.

• Seven teams continue to be ranked with Arizona taking the number one spot in the USA Softball/ESPN.com poll. Previous No. 1 Oregon slid to No. 4 in both polls. UCLA remains at No. 8/9, Washington is at No. 12/13, Utah is at No. 14/16, Arizona State is at No. 23/24 and California received votes in the USA Today/NFCA ranking and is at No. 23 in the USA Softball/ESPN.com poll. At least six teams have been ranked since the beginning of the season.

• A top-10 matchup of Arizona at Utah highlights the week. Washington visits Oregon, Arizona State heads north to Stanford, and UCLA is at Oregon State. California hosts non-conference opponents Santa Clara and Fresno State.

• Oregon swept a double header against Portland State Tuesday to tie the NCAA record for consecutive wins with 35. The UCLA Bruins in 1999 also opened the season 35-0. The Ducks then fell two games to UCLA on the weekend but avoided a sweep with a 11-4 victory Sunday.

• UCLA game the Ducks their first loss of the season in a 2-0 win over the previous No. 1 lead by player of the week Rachel Garcia’s five-hit, complete-game shutout.

• Arizona head coach and former Team USA skipper Mike Candrea will be inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame this October. On the international level, Candrea was the head coach of the Team USA’s 2004 Olympic Gold Medalists and 2008 Olympic Silver Medalists. Candrea has won eight national championships at Arizona and won more than 1,500 games, both the most in NCAA Division I softball history.

• Utah swept California including a 12-2 victory Saturday that included four home runs, matching a program mark in Pac-12 play as the Utes sent four out of the yard vs. Arizona State (5/6/12).

CHASING HISTORY: Arizona’s Katiyana Mauga is on the verge of breaking the NCAA career home run record. She currently leaves the Conference in home runs this season with 16. 

NCAA Softball Career Homeruns

1. Lauren Chamberlain, Oklahoma 2012-15 95

2. Stacey Nuveman, UCLA 1997, 99, 2001-02 90

3. Stacie Chambers, Arizona 2008-11 87

4. Leah Braatz, Arizona 1994-95, 97-98 85

5. Laura Espinoza, Arizona 1992-95 85

6. Shelby Pendley, Oklahoma 2012-15 84

t7. Danyele Gomez, Louisiana 2003-06 83

t7.  Katiyana Mauga, Arizona 83