Opinion: Arizona Softball is no longer an Elite program

Following another weekend series loss over No. 2 UCLA (41-4, 19-2), has the Arizona Softball team (36-13, 12-10) no longer looking like an Elite program. 

Another weekend of softball action, another losing series to a top-ranked team as the Arizona Softball team fell to UCLA in three of four games this weekend.

Coming into the weekend, things looked promising too as Arizona had won two straight to close the series, splitting the four-game series with then No. 12 ranked Oregon.

Arizona Wildcats

Unfortunately, that hope all fell apart quickly as Arizona dropped their first game of the series on Thursday evening, losing 8-0 in five innings to the Bruins.

On late Friday afternoon, the Wildcats fell again, however, this time by a 6-2 final but luckily they wouldn’t be swept. Turning to Alyssa Denham in the second game of the doubleheader on Friday evening, the Cats would respond, winning in dominating fashion by a 5-1 final.

Returning to action on Saturday afternoon, the Wildcats would use Mariah Lopez to pitch, using her through four-and-two-thirds innings, surrendering two hits and zero runs.

Head coach Mike Candrea would then pull Lopez for Hanah Bowen and then eventually Denham, as the two combined for two innings pitched, surrendering two runs (one earned) on one hit.

Then things would completely fall apart for Arizona once freshman Devyn Netz came in. With Arizona down 2-1 in the top of the fifth, UCLA would explode for five more runs in the inning to take a demanding, 7-1 lead, eventually winning 7-2.

With the loss, Arizona falls to 36-13 on the season and is now 4-10 against the better teams in the conference.

The series loss also highlights Arizona Softball’s fall from Elite status.

Since their last Championship they won in 2007, Arizona has been to the College World just four times, including once in the last 10 years. The Wildcats’ best finish during that time was a runner-up finish in 2010.

Over the years, the sport has evolved and the disparity in talent is far less now than what it was 10-20 years ago. However, as the sport has evolved, the Wildcats are being left behind in the dust. Especially against teams in their conference.

I am not sure what Arizona’s answers are moving forward, or exactly how they get back to where they need, but the Wildcats need to desperately fix things, and this series against UCLA was a clear indication of that.