The 1997 Arizona Wildcats softball team represented the University of Arizona in the 1997 NCAA Division I softball season. The Wildcats were coached by Mike Candrea, who led his twelfth season. The Wildcats finished with a record of 61–5. They played their home games at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium and competed in the Pacific-10 Conference, where they finished first with a 26–1 record.

The Wildcats were invited to the 1997 NCAA Division I softball tournament, where they swept the West Regional and then completed a run through the Women's College World Series to claim their fifth NCAA Women's College World Series Championship.

Roster 1997 Arizona Wildcats roster Pitchers 3 – Carrie Dolan – senior 13 – Nancy Evans – junior

Catchers 7 – Lety Pineda – junior 12 – Lindsay Mullins – freshman 31 – Leah Braatz – juniorInfielders 5 – Katie Swan – freshman 6 – Alison Johnsen – junior 11 – Lisa Pitt – sophomore 18 – Tiana Hejduk – junior 20 – Leah O'Brien – senior 21 – Michelle Churnock – sophomore Outfielders 10 – Julie Reitan – junior 22 – Andrea Doty – senior 26 – Brandi Shriver – senior 99 – Chrissy Gil – freshman

Schedule Legend Arizona win Arizona loss * Non-Conference game

1997 Arizona Wildcats softball game logRegular seasonFebruary Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record Pac-10 record Feb 7 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 10–2 1–0 Feb 7 Northwestern State* No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ 18–25 W 2–0 Feb 8 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–2 3–0 Feb 8 UIC* No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–1 4–0 Feb 9 No. 4 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 7–3 5–0 Feb 14 vs * No. 1 Tempe, AZ W 6–2 6–0 Feb 14 vs No. 19 * No. 1 Tempe, AZ W 15– 5 7–0 Feb 15 vs No. 13 * No. 1 Tempe, AZ W 5–2 8–0 Feb 15 vs * No. 1 Tempe, AZ W 10–05 9–0 Feb 16 vs * No. 1 Tempe, AZ W 8–05 10–0 Feb 22 vs * No. 1 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 9–05 11–0 Feb 22 at No. 7 * No. 1 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 4–1 12–0 Feb 22 vs * No. 1 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 6–2 13–0 Feb 23 vs Alabama* No. 1 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 13–0 14–0 Feb 23 vs Baylor* No. 1 Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA W 10–05 15–0 March Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record Pac-10 record Mar 1 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 4–0 16–0 Mar 1 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–0 17–0 Mar 1 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–4 18–0 Mar 2 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–1 19–0 Mar 2 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 9–0 20–0 Mar 2 Florida* No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 10–0 21–0 Mar 8 No. 12 No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 4–3 22–0 1–0 Mar 8 No. 12 California No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 4–1 23–0 2–0 Mar 9 No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–2 24–0 3–0 Mar 9 Stanford No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 6–0 25–0 4–0 Mar 20 vs * No. 1 Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 15–6 26–0 Mar 20 vs No. 12 * No. 1 Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 12–05 27–0 Mar 21 vs No. 23 * No. 1 Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 6–5 28–0 Mar 21 vs UNLV* No. 1 Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA W 17–05 29–0 Mar 22 No. 24 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 1–05 30–0 Mar 22 * No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ L 0–3 30–1 Mar 29 at No. 3 UCLA No. 1 Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA W 4–1 31–1 5–0 Mar 29 at No. 3 UCLA No. 1 Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA L 1–5 31–2 5–1April Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record Pac-10 record Apr 4 No. 5 Washington No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 3–2 32–2 6–1 Apr 4 No. 5 Washington No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–2 33–2 7–1 Apr 6 at No. 2 * No. 1 Bulldog Diamond • Fresno, CA L 2–5 33–3 Apr 6 at No. 2 Fresno State* No. 1 Bulldog Diamond • Fresno, CA L 5–6 33–4 Apr 9 at No. 10 No. 2 Tempe, AZ W 5–1 34–4 8–1 Apr 9 at No. 10 Arizona State No. 2 Tempe, AZ W 10–1 35–4 9–1 Apr 12 at No. 2 Howe Field • Eugene, OR W 5–0 36–4 10–1 Apr 12 at Oregon No. 2 Howe Field • Eugene, OR W 12–1 37–4 11–1 Apr 13 at Oregon State No. 2 Corvallis, OR W 6–26 38–4 12–1 Apr 18 No. 4 UCLA No. 2 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–0 39–4 13–1 Apr 18 No. 4 UCLA No. 2 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 10–6 40–4 14–1 Apr 19 No. 23 Cal State Northridge* No. 2 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 4–3 41–4 Apr 19 No. 23 Cal State Northridge* No. 2 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 16–65 42–4 Apr 23 No. 12 Arizona State No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 8–4 43–4 15–1 Apr 23 No. 12 Arizona State No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–2 44–4 16–1 Apr 26 at No. 24 California No. 1 Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA W 10–4 45–4 17–1 Apr 26 at No. 24 California No. 1 Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA W 11–0 46–4 18–1 Apr 27 at Stanford No. 1 Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, CA W 5–1 47–4 19–1 Apr 27 at Stanford No. 1 Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, CA W 3–0 48–4 20–1May Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record Pac-10 record May 2 Oregon No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 5–3 49–4 21–1 May 2 Oregon No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 9–1 50–4 22–1 May 3 Oregon State No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–15 51–4 23–1 May 3 Oregon State No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–15 52–4 24–1 May 10 at No. 6 Washington No. 1 Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA W 9–1 53–4 25–1 May 10 at No. 6 Washington No. 1 Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA W 4–3 54–4 26–1Postseason Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Overall record NCAAT record May 16 No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 11–2 55–4 1–0 May 17 Nebraska No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 2–0 56–4 2–0 May 18 Nebraska No. 1 Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ W 5–1 57–4 3–0 Date Opponent Rank (Seed) Site/stadium Score Overall record WCWS Record May 22 (8) No. 1 (1) ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK W 2–18 58–4 1–0 May 23 (5) UCLA No. 1 (1) ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK W 2–014 59–4 2–0 May 25 (4) Fresno State No. 1 (1) ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK L 0–3 59–5 2–1 May 25 (4) Fresno State No. 1 (1) ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK W 6–2 60–5 3–1 May 26 (5) UCLA No. 1 (1) ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK W 10–25 61–5 4–1

Ranking movements

References