LOS ANGELES — The Wildcats traveled to the NCAA Super Regionals with something to prove following seven years’ worth of postseason struggles.
Instead, Arizona struggled through the same issues that dogged it throughout a 43-16 season. Third-ranked UCLA swept the Wildcats on national television, ending their season two wins short of their first Women’s College World Series appearance since 2010.
The Bruins dismantled Arizona in Game 1, routing the Wildcats 7-1. Then, after a strong first inning by Arizona, UCLA came back to eliminate the Wildcats in Game 2 by the score of 3-2.
Coach Mike Candrea said he’ll probably mourn the end of the season for 24 hours. But after that, he’ll celebrate the positives and move on to next year.
“We’re excited to get started for next year,” Candrea said. “I think this is a lesson that you learn from it. And you grow your database so you’re able to move up to the next level if you want.”
The Wildcats hurdled multiple obstacles just to make it to the postseason, let alone to the brink of the WCWS. But Candrea said that’s what made qualifying for the Super Regionals more enjoyable.
“I love the grit. I think that’s the reason why we’re here today,” Candrea said. “I think sometimes you take it for granted that you’re going to be in this situation every year, but there is a road you need to travel. And sometimes that road can be real smooth or can be really bumpy.”
This year, it was a bumpy road.
Arizona graduated eight seniors, including ace Danielle O’Toole and slugger Katiyana Mauga, at the end of the 2017 season. Alyssa Palomino opened the 2018 season recovering from her second ACL tear.
An early-season flu outbreak benched Ashleigh Hughes and Tamara Statman for a weekend and eventually made its way to Taylor McQuillin, forcing the junior out of the circle and dugout for the last day of the Wildcat Invitational at Hillenbrand Stadium.
The team recovered in time to start Pac-12 play, but endured a tough stretch against multiple top-10 programs. While at Oregon, second baseman Reyna Carranco was hit in the face with a pitch. The sophomore suffered a broken nose, facial fracture and concussion.
At the time, Candrea expressed that he wasn’t sure if Carranco would return this season — it would depend on her mental strength to get back in the game. And she did.
The injuries continued, though. Hughes broke her left hand sliding to second base against Arizona State in April, and was lost until the end of the regular season.
“This year, we had some adversity we had to fight through and I think they did a very good job,” Candrea said. “We had some people step in in their absence and do a nice job.”
Candrea said the grit they showed bodes well for the future. The Wildcats will lose just three seniors — Aleah Craighton, Robyn Porter and Hughes — and stand the benefit as their young players develop. This year’s roster included seven freshmen and six sophomores.
Candrea said he believes his team grew a lot throughout the season.
“We have a very good nucleus of some young kids that need the experience and go through the experience,” Candrea said of playing in the Super Regionals. “Hopefully, they’ll draw from this experience and it’ll make them better in the future.”
Now, the Wildcats just need someone to step up and lead.
That was what they needed this year: someone to provide some tough love and serve as the glue to keep the team together when things got rough on the field.
“I think there were sometimes this year that we needed tough love and we didn’t get it from inside the lines,” Candrea said. “Hopefully, I’ve got my thoughts on what we need to do, but I’m excited to bring back a lot of kids that are talented, that are a year older, and it’s just a matter of how willing you are to work each and every day, and remember this feeling. I think that’s what these feelings are. They’re memories that you can use to your advantage.”
