Mike Candrea said this weekend’s series at Oregon could define the Arizona Wildcats’ season.
His No. 7 Wildcats’ (33-8, 11-5) perplexing habit of destroying opponents at home while looking out of sorts on the road has turned the four-game series, which starts Friday at 4 p.m., into a pivot point.
The 12th-ranked Ducks (31-13, 9-9) have lost 11 of 15 after a 27-2 start, falling out of the top 10 for the first time all season.
Yet Arizona’s explosive offense, ranked third in the nation in slugging percentage and home runs per game, has sputtered away from Hillenbrand Stadium.
The Wildcats have averaged just 4.4 runs across their 17 road games, compiling a 9-8 record. Take away blowout wins over South Florida, Florida A&M and Arizona State in nonconference play, and that average sinks to 2.5 runs per game.
“It’s a comfort thing,” Candrea said. “Hopefully, we can find a way to be comfortable feeling uncomfortable. That’s kind of the challenge we’ve had on the road.”
Leadoff hitter Janelle Meoño will be responsible for setting the tone.
The redshirt freshman has recorded a hit in 27 straight games since missing the March 10 win over Florida A&M. The streak is three games shy of the longest in program history, set by Amy Chellevold in 1994. The all-time record is 43 games, set by Coastal Carolina’s Sara Graziano in 1994.
Meono does her damage with speed and precision.
“That girl can’t get out,” UA slugger Jessie Harper said. “She’s such a smart hitter. Even though I have a completely different goal at the plate, it’s fun to bounce thoughts back and forth. She has a bright future.”
It’s rare for a slap hitter like Meono to make contact so frequently.
Arizona legend Caitlin Lowe, now a Wildcats assistant coach, struck out 86 times as a college player, recording more than 20 in each of her four years. Meoño has just eight strikeouts this spring, a dramatic improvement from 2020, when she had six in 19 games.
“She’s got a great approach, great demeanor in the batter’s box, and great hand-eye coordination,” Candrea said. “She can do just about anything she wants with the bat, and she works hard at it, too.
“I see a little bit of Caitlin’s style being brought into Janelle. The rhythm she creates, you have to be able to control yourself so you can make adjustments to speed, location, movement and deception.”
Not only does Meono make contact, but she understands where to specifically place the ball in any situation.
In her last game, Meono ripped an RBI double to the left-field wall with runners on the corners. Had she chopped a grounder to shortstop or bunted, two of her common methods for getting a hit, the run would not have scored.
“She’s really one of a kind, and it’s great to have a girl like that,” No. 2 hitter Reyna Carranco said. “We really trust her up there in the one spot.”
