Owning OKC: Wildcats mercy-ruled UCLA for fifth title in seven years in '97

Editor’s note: For more than three decades, the UA has been one of college softball’s best teams, making 23 Women’s College World Series appearances and winning eight national championships. The Star is re-living each of the WCWS trips.

1997: Wildcats win fifth title of decade by bashing Bruins

How it went down: Seven years, seven trips to the finals. And this time the Wildcats collect a little revenge on their rivals, UCLA, in the title game, winning 10-2 in five innings.

UCLA had won the championship matchup two years ago, using a pitcher that wasn’t a full-time student. Tanya Harding enrolled in March and left school right after the championship game, never taking finals or earning a college credit.

In May 1997, the NCAA ruled that UCLA had to vacate the ’95 title and was barred from one postseason, among other sanctions. UCLA appealed and was allowed to play in ’97 while waiting for the NCAA’s response.

With the win, Arizona improved its record against UCLA to 7-4 in NCAA Tournament games. It marked the fourth time the teams had faced off in the final game.

Arizona’s run to the finals was not as smooth as it had been in the past. UA played a lot of innings. The Wildcats beat UMass 2-1 in eight innings, UCLA 2-0 in 14 innings, lost to Fresno State 3-0 and then beat the Bulldogs 6-3 in the second meeting.

Top-seeded Arizona (61-5) relied on a 1-2 punch from ace Nancy Evans and first baseman Leah O’Brien.

Evans eclipsed the UA’s season win mark set by Carrie Dolan set in 1996, going 36-2. In the title game, Evans gave up five hits, struck out three and walked one. In the series she went 4-1 with a 1.58 ERA. She gave up 28 hits,while striking out 35 and walking four.

In the title game, O’Brien went 2 for 2, driving in two runs and scoring twice. She batted .547 in the WCWS and ended the year on a 15-game hitting streak.

Against No. 5 UCLA, Arizona scored a pair of runs in the first inning, and tacked on four runs — two on walks and two more on an error — in the second inning. Four more came in the fifth.

Three Wildcats made the All-Tournament team: Evans, Alison Johnsen and O’Brien.

From the archives: The Star’s Anthony Gimino wrote that the Wildcats had confidence and woke up the morning of the title game ready to win it all in five innings. At the end of the game, they had something else — a fifth ring. He added:

As the last out was made, Robert Pineda, the father of third baseman, Lety Pineda, held high a sign he had brought from Tucson – 1997 NCAA Softball Champions – One for the Thumb.

Five rings in seven years.

“I think our program right now is looked upon by people around the country as one that has class, that has integrity and wins,” (UA coach Mike) Candrea said.

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“And doesn’t just win with pure talent, but with all the ingredients. That’s the thing I probably enjoy the most.”

Candrea will tell you each title is different; his players agree. This one comes with a bonus because of their rivalry with UCLA.

Earlier this month, the NCAA banned the Bruins from postseason because of scholarship violations that helped them win the 1995 title over Arizona. But UCLA appealed the decision and was allowed to play until the case can be heard this summer.

If the appeal is denied, the Bruins will sit out next year’s playoffs.

“This was sweet revenge, yes,” Johnsen said.

“A lot of us thought they didn’t belong here this year. But, they played a great tournament, and they proved they were a great team.”

He said it: “This title was by far the toughest. By far. By far. This was special because of the way we had to go about winning. I think it was a true test of our character, our heart, our conditioning, our togetherness.” — Candrea

After OKC: O’Brien’s career as a Wildcat ended with the title-game win. She was a three-time All-American who won three championships. She holds the WCWS record for highest average in a single series, batting .750 in 1994. In her first title in 1993, she hit the game-winner off UCLA’s Lisa Fernandez.

In her four WCSW appearances, O’Brien hit .563 (31 of 55), drove in 19 runs. She hit two home runs, four doubles and walked seven times. She struck out just once and her slugging percentage was .745.

She also hit safely in 17 of 18 games. She is a member of UA’s Hall of Fame.

O’Brien is a three-time Olympic gold medalist — 1996, 2000 and 2004 — and a two-time Pan-American Games Champion.

She went on to be an assistant coach for the Professional Fastpitch League’s Florida Pride in 2012 and a college softball analyst for ESPN and Westwood Radio.

The big number: 40. The number of innings Evans pitched in five days. She earned MVP honors. She was the only pitcher Candrea had at the WCWS week after Dolan was dismissed from the team for breaking team rules, right before the Series started.

“I just can’t believe her tenacity throughout the whole week,” Candrea said of Evans. “I mean, it takes a special person to take that much on her shoulders, and I knew she could do it. But you are always waiting to see, ‘God, is she getting tired?’

“When Fresno jumped on us (Sunday) I thought ‘Oh, boy, Nancy has hit the wall.’ Then what does she do? She bounces back and throws even better.”