The character of a team is shown by how it ends road trips.
Second-ranked Arizona concludes its roughly 400-mile trek across the northern half of Florida with a three-game series against traditional powerhouse No. 15 Florida State starting Thursday. The coronavirus pandemic played its part in creating this unorthodox schedule — seven games in eight days through a “pretty open state” when coach Mike Candrea sought non-conference opportunities.
But COVID-19 has also added to the level of difficulty, requiring more isolation time between team members and frequent testing.
“You’re not always going to have it the way you want it,” Candrea said. “That’s what this whole season is all about. Every weekend is a test, and sometimes you have to deal with adversity to be able to be successful in passing the test.”
When the Wildcats (13-1) arrived in the Sunshine State, they picked up where they had left off, winning two games via run-rule over South Florida in Tampa. At that point, they were also undefeated, having only allowed two games to go a full seven innings. Arizona hit a speed bump on Monday, losing 2-0 to then-No. 22 UCF in Orlando.
“It was a long day for us with a COVID test at 10 o’clock in the morning, and nowhere to go because we were on the bus,” Candrea said. “So, we were a little bit flat.
“We’re not going to win every ballgame. One of the things you’ve got to be able to handle as an athlete is the days that you fail, and the key is to be able to rebound.”
It’s a quick turnaround for the Wildcats, who beat winless Florida A&M 8-0 in five innings in Tallahassee on Wednesday afternoon.
UA wants to avoid a sloppy series against the Seminoles (11-4), which already beat No. 6 Florida by five runs last week. First pitch is at 4 p.m. Tucson time each day, running Thursday through Saturday.
“You’ve got to play the best if you’re going to be the best,” Candrea said.
“It was really a good opportunity to put our kids in an uncomfortable situation and see how they react and learn from it.”
Squint, and the series might look like an NCAA Super Regional. FSU allowed more than 200 fans in its last game, and it has both talent and pedigree with three Women’s College World Series appearances in six years.
Also, the Wildcats are at a clear disadvantage. The hostile fans and humid weather pale in comparison to the angst of long bus rides and hotel hopping during a pandemic. But Candrea believes in his players’ resiliency to handle the challenge.
“I’ve said all along that I love the character of this ballclub, because I think we have great leadership with our senior class and quality kids that are not just great athletes but great people,” he said.
“It is a mark on your recruiting, because if you have a bad apple, it usually will rise to the top when you’re out on the road and under some stress or adversity. This group, they’re just a lot of fun to be around.”
UA routs Rattlers
Jessie Harper hit two homers —including a grand slam — and drove in a career-high six runs in the Wildcats’ 8-0 victory over host Florida A&M on Wednesday in Tallahassee.
Three UA pitchers combined to allow just two hits. Devyn Netz (2-0) earned the win in relief with two hitless innings.
The Rattlers fell to 0-12.
