Patrick Finley: To him, it's past ball

Yasmani Grandal wears baseball's scarlet letter. He knows some people will look at him different. He hopes his teammates won't.

Arizona Softball: Candrea promises better recruiting

It used to be that Mike Candrea could recruit the best high school juniors, sign them before their senior years and know exactly what he was getting.

Arizona softball: Candrea, Cats hang hats on recruiting to boost program back to heights

It used to be that Mike Candrea could recruit the best high school juniors, sign them before their senior years and know exactly what he was getting.

Arizona softball: Candrea on 2014: 'Buckle up'

Mike Candrea has never been in this position before: sitting in his office Tuesday, conducting year-end player interviews, while 16 teams across the country prepared for the NCAA tournament's super regional round.

Arizona Wildcats softball: a new — not super — feeling for Candrea

Mike Candrea has never been in this position before: sitting in his office Tuesday, conducting year-end player interviews, while 16 teams across the country prepared for the NCAA tournament’s super regional round.

Arizona softball: Lone senior Del Ponte carried heavy load

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The goal, as stated by coach Mike Candrea each year, goes something like this: Play on the last day of the softball season.

UA softball: Del Ponte carried heavy load

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The goal, as stated by coach Mike Candrea each year, goes something like this: Play on the last day of the softball season.

Arizona notebook: Cats go 'grrr' as freshman starts

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Whitney Canion shut out the Arizona Wildcats on Friday.

Arizona softball: 'Long day,' long season ends

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - In the end, the Arizona Wildcats were bounced from the NCAA tournament regional for the same reason they were sent to the Brazos Valley here as the third-highest team in their own pod: because they weren't good enough.

Arizona softball: Strange things in game against Penn

Near miss

NCAA softball: Wildcats eliminated from NCAA tournament by Baylor

Having barely avoiding an embarrassing loss earlier in the day, the Arizona Wildcats were eliminated tonight by Baylor, 8-4, in the NCAA softball regional.

NCAA softball tournament: Baylor 7, Arizona 0: Deep in a hole in Texas

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - After losing a regional game for the first time in nine years and putting the season on life support with a 7-0 loss to Baylor, Mike Candrea gathered the Arizona Wildcats on Friday and asked them a question:

Arizona softball: Seen & heard in College Station, Texas

Graduation

Arizona notebook: Penn calls it 'honor' to face Cats

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -Penn made its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance Friday, and was greeted by 14 Texas A&M hits in a 12-0, five-inning loss.

Wildcats lose NCAA softball regional to Baylor, 7-0

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — If the Arizona Wildcats are going to advance out of the NCAA softball regionals, they’re going to have to win four-straight games over two days.

Arizona softball: Once Cats lightened up, wins followed

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - There are easy explanations for how the Arizona Wildcats, one of the great programs in softball history, wound up as the third-best team in a regional in the middle of muggy Brazos County: the late transfer of an All-American, a lack of pitching, an injury to star Ke…

Friday's Arizona Wildcats softball game time changed

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — With two NBA series ending early, ESPN2 today pushed the Arizona Wildcats' Friday regional softball game against Baylor back two hours.

Arizona Softball: Cats' cry: 'Everyone's 0-0'

Mike Candrea and his staff lugged a hulking cardboard box into Wednesday's breakfast-time practice at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Arizona softball: Cats not dwelling on regular season showing, instead focused on Baylor's pitching, base stealing

Mike Candrea and his staff lugged a hulking cardboard box into Wednesday’s breakfast-time practice at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Arizona softball: Babcock: 'I'm going to pitch'

Around 9:30 Tuesday morning, Shelby Babcock reported to Arizona Wildcats practice, looking as she always had, in a gray T-shirt and red shorts, and declaring herself ready to pitch.

Arizona Wildcats softball: Babcock vows to to pitch Friday

Around 9:30 Tuesday morning, Shelby Babcock reported to Arizona Wildcats practice, looking as she always had, in a gray T-shirt and red shorts, and declaring herself ready to pitch.

Babcock back, vows to pitch in Friday's softball regionals

Shelby Babcock returned to the Arizona Wildcats this morning, practicing with the team and saying she expected to pitch in the NCAA tournament regionals Friday.

Arizona Softball: Cats unsure top pitcher will be fit for regional

Hours after being selected to their 27th consecutive NCAA tournament, the Arizona Wildcats spent Monday preparing to enter the postseason without their best pitcher.

Wildcats might be without ace pitcher for NCAA regionals

Just when the Arizona Wildcats thought their season was back on track came this curveball today: the team might be without No. 1 starter Shelby Babcock for the College Station, Texas, regional this week.

Arizona Softball: Cats hit road, can't look ahead to OU

In the end, the Arizona Wildcats' most dicey NCAA tournament selection ever yielded surprises - one good, one bad.

Patrick Finley: Old Toros uniforms make one last comeback

One day at the start of the Tucson Toros' 1980 season, the team's clubhouse manager ran into then-general manager Jack Donovan's office.

Wildcats start NCAA softball tournament in College Station, Texas

The Arizona Wildcats’ 27th-straight NCAA tournament appearance could end the same way as their past two — if they get that far.

Arizona softball: Wildcats looking at road for tournament

Their 27th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance all but guaranteed, the Arizona Wildcats nonetheless figure to find themselves in foreign territory when seeds are announced tonight at 7.

Arizona softball: This time around, Cats expect to travel for NCAA tourney

Their 27th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance all but guaranteed, the Arizona Wildcats nonetheless figure to find themselves in foreign territory when seeds are announced Sunday at 7 p.m.

Arizona Softball: A little slap, and Lavine's bat wakes up for Arizona

When Alex Lavine was a little girl, she had two gloves - one left-handed and one right-handed - that she chose from every day.

Arizona softball: Ambidextrous Lavine finds success from left side of plate

When Alex Lavine was a little girl, she had two gloves — one left-handed and one right-handed — that she chose from every day.

Patrick Finley: Arizona golfer Kendall Prince perseveres in fairway of life

Kendall Prince started to feel funny somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.

Arizona softball: Cats get votes again but don't regain Top 25

The Arizona Wildcats returned to the ESPN.com/ USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 - albeit in the small print - on Tuesday.

Arizona Wildcats softball: Cats receive votes, still outside Top 25

The Arizona Wildcats returned to the ESPN.com / USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 — albeit in the small print — on Tuesday.

Arizona Wildcats back to 'receiving votes' in softball poll

After winning two of three against No. 5 Arizona State last week, the Arizona Wildcats received eight votes in today's ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25.

Pac-12 football: Coaches used spring to blueprint season

Mike MacIntyre spent his first spring at Colorado teaching a new culture.

New Pac-12 football coaches settle in

Mike MacIntyre spent his first spring at Colorado teaching a new culture.

Softball: ASU 7, Arizona 6: Cats lose sweep, but gain confidence for likely NCAA berth

They were two outs from making a good weekend remarkable.

Softball: Arizona 6, Arizona State 4: Cats find their rhythm, emotion

The Arizona Wildcats' latest pledge - to be the annoying, always-happy team - manifested itself both Friday and Saturday in the form of a 44-year-old Johnny Cash Song.

Arizona softball: Close call pulls them closer

The three women couldn't get Adam Rodriguez off the recliner, even after he turned purple and his heart stopped beating.

Arizona softball: Near tragedy brings Rodriguez family closer — on field and at home

The three women couldn’t get Adam Rodriguez off the recliner, even after he turned purple and his heart stopped beating.

Softball: Arizona 10, Arizona State 9: Hallie-lujah! UA skid over

Chelsea Goodacre swears she called the Arizona Wildcats' most impressive comeback in years Friday night.

Arizona softball: Del Ponte's tough year near end

Brigette Del Ponte hasn't been sleeping well.

Arizona softball: Del Ponte determined to right ship as career comes to close

Brigette Del Ponte hasn’t been sleeping well.

Arizona softball: Cats drop out of another poll

One week and three losses after falling from the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 for the first time in program history, the Arizona Wildcats plummeted out of the sport's older poll.

Patrick Finley: Time is right for gay athletes

I smiled when I read this line in Jason Collins' first-person Sports Illustrated account.

Patrick Finley: Time is right for gay athletes

I smiled when I read this line in Jason Collins’ first-person Sports Illustrated account.

Arizona Wildcats softball: Cats drop out of another poll

One week and three losses after falling from the ESPN.com / USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 for the first time in program history, the Arizona Wildcats plummeted out of the sport’s older poll.

Wildcats drop out of second softball poll

The Arizona Wildcats, losers of five-straight, fell out of their second softball poll this week, being banished to the "also receiving votes" category of the USA Today/NFCA Div. I top 25.