The Arizona softball team has a rare mid-week game today against Creighton.

The Bluejays are severely diminished from last year’s Missouri Valley Conference champion squad, with 11 freshmen on the roster compared to only 10 returning players. They do boast solid pitchers in Becca Changstrom and Kylie Hovinga, who have ERAs of 1.31 and 2.95, respectively.

Creighton isn’t foreign to the desert, having lost 11-1 to ASU on Sunday in the Wilson/DeMarini Invitational.

While the game does not offer the same intrigue as the upcoming series against No. 22 Baylor or the rematch with No. 9 Oklahoma, it is a good chance for the Wildcats to see how they stack up against in-state rival ASU, currently ranked No. 7 in the nation. The Sun Devils have a 4-3 victory over the same Oklahoma team that dismantled the Wildcats 11-1 in the Kajikawa Classic in February.

Head coach Mike Candrea has yet to decide which pitcher will start against Creighton. Sophomore Kenzie Fowler is the team’s No. 1 starter, but with three games against Baylor this weekend, it is likely Candrea will turn to freshman Shelby Babcock.

Babcock has shown signs of improvement lately, with a very solid showing last weekend at the Wildcat Invitational. She gave up just four earned runs in 17 innings of work over the weekend and picked up three wins to move her record to a solid 7-1. The game against Creighton should offer a chance for Babcock to gain confidence and experience heading into a much tougher portion of the schedule for the Wildcats.