After a home sweep of rival No. 9 ASU last weekend that landed the Arizona softball team sole possession of first place in the Pacific 10 Conference, the Wildcats will remain in the friendly confines of Hillenbrand Stadium this weekend.

The No. 4 Wildcats play host to No. 12 Stanford (27-9, 3-3 Pac-10) tonight at 7 p.m., before taking on California (25-20, 2-4) tomorrow at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

“”We are going to see a little bit of everything this weekend,”” said UA head coach Mike Candrea. “”Really, right now we are trying to gain confidence as hitters. It doesn’t matter who we are facing.””

Although the Wildcats (28-8, 4-1) were only able to post a single run in both games against the Sun Devils, it was enough for UA ace Taryne Mowatt to solidify the two victories.

The Wildcats will likely turn to Mowatt once again this weekend after she posted her second no-hitter of the season in the first game of the ASU series before notching a two-hitter in the second game.

Mowatt, who was named co-USA Softball Player of the Week and the Pac-10’s Pitcher of the Week for her efforts, tallied 21 strikeouts while allowing only two hits and one walk in 14 shutout innings.

“”I think I had a good weekend last weekend, but there are always things to improve on,”” Mowatt said. “”These two teams are very different from ASU, so I am going to work on my drop-ball because I think I could do a little better with that.””

Candrea noted how vital Mowatt’s clutch play has become to the Wildcats.

“”(Mowatt) has come a long way,”” Candrea said. “”I think the big thing was she got ahead of hitters and her off-speed pitch was working.

“”I am hoping that she will take that and gain the confidence that she needs to become that type of pitcher on a weekly basis, because that is the key.””

Shortstop Kristie Fox said Mowatt was solid given the amount of runs the Wildcats have put up on the scoreboard of late.

“”The thing about the Pac-10 is the games are low-scoring,”” Fox said. “”I think Taryne pitched a few really good games this weekend, but we only got one run, and that’s tough to pitch against.””

Arizona isn’t the only team that has had much success with its starting pitching.

Stanford’s Missy Penna is 19-3 while posting a 1.63 ERA. She strikes out 9.5 batters a game and will likely get the start against the Wildcats.

Penna threw her second-career no-hitter against St. Mary’s College on Wednesday in Palo Alto, Calif., en route to an 8-0 victory.

Stanford also has balance in its batting lineup, with five players hitting over .320.

“”Stanford is a good ball club that will swing the bats well,”” Candrea said. “”They are a team that is as good as anyone in the Pac-10 right now.””

Despite having a sub-par record in the Pac-10, Cal hasn’t shown what it is capable of, Candrea said.

“”It seems like things are starting to come together, because they are on an up-swing,”” he said.