Arizona softball heads to the Bay Area this weekend confident that its name will be announced on Selection Sunday.
The Wildcats (30-23, 7-14 Pac-12) close out the regular season at No. 13 Stanford Thursday night at 7 p.m., Friday night at 7 p.m. and Saturday at noon. Game one of the series will be on the Pac-12 Network.
After their series win against then No. 5 ASU, Arizona rose to No. 29 in the RPI and expects to make the NCAA tournament. The selection show is Sunday night at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
The last time Arizona did not make it to the NCAA tournament was 1986, head coach Mike Candrea’s first season.
“We’re Arizona softball, we don’t not [sic] make a regionals or anything,” senior shortstop Brigette Del Ponte said. “We’re going to be in there. I know we’re going to be in there.”
There are 33 at-large bids to the 64-team big dance, with 16 four-team regionals.
“I gotta believe we’re one of the top 64 teams in the country,” Candrea said.
A series win against Stanford (35-17, 12-9) would go a long way in securing a bid.
The Cardinal has the 18th ranked RPI and is fresh off of a road sweep of then No. 12 California. Stanford outscored the Bears 37-12.
UA is 61-9-1 all-time against Stanford and have won 10 of the last 11 meetings.
“We’re on a high right now and I think it’s gonna be good taking it into Stanford,” junior pitcher Shelby Babcock said.
Last season the UA won the series in Tucson, when Babcock led the Wildcats to a 3-1 win in the rubber match.