# 1998 Arizona Wildcats softball team

The 1998 Arizona Wildcats softball team represented the University of Arizona in the 1998 NCAA Division I softball season. The Wildcats were coached by Mike Candrea, who led his thirteenth season. The Wildcats finished with a record of 67–4. They competed in the Pacific-10 Conference, where they finished first with a 27–1 record.
The Wildcats were invited to the 1998 NCAA Division I softball tournament, where they swept the Regional and then completed a run to the title game of the Women's College World Series where they fell to champion Fresno State.

## Schedule

Legend :
| | Arizona win |
| | Arizona loss |
| * | Non-Conference game |
1998 Arizona Wildcats Softball Game Log :
Regular season :
February :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record |
| Feb 6 | New Mexico State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 10–1 | 1–0 |
| Feb 6 | New Mexico State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 14–1$^5$ | 2–0 |
| Feb 7 | UIC* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 9–0 | 3–0 |
| Feb 7 | UIC* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 12–2$^6$ | 4–0 |
| Feb 13 | vs No. 25 Tennessee* | No. 1 | Tempe, AZ | W 7–0 | 5–0 |
| Feb 14 | vs Utah State* | No. 1 | Tempe, AZ | W 19–2$^5$ | 6–0 |
| Feb 14 | vs Texas* | No. 1 | Tempe, AZ | W 9–1$^5$ | 7–0 |
| Feb 15 | vs No. 14 Long Beach State* | No. 1 | Tempe, AZ | W 2–1 | 8–0 |
| Feb 20 | vs Southwest Texas State* | No. 1 | Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL | W 2–0 | 9–0 |
| Feb 20 | vs Southwest Texas State* | No. 1 | Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL | W 12–0$^5$ | 10–0 |
| Feb 21 | at Florida* | No. 1 | Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL | W 7–0 | 11–0 |
| Feb 21 | at Florida* | No. 1 | Katie Seashole Pressly Softball Stadium • Gainesville, FL | W 9–0$^5$ | 12–0 |
| Feb 27 | No. 19 Colorado State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 9–1$^6$ | 13–0 |
| Feb 27 | No. 19 Colorado State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 14–1$^5$ | 14–0 |
| Feb 28 | No. 16 Kansas* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 8–0$^5$ | 15–0 |
| Feb 28 | No. 16 Kansas* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 8–3 | 16–0 |
March :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | Pac-10 record |
| Mar 1 | McNeese State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 11–0$^6$ | 17–0 | |
| Mar 1 | McNeese State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 13–0$^5$ | 18–0 | |
| Mar 6 | No. 6 Oklahoma* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 6–4 | 19–0 | |
| Mar 6 | No. 6 Oklahoma* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | L 3–4 | 19–1 | |
| Mar 7 | Texas Tech* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 10–0$^6$ | 20–1 | |
| Mar 7 | Texas Tech* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | L 0–6 | 20–2 | |
| Mar 8 | San Diego State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 8–0$^5$ | 21–2 | |
| Mar 11 | at No. 19 Cal State Northridge* | No. 1 | Matador Diamond • Northridge, CA | W 8–1 | 22–2 | |
| Mar 11 | at No. 19 Cal State Northridge* | No. 1 | Matador Diamond • Northridge, CA | W 5–0 | 23–2 | |
| Mar 16 | Iowa State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 9–0$^5$ | 24–2 | |
| Mar 16 | Iowa State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 9–0$^5$ | 25–2 | |
| Mar 19 | vs No. 4 Oklahoma State* | No. 1 | Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA | W 8–0$^5$ | 26–2 | |
| Mar 19 | at Cal State Fullerton* | No. 1 | Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA | W 8–3 | 27–2 | |
| Mar 20 | vs Canisius* | No. 1 | Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA | W 8–0$^6$ | 28–2 | |
| Mar 21 | vs Southwest Texas State* | No. 1 | Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA | W 9–0$^5$ | 29–2 | |
| Mar 21 | vs No. 5 Fresno State* | No. 1 | Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA | W 6–1 | 30–2 | |
| Mar 22 | vs No. 22 Cal State Northridge* | No. 1 | Titan Softball Complex • Fullerton, CA | W 8–4 | 31–2 | |
| Mar 22 | No. 11 Texas* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 2–1 | 32–2 | |
| Mar 28 | at No. 22 Oregon | No. 1 | Howe Field • Eugene, OR | W 2–0 | 33–2 | 1–0 |
| Mar 28 | at No. 22 Oregon | No. 1 | Howe Field • Eugene, OR | W 18–11 | 34–2 | 2–0 |
| Mar 29 | at No. 18 Oregon State | No. 1 | Corvallis, OR | W 8–0 | 35–2 | 3–0 |
| Mar 29 | at No. 18 Oregon State | No. 1 | Corvallis, OR | W 13–3$^5$ | 36–2 | 4–0 |
April :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | Pac-10 record |
| Apr 3 | UCLA | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 16–3$^5$ | 37–2 | 5–0 |
| Apr 3 | UCLA | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 11–9 | 38–2 | 6–0 |
| Apr 4 | No. 4 Washington | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | L 0–9$^5$ | 38–3 | 6–1 |
| Apr 4 | No. 4 Washington | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 10–0$^5$ | 39–3 | 7–1 |
| Apr 7 | No. 3 Fresno State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 4–3 | 40–3 | |
| Apr 7 | No. 3 Fresno State* | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 6–2 | 41–3 | |
| Apr 10 | No. 10 Arizona State | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 7–2 | 42–3 | 8–1 |
| Apr 10 | No. 10 Arizona State | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 5–3 | 43–3 | 9–1 |
| Apr 18 | at No. 20 California | No. 1 | Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA | W 8–4$^9$ | 44–3 | 10–1 |
| Apr 18 | at No. 20 California | No. 1 | Levine-Fricke Field • Berkeley, CA | W 3–0 | 45–3 | 11–1 |
| Apr 19 | at No. 12 Stanford | No. 1 | Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, CA | W 11–0$^5$ | 46–3 | 12–1 |
| Apr 19 | at No. 12 Stanford | No. 1 | Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium • Stanford, CA | W 5–2 | 47–3 | 13–1 |
| Apr 24 | No. 25 Oregon | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 8–0$^5$ | 48–3 | 14–1 |
| Apr 24 | No. 25 Oregon | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 13–1$^5$ | 49–3 | 15–1 |
| Apr 25 | No. 22 Oregon State | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 14–2$^5$ | 50–3 | 16–1 |
| Apr 25 | No. 22 Oregon State | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 12–3$^5$ | 51–3 | 17–1 |
| Apr 29 | at No. 15 Arizona State | No. 1 | Tempe, AZ | W 6–0 | 52–3 | 18–1 |
| Apr 29 | at No. 15 Arizona State | No. 1 | Tempe, AZ | W 3–2 | 53–3 | 19–1 |
May :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | Pac-10 record |
| May 2 | No. 9 Stanford | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 10–3 | 54–3 | 20–1 |
| May 2 | No. 9 Stanford | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 8–0$^6$ | 55–3 | 21–1 |
| May 3 | No. 21 California | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 8–0$^5$ | 56–3 | 22–1 |
| May 3 | No. 21 California | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 7–1 | 57–3 | 23–1 |
| May 9 | at UCLA | No. 1 | Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA | W 2–0 | 58–3 | 24–1 |
| May 9 | at UCLA | No. 1 | Easton Stadium • Los Angeles, CA | W 6–0 | 59–3 | 25–1 |
| May 10 | at No. 4 Washington | No. 1 | Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA | W 4–2 | 60–3 | 26–1 |
| May 10 | at No. 4 Washington | No. 1 | Husky Softball Stadium • Seattle, WA | W 4–0 | 61–3 | 27–1 |
Post-season :
NCAA Regional :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | NCAAT record |
| May 15 | Niagara | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 14–0$^5$ | 62–3 | 1–0 |
| May 16 | Pacific | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 10–0$^5$ | 63–3 | 2–0 |
| May 17 | Pacific | No. 1 | Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium • Tucson, AZ | W 7–0 | 64–3 | 3–0 |
NCAA Women's College World Series :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Overall record | WCWS Record |
| May 21 | No. 13 Oklahoma State | No. 1 | ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK | W 1–0 | 65–3 | 1–0 |
| May 22 | No. 4 Washington | No. 1 | ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK | W 8–0$^5$ | 66–3 | 2–0 |
| May 24 | No. 13 Oklahoma State | No. 1 | ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK | W 7–0 | 67–3 | 3–0 |
| May 25 | No. 3 Fresno State | No. 1 | ASA Hall of Fame Stadium • Oklahoma City, OK | L 0–1 | 67–4 | 3–1 |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Final |
| NFCA/USA Today | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |