Sahuarita's Lysandra Gomez safely slides to second as Amphi's Mariah Ridge is unable to catch the ball Thursday night at Amphi. Sahuarita beat Amphi 5-0.

Sahuarita softball star Yvette Alvarez was cruising along in the Mustangs 5-0 win over Amphi on Thursday night.

The sophomore struck out eight of the first nine Amphi hitters while trying to pick up her 15th win of the year. Then, in the top of the fourth inning with Sahuarita at the plate, Alvarez hit a screamer to third base. As she reached first base, she collided with Amphi’s Catie Hartwig. Alvarez collapsed, clutching her left knee.

“We will have our trainer look at it (Friday) and see what kind of stability she has and go from there,” said Sahuarita coach Chris Fanning. “It’s way too early to speculate, but like I told the girls, it’s time for the team to come together and see what we are made of.”

In what was believed to be an anterior cruciate ligament injury, , Fanning would not speculate on the extent of the injury.

“She could be out two days, two weeks or two months. I’m not sure,” Fanning said. “Like I said, it’s too early to say what it is.”

If Alvarez is lost for the year, Sahuarita will have some pretty big shoes to fill. Entering Thursday’s game, Alvarez boasted an 0.91 ERA with a 124 strikeouts in 91 innings pitched. She also led the team in hitting with a .426 batting average, six home runs and 27 RBIs.

“Teams have injuries all the time and it’s an opportunity for girls to step up and see what they’re made of,” Fanning said.

Alex Orozco came in for Alvarez and pitched 1 1/3 inning, giving up one hit while striking out one to earn the win. Lyzette Creason pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, recording four strikeouts.

The Mustangs got on the board first in the fifth when Abrie Bustamante scored on Amphi catcher’s Maritza Vargas’ error. Sahuarita added a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

“We put together probably our best defensive game of the year and down the stretch we had a couple of errors that cost us some runs,” said Amphi coach Damon Lovato about the three errors the Panthers committed in the game.

Cienega 20, Catalina Foothills 2 (5 innings): At Foothills, Cienega was still riding the euphoria of upsetting nationally ranked Canyon del Oro 1-0 on Monday.

In the team’s first game since the CDO win, Cienega put up 20 runs in five innings, including erupting for a 15-run fourth inning.

Junior pitcher Alexa Cash picked up the win and also hit a grand slam in the win.

CDO No. 2 in national poll

Canyon del Oro’s softball team is ranked No. 2 in the first National Fastpitch Coaches Association/USA TODAY Top 25 high school softball poll of the season. The poll was released Thursday.

CDO (16-1) is also No. 2 in the most recent ESPN Rise Fab 50 poll, trailing No. 1 Sacramento (Calif.) Sheldon High School in both polls.

The only other Arizona team in the NFCA poll is Class 5A Division I power Mesa Red Mountain at No. 7. CDO is a 4A-I school.

High School Sports Editor Geoff Grammer contributed to this article.

Cienega High School softball coach Eric Tatham remembers the postgame talk he had with his team after a 2-1 loss at Canyon del Oro in 2008.

“It was such a good game and what I remember,” Tatham recalls, “is sitting in a circle in the CDO outfield after that game and telling the team, ‘We’re really close.’ ”

At least for Monday evening, Cienega put “close” in the rearview mirror, upsetting nationally ranked and previously unbeaten CDO 1-0.

“The biggest thing about this victory is now they can believe we can beat anybody,” Tatham said.

“It’s one thing to be close. It’s another to get it done like we were able to do today. . . This was just such an exciting game and I’m so happy for them.”

CDO is 14-1; Cienega 10-6.

Like the 2008 game, Cienega junior pitcher Alexa Cash did all she could to try to match the star power of CDO counterpart Kenzie Fowler.

Cash struck out 11 hitters, allowing five hits and one extra base hit, a double to CDO sophomore Mattie Fowler.

The University of Arizona-bound Kenzie Fowler struck out 16 hitters, allowing four hits.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Cienega outfielder Morghan Doughty, who has committed to play collegiately at Colorado State, reached base on a single, stole second and later was driven in from third on a single by fellow junior Ashley Brawley.

CDO and Cienega were the only two Tucson-area teams in the ESPN Rise Fab 50 Preseason national rankings, but after six losses (five to California teams and one to Douglas), Cienega was dropped from the polls.

CDO has maintained its spot at No. 2 all season.

Baseball

At Tanque Verde, senior pitcher Josh King struck out 12 and allowed eight hits and just two walks over seven innings, but it wasn’t enough in a 5-3 loss to visiting Valley Union.

Tanque Verde, ranked the No. 1 Class 1A team in the state in this week’s Arizona Baseball Coaches Association poll, committed three errors and wasn’t able to take advantage of having runners on first and third with no outs in the sixth.

The loss was Tanque Verde’s first in 1A South Region play, dropping the team to 14-4 overall and 6-1 in league action.

Empire 14, Florence 4 (5 innings): At Empire, the Ravens bats were hot early, scoring eight runs in the first inning.

Senior Scotty Watson hit a grand slam in the opening frame, setting the tone for a 14-hit performance for an Empire offense that finished with two doubles, three triples and one home run.

Junior Josh Elder picked up the win on the mound and helped at the plate with a double and a triple.

Boys volleyball

Fresh off his all-tournament team selection over the weekend at the Phoenix Brophy volleyball tournament, Salpointe Catholic all-state setter Pat Tunnell had 31 assists Monday, leading the Lancers to a sweep of Sunnyside 3-0 (25-10, 25-21, 25-17).

Tunnell also had three aces while teammate Mikey Smith had 13 kills in the win.

Salpointe took fourth in the Brophy tournament, one of the more prestigious of the season.

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.

Two of Arizona’s premiere high school pitchers put on a show for softball fans in Sierra Vista on Tuesday afternoon.

Reigning Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year Kenzie Fowler struck out 15 in a complete-game no-hitter, leading Canyon del Oro to a 3-0 win over host Buena High School.

For the Colts, senior Meghan McIntosh threw seven innings of one-hit ball, striking out 14 and not allowing an earned run. Each pitcher walked one batter.

“It was as good a pitcher’s duel as you’ll see anywhere,” said Buena coach Mike Tomooka, whose Colts fell to 7-3-1 on the season.

CDO (13-0) took advantage of three Buena errors and scored each of its three unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning.

Sophomores Taylor Watkins and Kayla Henry reached base to start the inning when bunts were mishandled by Buena infielders. McIntosh, who has signed to play at Wisconsin next year, then struck out the University of Arizona-bound Fowler for the first out.

CDO power-hitting third baseman Katie Asher, who will play collegiately at Oklahoma State, reached base on Buena’s third error of the inning, scoring Watkins in the process for a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, freshman Valerie Mendoza drove in Asher and Henry with a two-out, two-run single to right-center field for the 3-0 lead.

Douglas 10, Cholla 1: At Douglas, Erica Tapia improved to 7-1 on the season as the Douglas junior struck out 13. Third baseman Katie Cambell hit a home run for Douglas (9-2).

Baseball

Catalina High baseball coach Tony Gabusi is reaping the benefits of watching 15-year-old pitcher Nicco Blank mature.

Blank, a sophomore right-hander, allowed one hit in six innings to lead the Trojans to a 7-1 win over Pueblo on Tuesday at Catalina.

“He only gave up the one hit. He scuffled with himself a little bit,” Gabusi said. “That’s a 15-year-old. He’s a little immature (at times) but he’s mature enough to gather himself and come back. I am proud of that. He’s growing up a lot. He has been a horse for us.”

Blank gave up a single to Brian Ortega in the second inning. Pueblo scored an unearned run in the fourth on a wild pitch.

“I was just trying to hit spots,” Blank said. “I wasn’t trying to blow it by them.”

Blank was surprised he issued just one walk.

“I usually hit a couple of guys,” he said. “I am surprised I didn’t hit someone. I try to improve each time I go out. Last time I hit a lot of guys and this time I didn’t hit anyone.”

The offense for Catalina (9-4) helped the young pitcher with 14 base hits. Frank Daniel led the assault, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs.

“Frankie is smoking the ball. He has 27 RBIs now,” Gabusi said. “That’s his ninth double. He comes up in a position where they have to pitch to him. They are going to stop pitching to him, but we’ll just move him around in the lineup.”

Daniel had a run-scoring double to ignite a five-run fifth inning.

Cienega 2, Sahuarita 1 (8 innings): At Cienega, Mario Sanchez threw one pitch and pitched up the win after Cienega starter Seth Mejias-Brean threw 7 2/3 of three-hit, one-run ball for the Bobcats.

By Ken Brazzle, Geoff Grammer

Desert View's Alex Romero gets ready to try and tag out Tucson High's Janelle Olson in the first inning of their Badger Invitational game Wednesday at Cherry Field. Desert View won 7-3; the game was called after five innings due to tournament time-limit rules.

Desert View coach Bert Otero knows he can always count on senior pitcher Saby Romero in the circle.

Romero got out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning to help her team beat Tucson High 7-3 in five innings of a time-shortened game Wednesday afternoon in pool play of the Badger Invitational at the newly-renovated Cherry Field.

Pool play games in the tournament are on a strict time limit.

“We’re young. We have some freshmen and sophomores in the lineup,” Otero said. “I’m excited for our kids because they came out and beat a good team.”

He praised his veteran pitcher for working herself out of tough situations.

“Saby is a hard worker and she got behind in some of the counts,” he said. “The thing about her is she battled and I think that is the key.”

Her team picked up four runs in the fourth inning, but Romero faced trouble in the fifth.

Tucson High’s Alejandra Ortiz walked to lead off the inning and moved to second base on an Adriana Valencia single. Two batters later, Ortiz scored when teammate Aneeza Bracamonte reached base on an error.

“I had my defense to back me up and my offense came through for me,” Romero said. “We’ve always had good games with Tucson High, but I knew we were going to come through.”

The Badgers, who won the tournament last year, kept Romero busy through the first inning, starting out with five straight walks that led to the Badgers first run.

He was pleased with the walks, but Tucson High coach Marcos Bejarano said the squad must do better at driving in its base runners.

“We left 10 runners on base,” Bejarano said. “We couldn’t come up with key hits when we needed them. (Romero) threw 11 walks, but her teammates were behind her and they took care of business when they had to.”

Korina Wilkins put the game out of reach when her single scored two runs to make it 7-2 in the fourth.

“I knew I had to get the runner in. I was thinking about doing what I could,” Wilkins said.

“I thought it was going to be a close game. This gives us a lot of confidence.”

Pool play in the invitational continues Thursday at Cherry Field with bracket play of the 12-team event running Friday and Saturday.

Catalina 14, Baboquivari 5 (5 innings): Catalina scored nine runs in the first two innings and used a 15-hit performance to overcome four errors and win its first pool-play game in the Badger Invitational.

Pitcher Andrea Hargis picked up the win and helped her cause with a triple and three RBIs.

- High School Sports Editor Geoff Grammer contributed to this article.

Cienega's Amanda Taylor, 1, slides safely past Phoenix Thunderbird catcher Donna Woodard after Taylor hit an inside-the-park grand slam in the first inning Tuesday at Cienega. The Bobcats won 17-0.

If the Cienega Bobcats softball team feels pressure from learning last week it is ranked in a national poll, it isn’t showing it.

Cienega’s offense broke out for nine runs, including an inside-the-park grand slam, in the first inning Tuesday against visiting Phoenix Thunderbird en route to a five inning, 17-0 win, its 11th straight at home.

“I think it’s a mind-set. We were talking to the girls about that,” said Cienega coach Eric Tatham about the team being ranked No. 50 in the preseason ESPN Rise Fab 50 poll.

“We’re not going to sneak up on anybody this year. We just have to take care of business and play Bobcat softball,” he said. “We’re up-and-coming and hopefully we can play to that and be worthy of it.”

U 2-0 and with the bases loaded, infielder Amanda Taylor sent the second pitch from Thunderbird pitcher Caitlin Johnson into the left-field corner over the head of Chrissy Schmitter.

Before Thunderbird was able to get the ball home, Taylor had flown around the bases for an inside-the-park grand slam and a 6-0 Cienega lead.

“I was just pumped up and ready to go,” said Taylor, a senior who added a double in the third and finished with six RBIs. “Any pitch, I was ready to hit.”

Junior center fielder Morghan Doughty picked up three RBIs, going 4 for 4 with a double and a triple.

Cienega pitcher Alexa Cash struck out the side in the first three innings before being pulled for Brittany Johnson in the fourth inning.

“It’s really easy when you have a solid team behind you,” said Cash, who added two doubles on offense. “The defense will handle anything and the offense will come around strong and it made it easy knowing they were there. I know it is exciting whenever we get recognized in (a national poll).”

Johnson struck out three and gave up Thunderbird’s only hit, a double by Taylor Ayotte in the fifth inning.

Tatham said, “With something like (getting ranked in a national poll) happening, it’s nice because it’s a team award.”

Cienega has played twice this season and has been dominant.

The Bobcats outscored their two opponents 31-1, including 14-1 over Marana on Feb. 25.

The Bobcats compete later this week in the Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City and later this month in the prestigious Nike Faster to First tournament in Huntington Beach, Calif.

On March 30, Cienega hosts fellow Tucson-area national power Canyon del Oro, ranked No. 2 in the ESPN Rise Fab 50 Poll.

CDO was a 7-0 winner Tuesday on the road at Glendale Cactus.

Catalina Foothills 9, Sabino 2: At Foothills, Stephanie Carramusa hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, setting the early pace for the Falcons, who benefited from seven Sabino errors.

Sahuaro 10, Phoenix Paradise Valley 0: At Paradise Valley, Kira White and Courtney McCoy combined on a seven-inning, one-hit shut out to improve to 7-2 on the season.

Sunnyside 11, Tolleson 0: At Sunnyside, pitcher Estella Pinon improved to 5-0 by throwing a five-inning no hitter.

- High School Sports Editor Geoff Grammer contributed to this article.

Softball star has variety of strong weapons

Sahuarita softball player Yvette Alvarez has been effective on the mound and at the plate.

Sahuarita sophomore Yvette Alvarez proved to be a strong up-and-coming pitcher in 2008.

In 2009, she’s looking to break school records.

Alvarez pitched 161 1/3 innings and went 18-8 with a 1.21 ERA for the Mustangs in her freshman year; she had 206 strikeouts.

Shannon Andersen, who graduated in 2005, holds the record for strikeouts in a season (242) and career (593).

“I think my chances are pretty good,” Alvarez said. “I tried beating the record last year. It gets me pumped up to (try to better her record).”

Alvarez is also effective on offense. Last year she batted .391 with six home runs and 36 RBIs. Alvarez believes a pitcher has to be just as valuable in the batter’s box.

“People don’t expect it,” she said. “It’s good to be good on both sides. I practice hard both ways.”

Alvarez started playing softball in elementary school and was influenced by her cousin Dianna Delgado, who also pitched for Sahuarita and graduated in 2007.

“She was a very good pitcher and always tried her best,” Alvarez said. “She had a lot of different pitches to throw. She watches my games and comes to our practices. I get excited when she watches me.”

Alvarez said her strongest pitch is her fastball, which averages 61 to 62 mph. She is working on the movement of her pitches.

“Her offspeed and change-up separates her from other pitchers in the area,” Sahuarita coach Chris Fanning said. “What makes her so dominant is working ahead and being smart with pitch location. Her riseball and movement will take her to a whole ‘nother level.”

Alvarez played junior varsity basketball last year and was on the varsity squad this year. She likes the distinction between the two sports.

“You’re constantly running and fighting for the ball, and in softball it’s kind of intense but being a pitcher you get to go at your own pace,” Alvarez said.

Sahuarita lost in the first round of the Class 4A Division II state tournament to Prescott Valley Bradshaw Mountain 3-2 last year.

“Softball is a game where, fortunately, pitching is the name of the game,” Fanning said. “When she takes the circle with the ability she has, I think the sky’s the limit.”

Canyon del Oro and Cienega are both included in ESPN’s Preseason Fab 50 national softball rankings.

For CDO, ranked No. 2 in the country, the national polls are nothing new. For Cienega, however, the Bobcats’ spot at No. 50 is their first national ranking.

While several Phoenix-area teams are also in the Fab 50 poll, there are some other southern Arizona schools that may find their way into the rankings by season’s end. A couple of area candidates to make a run at a top-50 ranking might be Sierra Vista Buena and Cienega’s 4A Kino region rival, Sahuaro.

Basketball

Phoenix St. Mary’s senior guard Demetrius Walker scored 19 of his game-high 30 points in the first half and led his team to an easy 83-58 win over Sierra Vista Buena in the Class 5A Division I semifinals in Glendale’s Jobing.com Arena on Wednesday.

Walker, an Arizona State recruit, and No. 2 St. Marys move on to play in Saturday’s 5A-I championship against No. 1 Gilbert Highland.

No. 6 Buena (24-8) had three players score in double figures – Anthony Miller (12 points), Derek Lane (12) and Cole Colvin (11).

Baseball

Catalina’s baseball team is off to a hot start under new coach Tony Gabusi.

The Trojans jumped out to a 4-1 start in last week’s Phoenix Union School District tournament that included an 8-3 win over Scottsdale Coronado, ranked No. 4 in the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association preseason poll.

Catalina pitchers Jesus Lemas and Anthony Romero combined to throw a no- hitter in a 10-0 win over Lake Havasu in the tournament’s third-place game. The Trojans were led throughout the weekend by a pitching staff that also included Robert Pearson and Nicco Blank. Pearson also got it done at the plate with 10 hits and 10 RBIs in the five games. Frankie Daniel had a two-homer game against Phoenix Trevor Browne.

Cactus Classic

The 16-team Cactus Classic baseball tournament, hosted by Ironwood Ridge, begins at sites in Tucson on Thursday. The field includes Amphi, Canyon del Oro, Catalina Foothills, Cave Creek Cactus Shadows, Cholla, Douglas, El Paso (Texas) Eastwood, El Paso (Texas) Riverside, Flowing Wells, Ironwood Ridge, Palo Verde, Peoria Centennial, Rincon/University, Santa Rita, Sierra Vista Buena and Sunnyside.

Track and field

The Sahuaro boys and girls track teams dominated their opponents Wednesday.

On the boys side, the Cougars (185) defeated Amphi (52), Academy of Tucson (6) and Green Fields (6).

Kevan Howe took first place in three events for Sahuaro – the 110 meter hurdles (15.06 seconds), shot put (47 feet, 11.5 inches) and the discus (128-9).

On the girls side, Kathy Fisher took first in the 100-meter dash (12.75), the 300-meter hurdles (47.21) and the long jump (16-4).

Sahuaro won the girls meet with 205 points. Amphi (20) was second, followed by Academy of Tucson (6) and Green Fields (4).

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.

When Kenzie Fowler is pitching, runs are tough to come by for any opponent.

When her production at the plate matches that of her pitching, she becomes nearly unbeatable.

Fowler allowed two hits, struck out 14 batters and smacked a pair of home runs to lead Canyon del Oro to a 4-0 win over Sierra Vista Buena in the championship game of the Dorado Classic on Saturday.

“I just go up there and try to get a good pitch. Luckily, I got two,” said Fowler, the 2008 Gatorade National Player of the Year who has already signed to pitch next year at the University of Arizona. “We had to adjust to (Buena pitcher) Carissa (Youngblood), who moved (her pitches) around really well. It took us a little while to jump on it and we finally did (in the third inning).”

The game was a pitchers dual through the first two innings. That changed in the third when, with two runners on, Fowler sent a Youngblood pitch over the left-centerfield fence to give her team a 3-0 lead. She added a second home run, a solo shot over the rightfield wall, in the fifth inning.

“She becomes more relaxed when she is in the field with a lead,” said CDO coach Amy Swiderski. “It gives her confidence in her pitching.”

Buena’s two hits came when Meghan McIntosh legged out a bunt and her fellow University of Wisconsin signee, Shannel Blackshear, doubled in the seventh.

Fowler picked up 12 of her 14 strikeouts over the last four innings.

“It’s really exciting to catch her because she works really hard,” said freshman catcher Sammi Noland, who picked up her first high school home run in a game earlier in the day. “Our whole team got a few hits and it really helped us relax. This gives us confidence and we just have to make sure we continue to work hard through the rest of the season.”

Jake Cole belted two home runs and drove in four runs to lead Sahuaro High School to a 5-4 baseball win over Rincon/University in the Universal Athlete Supply Preseason Tournament in Phoenix.

Sahuaro entered the top of the third inning down 2-0 before Cole struck with a three-run homer to highlight a four-run frame.

Cole struck again in the sixth with a solo shot for a 5-2 lead.

Rincon threatened in the bottom of the sixth but fell a run short. Cole came on in the seventh to record his first save.

Amphi 10, Sierra Vista Buena 7: Panthers pitcher Alex Brown went four innings, giving up two runs, but his damage came from the plate as he finished a home run away from the cycle.

Brown went 4 for 4, scoring two runs along with two RBIs. He had two stolen bases batting in the No. 3 spot.

Brandon Kuhn had two RBIs along with one run scored and a stolen base for Amphi.

Buena attempted a rally in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs.

Sabino 12, Santa Rita 3 (5 innings): David Lopez and Ryan Nance led the charge for the Sabercats.

Nance went 3 for 3, knocking in three runs. Lopez finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs.

Softball

Sahuarita 4, Catalina Foothills 1: Sahuarita was led on offense by senior Monique Martinez, who drove in all four runs.

Sophomore Yvette Alvarez threw a complete game one-hitter for Sahuarita.

Tucson High 12, Scottsdale Desert Mountain 8: At Red Mountain’s Lion Country Classic in Mesa, the Badgers were led by Vanessa Arandules, who belted a two-run home run. Teammate Alejandra Ortiz went 3 for 4 with a triple and an RBI.

Desert View 13, Rio Rico 0 (5 innings): Saby Romero and Celina Martinez combined to throw a no-hitter for the Jaguars. They had 11 strikeouts and two walks.

Cienega 14, Marana 1 (5 innings): Alexa Cash struck out seven and walked two. Teammate Emily Pohl did the job at the plate, going 4 for 4.

She also hit a home run along with posting four RBIs and three runs scored.

By Ken Brazzle, Raymond Suarez

Canyon del Oro High School senior softball stars Katie Asher (left) and Kenzie Fowler address supporters at a ceremony at the World Sports Grill at the Foothills Mall. Asher will play collegiately at Oklahoma State, Fowler for Arizona.

CLICK HERE for a list of southern Arizona athletes making college committments

When the University of Arizona opened Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Softball Stadium in 1993, Lance and Kelly Fowler picked their season tickets right above the walkway on the first base side of the grandstand.

The location allowed the couple enough legroom for their two small daughters – Mattie and Kenzie – to lay down, sleep and play during games.

“We still have those seats today,” said Kelly Fowler. “And the people who sit behind us all through the years, putting up with us bringing blankets, toys, food, they’ve watched them grow up through the years.”

On Wednesday, Kenzie Fowler, the Canyon del Oro High School pitching sensation and 2008 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year, officially made the jump from bleacher baby to UA’s softball team.

Fowler and best friend/teammate Katie Asher signed national letters of intent Wednesday – Fowler for UA, Asher for Oklahoma State. The pair held a signing party at the World Sports Grill at the Foothills Mall in front of roughly 50 friends, family, teachers, teammates and coaches.

Wednesday was the first day the NCAA allowed high school seniors across the country to put pen to paper and sign letters of intent to accept collegiate scholarship offers in sports other than football (football’s signing day is in February).

“I wanted to be a Wildcat since before I could talk,” said Fowler. “This day finally makes that official. It seems like it took forever to get here, but now it’s exciting.”

Asher, a power-hitting third baseman who along with Fowler was named an National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American last spring, said she chose Oklahoma State after she “fell in love” with the program on an unofficial visit last fall.

“The coaches told me that they were going to count on me to get them to the (Women’s College) World Series,” said Asher, who had 14 home runs last spring as a junior and already holds every power-hitting record for the tradition-rich CDO softball program.

For Asher and Fowler, teammates for three years at CDO and for the past six years for the nationally recognized Desert Thunder club team, this spring will mark the last time they will be on the same field as teammates. But maybe not the last time they’re on the same field.

The thought of Asher, who has been nicknamed by teammates “Smasher” Asher, one day standing in the batters box in a college game against the power-pitching Fowler, whose riseball has been clocked at more than 70 mph, is one both players’ parents couldn’t help but smile about.

“It would be amazing and we’d be right there sitting next to each other cheering for both of them like we always have,” said Cindi Asher, who along with husband, Rick Asher, plan on attending UA games and rooting for Kenzie Fowler when not in Oklahoma watching their daughter.

Asher and Fowler were just two of four All-American caliber athletes signing scholarship papers on Wednesday.

A pair of elite swimmers – Sahuaro’s Caitlin Leverenz and Catalina Foothills’ Herbie Behm – also signed letters of intent.

Leverenz, a 2012 Olympic hopeful who is already considered one of the world’s elite teenage swimmers, signed to swim for California-Berkeley.

Behm, who last month became the first Arizona high school swimmer to break 20 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle, signed to swim for Tennessee.

For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.

———

UA RECRUITS

Arizona softball coach Mike Candrea said he would comment Thursday on his recruiting class, when he had all the letters-of-intent in hand.

Here are four high school players who did or were expected to sign with the Wildcats:

C/INF Brigette DelPonte, Peoria Sunrise Mountain High

P Kenzie Fowler, Canyon del Oro High

SS Baillie Kirker, Crescenta Valley (Calif.) High

OF/2B Becca Tikey, Scottsdale Horizon High

Catherine Palmer has held Arizona women’s basketball tickets for a long time.

And she senses something special in the making with the Wildcats.

“I really guard my precious seats, believe me,” Palmer said. “I can’t remember when I started. But I just couldn’t wait for this season to get started.”

She’s excited about the start of a new era with new coach Niya Butts.

“I think Niya is going to make quite a change and difference,” Palmer said. “There is something very, very special about her. She has a real gift. You can see it.”

Butts and the team were at McKale Center on Saturday to push season ticket sales plus meet and greet fans.

“This allows the fans to interact with the kids,” Butts said. “It puts a personal touch on it. Now they’re coming to cheer for somebody they have a connection with.”

Fans had a chance to ask questions of coaches and players, plus shoot baskets with the players on the court.

“(Butts) is phenomenal,” said fan Chris Bruno, who is Palmer’s daughter. “She motivates the girls and fans.”

Michael Green and Kim Green brought their two daughters. Kim is an ex-Wildcat, who had the last name Conway when she played in the early 1990s.

“I am real excited that they are reaching out to the community,” Kim Green said. “I am excited about all the changes and the upcoming season.”

Peter Burnham said that Butts has to get the players to work hard.

“A good coach has to be more (coach) than pal,” Burnham said. “She really has to teach skills. She really has to be (all) business and make them work.”

UA’s Red-Blue scrimmage will be Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. at McKale. The Wildcats open their season against Toledo in Hawaii on Nov. 14.

Softball

UA beat Cypress College 13-0 and Pima 8-0 Sunday on the final day of play at the Arizona Fall Classic.

The Wildcats will host their alumni game at noon on Oct. 25.

Pima football

The Aztecs dropped to 0-6 with a 41-0 loss to visiting Phoenix College on Saturday. Pima was held to 81 yards. Pima travels to face No. 2 Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, on Saturday.

Pima men’s soccer

The Aztecs continue to win, beating visiting Mesa 1-0 on Saturday to improve to 13-1.

Luis Lanz (Salpointe) scored the game’s only goal, finding the net with 4 minutes left.

Pima hosts Chandler-Gilbert at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Pima women’s soccer

The Aztecs fell to 9-4-1 with a 2-1 loss to visiting Phoenix College on Saturday. Pima hosts Chandler-Gilbert at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Teresa Wilson congratulates a player at Texas Tech.

Teresa Wilson, the former head coach at the University of Washington and Texas Tech, will be Arizona’s new pitching coach.

“I’m thrilled to be part of Arizona’s program,” Wilson said in a news release from UA. “I look forward to the opportunity to learn more from Mike and help continue the success the Wildcats have enjoyed.”

The Wildcats have been without a full-time pitching coach since last December, when Nancy Evans left the program. Local pitching instructor Gale Bundrick filled in as a volunteer during the 2008 season.

The hiring process was slowed this summer as Candrea attended to duties as the head coach of the U.S. Olympic team.

Wilson has worked with Candrea on previous U.S. national teams.

She was 89-123 in four seasons at Texas Tech, and 532-198-1 (.728) in 11 seasons at Washington, winning Pac-10 titles in 1996 and 2000.

She has a career record of 801-448-1 in 20 combined seasons at Texas Tech, Washington, Oregon and Minnesota. She led Washington to the national title game in 1996 (losing to Arizona) and in 1999, losing to UCLA.

Wilson was pitcher at Missouri, earning All-America honors as a senior in 1984.

She was the Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 1989, 1996 and 2000. She was the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1989.

“Teresa is a very good teacher of the game and can take our pitchers where

they need to go,” Candrea said in the release. “You can’t beat her experience and work ethic at the top levels of the game. We’re in great position to continue moving forward. She’ll take it up a notch.”

The three-person Arizona coaching staff of Candrea, Larry Ray and Wilson have a combined 47 seasons of head coaching experience at the Division I level.

Candrea is 1,131-228-2 in 21 seasons, all at Arizona.

Ray is 265-131 in six seasons — four at Florida and two at Arizona as an interim head coach in 2004 and 2008 when Candrea was gone due with Team USA.

With Wilson’s record, the UA coaching staff has a combined 2,197 victories.

Wilson was removed from her job at Washington in December 2003 as the school investigated her role in the drug-dispensing practices of team doctor William Scheyer.

When she was hired at Texas Tech in December 2004, Red Raiders athletic director Gerald Myers told the Dallas Morning News: “I’m fully aware of the situation there. I was convinced she didn’t have any wrongdoing there.”

Wilson filed suit against the university in April 2004, alleging Washington “put forth no evidence that she had any involvement in or knowledge of any medical wrongdoing” and that she was removed because she was a woman. The suit was later dismissed by federal judge.

Wilson has maintained her innocence, telling the Seattle Times in April 2007 that players interviewed by the internal investigation committee “were kids who had left, kids who had an axe to grind, kids who thought they should have played and didn’t.”

The Seattle Times asked Wilson how the incident had affected her reputation.

“The alumni put together a notebook of all the letters they received from coaches across the country, alumni, parents, umpires, community people. The people who know you, know you. The people who don’t (know you) love to talk. Gossip and something sensational are the most interesting things out there.

“You wake up every morning and look in the mirror, and as much as it all hurts, you know you did nothing wrong.”

Wilson will join the team in time for this week’s exhibition games at Hillenbrand Stadium.

UA will play Arizona Western College on Friday at 4 p.m.

On Saturday, the Wildcats will take on New Mexico (5:30 p.m.) and Central Arizona College (7:30 p.m.). On Sunday, Arizona plays Cypress College (3 p.m.) and Pima Community College (5 p.m.).

Teresa Wilson

Wilson

The hiring of a college softball assistant coach doesn’t usually make big news, but that is what happened Tuesday.

First of all, the transaction was at Arizona, which has won eight national titles since 1991.

Second, Mike Candrea hired a pitching coach who has 801 career victories as a head coach.

Candrea made a splash by bringing in former University of Washington head coach Teresa Wilson, a longtime softball confidant who spent the past four seasons leading Texas Tech.

“We’ve been friends for a long time and we joked about, ‘God, it would be great to coach together some time,’ ” Candrea said. “The time was right, and it was just a matter of me getting it done.”

The Wildcats have been without a full-time pitching coach since December, when Nancy Evans left the program. Local pitching instructor Gale Bundrick filled in as a volunteer during the 2008 season.

“I’m thrilled to be part of Arizona’s program,” Wilson said in a news release from UA. “I look forward to the opportunity to learn more from Mike and help continue the success the Wildcats have enjoyed.”

Wilson, 46, has worked with Candrea within the U.S. national team program, but not as an assistant with the Olympic teams.

She was 89-123 in four seasons at Texas Tech, and 532-198-1 in 11 seasons at Washingt