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This week in Pac-12 softball

May 2, 2017

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• Six Pac-12 softball teams are ranked including four in the top-10 with two weeks remaining in the regular season. Arizona got the series win over rival Arizona State, and Oregon and UCLA went a perfect 3-0 on the weekend. 

• With a current 17-4 Conference record (.810) Arizona looks to clinch the Pac-12 regular season title, its first since 2007, with a perfect weekend. Utah is 12-4 (.750) and close behind, but must sweep its final three Conference opponents with an Arizona loss. 

• Arizona’s Jessie Harper earned both the Pac-12 Player and Freshman of the Week honors after having a pair of three-hit games in Arizona’s series victory over No. 23 Arizona State, driving in eight of Arizona’s 14 runs on the weekend. She went 3-for-3 with three extra base hits in game 3, including a grand slam and a solo homer for her fifth multi-homer game of 2017. Oregon’s Megan Kleist was named Pitcher of the Week after not allowing a run in a pair of wins against rival Oregon State over the weekend. The right-hander allowed just four hits and one walk in 12 total innings with 11 strikeouts.

• Six Pac-12 teams continue to be ranked with Arizona remaining at the No. 3 spot in both polls. Oregon enters the top five in both pollings as well. Washington is at No. 7/8, Utah its at No. 10/11, UCLA is at No. 12/12 and Arizona State is at No. 22/23. California received votes in the USA Softball/ESPN.com ranking. 

• Pac-12 teams continue to post the top NCAA RPI, with Washington at No. 2, Arizona at No. 2 and UCLA at NO. 5. Oregon is at No. 7, Utah is at No. 17, Arizona State is at No. 21, and California is at No. 25. 

• The top-5 matchup of non-Conference foe No. 2 Florida State at No. 5 Oregon highlights the week. The Ducks host the Seminoles for a three games series starting with a double header on Saturday. Utah visits Oregon State, California is at Arizona State, Arizona is at UCLA with the second of the three game series on May 6 to be televised on ESPN2 and Stanford visits Washington. 

CHASING HISTORY: Arizona’s Katiyana Mauga is on the verge of breaking the NCAA career home run record. She currently leaves the Conference in home runs this season with 22. 

    NCAA Softball Career Home Runs
    1. Lauren Chamberlain, Oklahoma 2012-15     95
    2. Stacey Nuveman, UCLA 1997, 99, 2001-02     90
    3. Katiyana Mauga, Arizona    89
    4. Stacie Chambers, Arizona 2008-11     87
    5. Leah Braatz, Arizona 1994-95, 97-98     85
    6. Laura Espinoza, Arizona 1992-95     85
    7. Shelby Pendley, Oklahoma 2012-15     84
    8. Danyele Gomez, Louisiana 2003-06     83