LAFAYETTE — Two of the pivotal games of last year’s 60-8 season will be revisited next season for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette softball program.

The Ragin’ Cajuns will host Pac-10 champion Arizona in three single games March 25-27 at Ragin’ Cajun Softball Park.

Coach Stefni Lotief’s Lady Cajuns faced the Wildcats in NCAA Region I play last season in Tucson, losing 4-0 to be thrown into loser’s bracket competition. They then rallied with wins over Temple and Northwestern and defeated Arizona 5-0 to reach the regional finals against Oklahoma.

Arizona’s losses to UL and OU ended its quest for the Women’s College World Series, while Oklahoma prevented the Cajuns from returning to the WCWS after an appearance in 2003.

“When (Arizona coach) Mike Candrea came back from the Olympics, he said he wanted to schedule us,” said Lotief, whose complete schedule has yet to be released.

“We have a good relationship with him and with their program, and I think when we beat them last year he really wanted to get this done.”

The meeting is a history-making one, of sorts. One of the nation’s elite softball programs, Arizona simply does not play three games away from home outside of the Pacific 10.

“Playing them is something I wanted to do,” Candrea told The Arizona Daily Star. “We had to fill some games on our schedule. It will be good for our team.

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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

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