TUCSON -- Arizona opened the 2003 softball season with a good hitting display off junior-college pitching to sweep an exhibition doubleheader, 9-0 in five innings and 6-2 in seven, over Phoenix College Friday at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Arizona socked six home runs and 24 hits in the two games.

In the first game, freshman pitcher Alicia Hollowell tossed five innings of two-hit ball, giving up only infield singles to Samantha Zadel and Sonia Medina. She struck out 10 and walked none.

The Cats used a power display from junior catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest, who hit two home runs, and also had homers from freshman first baseman Shelly Schultz and senior second baseman Lisha Ribellia. Vendergeest drove in five runs. The Cats collected nine hits off the Bears' Ramie Garcia.

In the second contest, PC jumped to a quick 2-0 lead in the first with successive hits by Delane Oscarson and Zadel and a walk by Medina off UA pitcher Wendy Allen. Deeanna Camacho drove in both runs with a one-out single to left before Allen struck out the side.

But UA answered in its half of the inning, tying the score with an RBI single by Allen and a run-scoring double by Jackie Coburn.

Lovie Jung gave UA the lead with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the third. Vandergeest singled and Allen doubled over the left fielder's head to put two runners in scoring position and Coburn lifted a towering shot just over the centerfield fence for a 6-3 lead.

UA pitcher Wendy Allen, a junior transfer who was Big Ten Player of the Year at Ohio State last season, limited the Bears to four hits.

The exhibition drew 621 fans. The Cats will play another exhiition game at 2 p.m. Saturday against former Wildcat stars in town for Arizona Softball Alumni Weekend.